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mothball in Portuguese

mothball in Portuguese is naftalina, engavetar — mothball means a small ball of chemical, usually naphthalene, kept among stored clothes to keep moths from damaging them.

mothball in Portuguese

naftalina
noun
(usually, in plural) A small ball of chemical pesticide (typically naphthalene) and deodorant placed in or around clothing and other articles susceptible to damage from mold or moth larvae in order to protect them from this damage.
engavetar
verb
(transitive) To store or shelve something no longer used.

What does "mothball" mean?

  1. noun A small ball of chemical, usually naphthalene, kept among stored clothes to keep moths from damaging them.
    "The wardrobe smelled of mothballs after months shut up for winter."
  2. verb To take something out of active use and put it into storage, usually so it can be brought back into service later.
    "The airline mothballed half its fleet during the downturn."
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mothball in a sentence

  • The wardrobe smelled of mothballs after months shut up for winter.
  • She dropped a few mothballs into the box before sealing it.
  • The airline mothballed half its fleet during the downturn.
  • Plans for the new stadium were mothballed when funding fell through.

Similar words in Portuguese

Common Portuguese translations

Frequently asked questions

What is "mothball" in Portuguese?
"mothball" in Portuguese is naftalina, engavetar. mothball means: A small ball of chemical, usually naphthalene, kept among stored clothes to keep moths from damaging them.
How do you use "mothball" in a sentence?
Example: "The wardrobe smelled of mothballs after months shut up for winter." In Portuguese, "mothball" is naftalina, engavetar.
Are there other ways to say "mothball" in Portuguese?
Yes — Portuguese has 2 translations listed for "mothball": naftalina, engavetar.
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Translations from WikDict, CC BY-SA · example sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR.