1. U 废弃物；垃圾　waste material thrown away, especially bits of paper scattered untidily in a public place
2. S 杂乱，凌乱　state of untidiness
3. C 一窝　all the young born to an animal at one time

　litter　作“一窝”解时是可数集合名词，当其作主语时，谓语动词可用单数形式，也可用复数形式。

　clean〔pick〕 up ～　清除〔收拾〕杂物
　drop〔leave〕 ～　乱扔杂物
　a terrible ～　乱七八糟的一大堆
　in a ～　一片杂乱
　a ～ of magazines　乱七八糟的一堆杂志
　a ～ of puppies　一窝小狗

　The streets were full of litter.　街道上满是垃圾。
　Litter covered the cinema floor after the film.　电影结束后，电影院的地上丢满了垃圾。
　Her room was in such a litter that she was ashamed to ask me in.　她的房间十分凌乱，所以不好意思请我进去。
　Our cat had a litter of four.　我们家的猫一胎生了四只小猫。
　The litter of puppies are〔is 〕 playing in the ground.　这窝小狗正在地上嬉闹。

　vt. & vi.使杂乱；乱丢杂物make untidy with odds and ends;scatter litter

　～ books〔newspaper〕　扔书〔报纸〕

　Don't litter.　勿乱丢杂物。
　Papers littered his desk.　他的书桌上乱七八糟地堆满了文稿。

 ♣ litter up　(v.+adv.)
　把（某处）搞得乱糟糟　make (a place) untidy
　Why do you always litter up the table with all these newspapers?　你为什么总是将报纸乱丢，把桌子弄得乱糟糟呢?
 ♣ litter with　(v.+prep.)
　使杂乱，使凌乱　make untidy with odds and ends
　He littered the yard with bottles and cans.　他扔得满地都是瓶子和罐头。
　His desk was littered with papers.　他的办公桌上杂乱地堆放着文件。

　［词源］古法语litiere（废弃物）