Squander vs Prodigal - What's the difference?
squander | prodigal |
To waste, lavish, splurge; to spend lavishly or profusely; to dissipate.
* 1746 , Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac
* {{quote-news
, year=2011
, date=September 24
, author=David Ornstein
, title=Arsenal 3 - 0 Bolton
, work=BBC Sport
(obsolete) To scatter; to disperse.
* Dryden
To wander at random; to scatter.
* Shakespeare
wastefully extravagant.
(often, followed by of or with) someone yielding profusely, lavish
profuse, lavishly abundant
returning after abandoning a person, group, or ideal, especially for selfish reasons; being a prodigal son.
* '>citation
As a verb squander
is to waste, lavish, splurge; to spend lavishly or profusely; to dissipate.As an adjective prodigal is
wastefully extravagant.As a noun prodigal is
a prodigal person, a spendthrift.squander
English
Verb
(en verb)Agribusiness Management
- Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of.
citation, page= , passage=As the game opened up, Bolton squandered a fine opportunity to equalise - Chris Eagles shooting straight at Szczesny - but then back came Arsenal.}}
- Our squandered troops he rallies.
- The wise man's folly is anatomized / Even by squandering glances of the fool.
Usage notes
Squander implies starting with many resources, such as great wealth, and then wasting them (using them up to little purpose or little effect), often ending with little. Particularly used in phrases such as “squander an opportunity” or “squander an inheritance”. It may be used even if one starts with little, though usually in some construction such as “squander what little he had”.Synonyms
* waste, splurge * ducks and drakes * throw awayReferences
prodigal
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- He found himself guilty of prodigal spending during the holidays.
- He is a prodigal son.
- She was a merry person, glad and prodigal of smiles.
- How can he be so prodigal with money on such a tight budget?
