Mothball

Part of speech: verb, noun

Pronunciation: /ˈmɒθbɔːl/

Definitions

1. A small, often round pellet made from chemical compounds that deter moths from damaging fibers while also serving as a method to temporarily suspend or store objects for future consideration
2. A rounded, typically chemical-based agent that keeps moths away from garments and acts as a means to halt the progression of items or plans until needed again
3. A spherical substance used to repel moths from textiles while also functioning as a means to preserve items by putting them in a state of inactivity for later use

Etymology: The mothball is a small ball of camphor or naphthalene placed among stored clothes to repel moths, and the name is literal: a moth plus a ball. The noun is simply a compound of "moth" and "ball," so the object was named for the very insect it was meant to drive off. The verb came later, built from the noun, and it carried the idea of the stored object into a figurative sense: to put something away in storage, leaving it untouched for an indefinite time. That figurative extension is the part that goes beyond the chemistry. A garment wrapped in mothballs sits out of use until someone needs it again, and the same logic was applied to ships, factories, and plans. To mothball a project is to shelve it without cancelling it, keeping it ready in case conditions change.

Synonyms: preserve, store, safeguard, suspend, set aside

Antonyms: activate, use, employ