recycle

5 definitions • 10 examples

to sort and collect rubbish in order to treat it and produce useful materials that can be used again:

The Japanese recycle more than half their waste paper.

Shall I just throw this bottle away, or do you recycle?

to use something again for a different purpose:

Why not recycle Christmas cards as gift tags?

Students can sometimes recycle old essays to make them fit new questions.

to collect and treat used objects and materials that are ready to be thrown out in order to produce materials that can be used again:

[ T ] The law requires us to recycle paper products, glass bottles, soda cans, and some kinds of plastic.

to use a special industrial process in order to make materials and products ready to be used again:

Remember to reduce, reuse, or recycle.

be recycled Equipment that is too old to repair is recycled.

recycle goods/material/waste Waste is separated into four different bins in order to recycle it.

recycle sth into sth Plastic bottles can be recycled into a myriad other products.

to use money for a different purpose from the one it was originally intended for:

recycle sth into sth The original capital of $500,000 has been recycled into loans totaling $22 million.