throwaway — English Dictionary

Adjective

1. Disposable; intended for a single use prior to being discarded.

   Usage

   • not-comparable

   Examples

   Water was provided in throwaway plastic bottles, but the more ecologically minded of us refilled our initial bottles from the fountain.

   More people means that more synthetic compounds and dangerous throwaway plastics are manufactured, many of which add to the growing toxification of the Earth.

2. Extemporaneous; off the cuff.

   Usage

   • not-comparable

   Examples

   The host made a throwaway remark about the president that was later repeated on the television news.

3. Given in a casual manner, either deliberately or unconsciously, with apparent disregard for effect.

   Usage

   • not-comparable

   Examples

   More examples (2)

   As the film opens, a martial-drum-dominated version of the "Star Wars" theme and the inevitable bottom-to-top print crawl inform us that the Clone Wars, a conflict that originated as a throwaway line in the original 1977 film...

   I was intrigued by the exchange in one of the opening scenes where the Warden says to Snake: "You flew the wing-five over Leningrad, didn't you?" It turns out to be just a throwaway line, but for a moment it worked like the best SF, where a casual reference can imply a lot.

   In one throwaway visual gag, the towering filing cabinet behind his desk is shown to have no drawers at all, but several concealed mirrors instead.

Noun

1. Something temporary and disposable, as: Any printed material that need not be kept after being read; especially, a flyer or brochure.

   Examples

   Some [of the essays] appeared originally in writer's^([sic]) forums and bookstore throwaways, others in more academic contexts […]

2. Something temporary and disposable, as: A burner account.

   Usage

   • Internet

Adjective

1. thrown away

   Synonyms

   cast-offdiscardedthrown-away

   Examples

   wearing someone's cast-off clothes

   throwaway children living on the streets

   More examples (1)

   salvaged some thrown-away furniture

2. intended to be thrown away after use

   Examples

   throwaway diapers

Noun

1. (sometimes offensive) a homeless boy who has been abandoned and roams the streets

   Synonyms

   street arabgamin

   Broader terms

   street urchinguttersnipe

2. an advertisement (usually printed on a page or in a leaflet) intended for wide distribution

   Synonyms

   circularhandbillbillbroadsidebroadsheetflierflyer

   Broader terms

   adadvertisementadvertizementadvertisingadvertizingadvert

   Examples

   he mailed the circular to all subscribers

3. words spoken in a casual way with conscious under-emphasis

   Broader terms

   actor's linespeechwords