[lit.ter] n [ME, fr. MF litiere, fr. lit bed, fr. L lectus--more at lie] (14c) 1 a: a covered and curtained couch provided with shafts and used for carrying a single passenger b: a device (as a stretcher) for carrying a sick or injured person
2. a (1): material used as bedding for animals (2): material used to absorb the urine and feces of animals b: the uppermost slightly decayed layer of organic matter on the forest floor
3: the offspring at one birth of a multiparous animal
4. a: trash, wastepaper, or garbage lying scattered about "trying to clean up the roadside ~" b: an untidy accumulation of objects "a shabby writing-desk covered with a ~ of yellowish dusty documents --Joseph Conrad" -- lit.tery adj
[2]litter vt (14c) 1: bed 1a
2: to give birth to a litter of (young) 3 a: to strew with scattered articles b: to scatter about in disorder c: to lie about in disorder "their upside-down hats ~ed the top of the bar --Michael Chabon" d: to mark with objects scattered at random "a book ~ed with misprints" ~ vi 1: to give birth to a litter
2: to strew litter