ENGLISH
REFERENCE

recycle

v.
A2 Elementary Oxford US //ɹiˈsaɪkəɫ// UK //ɹɪsˈaɪkəl// re·cy·cle General-service

v. to put used materials like paper, glass, or plastic through a process so they can be used again. This helps reduce waste and protects the environment.

v. to process used or waste materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials. Transitive — requires a direct object representing the material or item being processed.


SIMPLE

We recycle all our glass bottles and old newspapers.

CONTEXTUAL

The local government encourages residents to recycle plastic containers by providing blue bins for every household.

COMPLEX

Modern manufacturing plants often recycle industrial water through a closed-loop system to minimize their environmental footprint and reduce operational costs.

Synonyms
Origin

From re- + cycle.

Usage

The verb is transitive and takes a direct object; it can also be used intransitively when describing a general habit.

Pitfall

We must to recycle more.We must recycle more.Learners sometimes incorrectly add 'to' after modal verbs like 'must' or 'should' when using common verbs like recycle.

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