pol·lu·tion

(pə-lo͞o′shən)

1. The act or process of polluting or the state of being polluted, especially the contamination of soil, water, or the atmosphere by the discharge of harmful substances.

2. Something that pollutes; a pollutant or a group of pollutants: Pollution in the air reduced the visibility near the airport.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

pollution

(pəˈluːʃən)

1. the act of polluting or the state of being polluted

2. (Environmental Science) harmful or poisonous substances introduced into an environment

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pol•lu•tion

(pəˈlu ʃən)

n.

1. the act of polluting or the state of being polluted.

2. the introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment: air pollution.

[1350–1400; Middle English (< Old French) < Late Latin]

pollution

Pollution can affect air, water, or land and can threaten the health of humans, wildlife, and plants.

pol·lu·tion

(pə-lo͞o′shən)

The contamination of air, water, or soil by substances that are harmful to living things. ♦ Light from cities and towns at night that interferes with astronomical observations is known as light pollution. It can also disturb natural rhythms of growth in plants and other organisms. ♦ Continuous noise that is loud enough to be annoying or physically harmful is known as noise pollution. ♦ Heat from hot water that is discharged from a factory into a river or lake, where it can kill or endanger aquatic life, is known as thermal pollution.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

pollution

When there is pollution, the water or air in a place is dirty, impure, and dangerous, usually because poisonous chemicals have got into it.

...changes in the climate due to pollution of the atmosphere.

Pollution is an uncount noun. You do not talk about 'pollutions' or 'a pollution'.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

pollution

Introducing harmful substances or other agents into the environment.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	pollution - undesirable state of the natural environment being contaminated with harmful substances as a consequence of human activities impureness, impurity - the condition of being impure environmental condition - the state of the environment biodegradable pollution - pollution that is rendered harmless by natural processes and so causes no permanent harm nonbiodegradable pollution - pollution that accumulates in the environment and may appear in the food chain air pollution - pollution of the atmosphere; "air pollution reduced the visibility" noise pollution, sound pollution - annoying and potentially harmful environmental noise thermal pollution - harm to lakes and rivers resulting from the release of excessive waste heat into them water pollution - pollution of the water in rivers and lakes
	2.	pollution - the state of being polluted befoulment, defilement dirtiness, uncleanness - the state of being unsanitary
	3.	pollution - the act of contaminating or polluting; including (either intentionally or accidentally) unwanted substances or factors contamination dirtying, soiling, soilure - the act of soiling something dust contamination - the act of contaminating with dust particles

pollution

noun

1. contamination, dirtying, corruption, taint, adulteration, foulness, defilement, uncleanness, vitiation environmental pollution

2. waste, poisons, dirt, impurities the level of pollution in the river

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

pollution

noun

1. The state of being contaminated:

adulteration, contamination, sophistication.

2. Impure condition:

defilement, dirtiness, foulness, impurity, uncleanness, unwholesomeness.

Translations

تَلَوُّثتَلْويث

znečistěníznečištění

forurening

Umweltverschmutzung Verschmutzung

ρύπανση μόλυνση

contaminación

saastesaastuminensaastuttaminen

pollution

zagađenost

környezetszennyezésszennyeződés

mengun

inquinamento

汚染汚染物質

오염

onesnaževanje

förorening

มลพิษ

kirlenmekirletme

sự ô nhiễm

污染

pollution

[pəˈluːʃən]

A. N

1. → contaminación f, polución f

2. (fig) → corrupción f

B. CPD pollution control N → control m de la contaminación
pollution levels NPL → niveles mpl de contaminación

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

pollution

[pəˈluːʃ^ən] n [air, water, land] → pollution f
environmental pollution → pollution f de l'environnement

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

pollution

n (of environment) → Umweltverschmutzung f, → Verschmutzung f; (of atmosphere) → Verunreinigung f; (of rivers) → Verunreinigung f, → Verpestung f (pej); (fig) → Korrumpierung f; the fight against pollution → der Kampf gegen die Umweltverschmutzung; pollution level → Grad m → der Umweltverschmutzung; (of air, water) → Schadstoffbelastung f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

pollution

[pəˈluːʃ/ən] n (see vb) → inquinamento, corruzione f

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

pollute

(pəˈluːt) verb

to make dirty. Chemicals are polluting the air.

polˈlution (-ʃən) noun

pollution

→ تَلَوُّث znečištění forurening Umweltverschmutzung ρύπανση contaminación saaste pollution zagađenost inquinamento 汚染 오염 vervuiling forurensning zanieczyszczenie poluição загрязнение förorening มลพิษ kirlenme sự ô nhiễm 污染

pol·lu·tion

n. polución, contaminación;

air ___ → ___ del aire;

water ___ → ___ del agua;

noise ___ → ___ de ruidos.

pollution

n contaminación f; air — contaminación atmosférica (form), contaminación del aire; water — contaminación del agua

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Creon desires to bury Oedipus on the confines of Thebes so as to avoid the pollution and yet offer due rites at his tomb.

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Is your soul not poverty and pollution and wretched self- complacency?

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Hence it came to pass that these two Classes could see no force in the so-called axiom about "Distinction of Sides implying Distinction of Colour"; and when all others had succumbed to the fascinations of corporal decoration, the Priests and the Women alone still remained pure from the pollution of paint.

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But at length, by Elizabeth's persuasion, he was prevailed on to overlook the offence, and seek a reconciliation; and, after a little farther resistance on the part of his aunt, her resentment gave way, either to her affection for him, or her curiosity to see how his wife conducted herself; and she condescended to wait on them at Pemberley, in spite of that pollution which its woods had received, not merely from the presence of such a mistress, but the visits of her uncle and aunt from the city.

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I am fresh from my holy office, and would avoid pollution.''

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Wilson and the Governor had introduced so openly to the public notice, bidding him speak, in the hearing of all men, to that mystery of a woman's soul, so sacred even in its pollution. The trying nature of his position drove the blood from his cheek, and made his lips tremulous.

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Tell them of cruel scourgings, of mutilations and brandings, of scenes of pollution and blood, of the banishment of all light and knowl- edge, and they affect to be greatly indignant at such enormous exaggerations, such wholesale misstate- ments, such abominable libels on the character of the southern planters!

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The merciless prohibitions of the taboo extended likewise to this edifice, and were enforced by the same dreadful penalty that secured the Hoolah-Hoolah ground from the imaginary pollution of a woman's presence.

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But, happily for us, my brethren, the fountain of divine love flows from a source too pure to admit of pollution in its course; it extends, to those who drink of its vivifying waters, the peace of the righteous, and life everlasting; it endures through all time, and it pervades creation.

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His accession to the throne, or rather his usurpation of the sovereignty, a hundred and seventy-one years before the coming of Christ; his attempt to plunder the temple of Diana at Ephesus; his implacable hostility to the Jews; his pollution of the Holy of Holies; and his miserable death at Taba, after a tumultuous reign of eleven years, are circumstances of a prominent kind, and therefore more generally noticed by the historians of his time than the impious, dastardly, cruel, silly, and whimsical achievements which make up the sum total of his private life and reputation.

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Or is it that you like its bitter flavor--that the clear, limpid water is insipid to your palate and that the pollution of its after-course gives it a relish to your lips?

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The gardens are hidden by high mud-walls, and the paradise is become a very sink of pollution and uncomeliness.

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