wastepaper basket
B2Neutral to Formal
Definition
Meaning
A container, often open-topped and made of plastic, metal, or wicker, for temporarily holding discarded paper and small items of rubbish.
A repository for rejected or useless items or ideas; often used metaphorically to denote something being discarded or treated as worthless.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily denotes an item of office or home furniture. The metaphorical use is common in contexts like writing ('throw that paragraph in the wastepaper basket') or project management.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
UK English predominantly uses 'wastepaper basket' or often shortens to 'wastepaper basket'. US English overwhelmingly prefers 'wastebasket' or 'trash can'. 'Wastepaper basket' sounds slightly formal or old-fashioned in US English.
Connotations
In the UK, it implies a specific use for paper; in the US, 'wastebasket' has a broader function but is still typically for dry, office-type waste.
Frequency
Common in UK English; relatively rare in contemporary US English, where 'wastebasket' is standard.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to throw something in/into the wastepaper basketto be consigned to the wastepaper basketto place something beside/near the wastepaper basketVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The idea ended up in the wastepaper basket.”
- “It's not fit for the wastepaper basket.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
A common item of office furniture. 'Please ensure confidential documents are shredded, not just placed in the wastepaper basket.'
Academic
Used literally and metaphorically in critical analysis. 'The author's first draft was metaphorically thrown in the wastepaper basket.'
Everyday
A household item for discarding junk mail, used tissues, etc. 'Can you empty the wastepaper basket in the study?'
Technical
Not a technical term. May appear in office supplies catalogues or furniture specifications.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He wastepaper-basketed the memo immediately.
American English
- She wastebasketed the note without reading it.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- There is a blue wastepaper basket next to the desk.
- Put your old drawing in the wastepaper basket.
- The secretary emptied the wastepaper basket at the end of the day.
- I found the lost letter under the wastepaper basket.
- His proposal was so poorly researched that the committee chair consigned it to the wastepaper basket.
- A well-placed wastepaper basket can help keep your workspace tidy.
- The entire first act of the play deservedly found its way into the wastepaper basket, a victim of the writer's relentless self-editing.
- In a symbolic gesture, he tore the contract and dropped the pieces into the brass wastepaper basket.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
WASTE + PAPER + BASKET: A basket specifically for waste paper.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTAINER FOR REJECTED IDEAS (The mind/process as an office: good ideas are filed, bad ones are tossed in the wastepaper basket).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid calquing as 'мусорная бумажная корзина' – it's冗长. Use 'корзина для бумаг' or simply 'корзина' if context is clear.
- Do not confuse with 'урна' (larger outdoor bin/trash can).
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'waste paper basket' (less standard).
- Using it to describe a large kitchen bin.
- In US contexts, using it where 'wastebasket' is expected.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most common American English equivalent for 'wastepaper basket'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is most commonly written as a single compound word: 'wastepaper basket'. However, the spaced form 'waste paper basket' is also seen, though less standard.
A 'wastepaper basket' is specifically for paper and small dry waste, often found in offices. A 'bin' is a more general term for any rubbish container, including kitchen bins, pedal bins, and wheelie bins.
Informally, yes. To 'wastepaper basket' something means to throw it away or reject it, especially a piece of writing. This is more common in British English and is considered stylistically informal or humorous.
In British English: /ˈweɪstˌpeɪpə ˌbɑːskɪt/. The key is the clear /p/ in 'paper' and the long /ɑː/ in 'basket'. In American English: /ˈweɪstˌpeɪpər ˌbæskɪt/, with a rhotic 'r' in 'paper' and a flat /æ/ in 'basket'.