mothball

plural mothballs · alternative moth-ball · alternative moth ball

1. in pluralA small ball of chemical pesticide (originally camphor and now typically naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene) and deodorant placed in or around clothing and other articles to deter moth larvae which may damage them.

   There were two carloads of equipments. Upon their return to the armory the blankets were shook and repacked with mothballs; […]

   1904, E. P. Burlingame, “Financial Statement to Accompany the Report of the Adjutant General”, in Annual Report of the Adjutant General of Oklahoma: for the Year Ending December 31, 1904 […], Guthrie, Okla.: The State Capital Company, →OCLC, page 25

   3 more examples

   Me and Solly, as I now called him, prepared to shake off our moth-balls and wing our way against the arc-lights of the joyous and tuneful East.

   1907, O. Henry [pseudonym; William Sydney Porter], “Seats of the Haughty”, in Heart of the West, New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company for Review of Reviews Co., →OCLC, page 82

   The church interior was as comfortable as Sunday-morning toast and marmalade— […] gorgeous stained-glass windows, and a general polite creaking of ladies' best stays and gentlemen's stiff shirt-bosoms, and an odor of the best cologne and moth-balls.

   1914 February, Sinclair Lewis, “He Becomes Mildly Religious and Highly Literary”, in Our Mr. Wrenn: The Romantic Adventures of a Gentle Man, New York, N.Y.: Grosset & Dunlap, →OCLC, pages 213–214

   Mr. President, I have supported the draft and shall do so as long as it is necessary. But I believe that when a draftee has served his 2 years and is released for normal civilian life, he should be free to place his uniform in mothballs until the Nation's safety requires his return to active duty.

   1955 July 21, [Richard Lewis] Neuberger, “Education Benefits rather than Compulsion for a Ready Reserve Force”, in Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 84th Congress, First Session (United States Senate), volume 101, part 9, Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 11131, column 2

present singular third person mothballs · participle present mothballing · participle past mothballed · past mothballed

1. transitiveTo store (clothing, etc.) with mothballs (noun sense 1).
2. figurativelytransitivechiefly passive voiceTo stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future.

   They mothballed the old version after the new one came out.

   5 more examples

   There is already considerable spare primary capacity because the coal is accessible and merely needs the men and machines to get it. We are unaware, however, of the physical and economic possibilities of mothballing pits, or of the extent to which the present surplus capacity of 40 million tons would match the capacity of loss-making pits which one would like to close.

   1965 October 16, “News and Views: Energy Forecasts for Britain”, in Nature: A Weekly Journal of Science, volume 208, number 5007, London: Macmillan (Journals); New York, N.Y.: St. Martin’s Press, →OCLC, page 229, column 2

   Following the war, along with the inevitable sharp reduction of forces, including the "mothballing" of a considerable part of the fleet as an inactive reserve, there were a few important developments affecting the navy.

   1967, Robert G[reenhalgh] Albion, “United States. [33. Navy.]”, in The Encyclopedia Americana […], international edition, volume 27 (Trace to Venial Sin), New York, N.Y.: Americana Corporation, →OCLC, page 709, column 2

   Years later, he [Walter Simonson] characterized the company's behavior as "abrupt, rude, and disrespectful," and railed against the mothballing of veteran creators.

   2012, Sean Howe, chapter 16, in Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, New York, N.Y.: Harper, →ISBN

   Some schools might have an art studio, an area of forestry in the playground, or a performance stage in the hall – all exceptional assets. Just check they get plenty of use and aren't mothballed while the school concentrates on (you guessed it) maths and literacy.

   2014 September 23, a teacher [pseudonym], “Choosing a primary school: a teacher’s guide for parents”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 Jul 2025

   In the short term NR [National Rail] could well mothball the line given its lack of traffic.

   2021 March 10, Paul Shannon, “Freight’s New Gateways Score Highly on Location and Layout”, in Rail, number 926, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 34

   Antonyms: demothball, unmothball

3. figurativelytransitivechiefly passive voiceTo stop work on (a plan, project, etc.) for the time being; to postpone, to shelve.

   The fact that the START Treaty has just been signed is reason enough not to build one rail garrison train before mothballing the project.

   1991 September 26, [Carl] Levin, “Department of Defense Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year 1992”, in Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 102d Congress, First Session (United States Senate), volume 137, part 17, Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 24260, column 3

   Synonyms: defer, set aside