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Definitions and Meaning in English

1. Hoarding (noun): The excessive accumulation of items, often with little regard for their value or utility, typically due to anxiety or a fear of scarcity.
2. Hoarding (noun): A large board or structure used for displaying advertisements in public spaces (British usage).
3. Hoarding (verb): The act of collecting and storing large quantities of something, often secretly or excessively.

History and Origin

• The term “hoarding” comes from the Old English hord, meaning “treasure” or “hidden stockpile.” The psychological usage relating to excessive accumulation gained prominence in the 20th century, while the British meaning of “advertising board” evolved separately from the 19th century.

Detailed Explanation

1. Psychological hoarding: Refers to a mental health condition where individuals excessively collect and struggle to discard possessions, leading to clutter and distress. It is recognized as hoarding disorder in medical contexts.
2. Resource hoarding: Accumulating goods like food, money, or supplies due to fear of shortage, often seen during crises or economic uncertainty.
3. Billboard hoarding (British): A large outdoor panel used for advertising purposes.

Example Sentences

1. Her hoarding tendencies made her home nearly uninhabitable.
2. The government warned against hoarding essential goods during the pandemic.
3. He invested in billboard hoardings to promote his new product.
4. The old man had been hoarding newspapers for decades.
5. Hoarding disorder often requires therapy to manage effectively.
6. The hoardings around the construction site displayed colorful advertisements.
7. Panic buying led to hoarding of groceries in many areas.
8. She avoided discarding anything, believing she might need it someday.
9. Advertising hoardings are a common sight along highways.

Synonyms with Short Explanation

1. Stockpiling: Accumulating goods or items for future use, often in excess.
2. Accumulation: Gathering a large quantity of items over time.
3. Amassing: Collecting or gathering in large amounts, similar to hoarding.
4. Collecting: Bringing items together, though not always excessively.
5. Retention: Keeping items instead of discarding them.

Related Words with Short Explanation

1. Minimalism: The opposite lifestyle philosophy of owning fewer possessions.
2. Scarcity: The fear of running out, often driving hoarding behavior.
3. Decluttering: The process of removing unnecessary items, countering hoarding.
4. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): A related condition sometimes associated with hoarding.
5. Overconsumption: Acquiring more than what is needed, akin to hoarding.

More Matches with Short Explanation

1. Panic buying: Buying excessively due to fear of shortages.
2. Hoard: A stockpile of items, often hidden or excessive.
3. Stash: Secretly stored items, often small-scale hoarding.
4. Surplus: An excess of items, sometimes the result of hoarding.
5. Treasure: Precious items collected, though not always in a hoarding context.

Antonyms

1. Minimalism: Owning and valuing only essentials.
2. Decluttering: Removing unnecessary possessions.
3. Giving away: Donating or discarding items rather than hoarding them.
4. Sharing: Distributing resources instead of stockpiling.
5. Using up: Consuming items instead of storing them.