discard

Everyday

1. To discard something is to throw it away or get rid of it because you do not want or need it. tree →
2. In card games, to put down a card you do not want. tree →
3. As a noun: a card or thing that has been thrown away. tree →

In the lessons

Used in instructions («discard the seeds»), card games, recycling and safety (discard broken glass carefully). In maths and data: «discard the outlier». It tells the reader something is removed and no longer counts.

Examples

• Discard the apple cores in the compost bin. tree →
• Peel the orange and discard the skin. tree →
• In this game you discard one card each turn. tree →
• Please discard used tissues in the bin. tree →
• The scientist discarded the broken test tube. tree →
• Discard any eggs that are cracked. tree →
• Old toys were discarded by the side of the road. tree →

Note

Regular verb: discarded. A bit formal; everyday words are «throw away», «chuck out» (informal), «bin» (UK informal). In maths, discarding items means subtracting them: a bag of 20 apples with 3 discarded leaves 17.