discarded

Everyday

1. Discarded is the past form of «discard», which means to throw away or get rid of something you no longer want. tree →
2. (adjective) A discarded thing has been thrown away or left behind. tree →
3. In card games, to discard a card is to put it down because you do not want it. tree →

In the lessons

In science and safety lessons it appears with litter: discarded bottles, cans and needles that can harm wildlife or people. In maths problems discarded items are taken away from the total. In card games it is a normal rule word. Phrases: discarded litter, discarded packaging, the discard pile.

Examples

• The beach was covered in discarded plastic bottles. tree →
• He discarded his old trainers and bought new ones. tree →
• A discarded fishing line tangled around the bird's leg. tree →
• Never touch a discarded needle; tell an adult. tree →
• I discarded two cards and picked up two new ones. tree →
• Of 50 apples, 8 were discarded because they were rotten. tree →
• We made art from discarded boxes. tree →

Note

Regular verb: discard → discarded. Say dis-CARD-ed. In maths: «8 discarded out of 50» leaves 50 − 8 = 42. Safety: discarded glass, needles and batteries can be dangerous — do not pick them up.