mothball
Closet pest deterrent
A mothball is a small ball of pungent chemical—traditionally naphthalene or camphor—placed among stored clothing to repel moths and their larvae.
To mothball something is to put it in protective storage or suspend its operation indefinitely: The Navy mothballed several destroyers after the war.
Something in mothballs is inactive but preserved for potential future use.
Aromatic crystalline insect deterrent
- cedarDurable, fragrant conifer
- closetBuilt-in storage chamber
- woolensGarments of sheep fiber
- linensHousehold fabric goods
garments · airtight · fumigant · insecticide · chest · trunk · drawer · sachet
Suspend or store
- deactivateTurn off or neutralize
- idleWithout activity or purpose
- pauseTemporary cessation of activity
- haltComplete sudden stop
discontinue · freeze · postpone · defer · delay · decommission · table · put on hold
Withdraw from operational use
dock · harbor · surplus · military · battleship · destroyer · aircraft · equipment
camphor
Aromatic crystalline insect deterrent
linens · garments · airtight · fumigant · insecticide · chest · trunk · drawer · sachet · wardrobe
shelve
Suspend or store
- deactivateTurn off or neutralize
- idleWithout activity or purpose
- pauseTemporary cessation of activity
halt · discontinue · freeze · postpone · defer · delay · decommission · table · put on hold · moratorium
decommission
Withdraw from operational use
reserve · dock · harbor · surplus · military · battleship · destroyer · aircraft · equipment · machinery
stale
No longer fresh
- pungentSharply strong-smelling
- old-fashionedBelonging to earlier times
- dustyCoated with fine particles
attic · grandmother · vintage · antique · dated · nostalgic · bygone · yellowed · faded · aged
conserve
Keep from being depleted
protect · cover · wrap · seal · encase · stockpile · warehouse · archive · keep · hold
- round thingssphere, globe, circle, orb, spheres
- preserverslife preserver, life jacket, life vest, buoy, life ring
- closet storageclothes hanger, coat hanger, plastic hanger, wooden hanger, wire hanger
- laundrywashing machine, wash, dryer, clothes dryer, fold
- delaysdelays, delay, delayed, postponement, postpone
- endingsending, the end, finish, close, final
mothballactivate
Cause to function
commission · reactivate · deploy · operationalize · recommission