Webster's English Dictionary

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spoil

Cross references:
  1. decay                  2. indulge               
 
1. spoil \'spo.i(*)l\ n [ME spoile, fr. MF espoille, fr. L spolia, pl. of 
   spolium)X - more at SPILL 1a: plunder taken from an enemy in war or a 
   victim in robbery : LOOTM 1b: public offices made the property of a 
   successful party - usu. used in  pl. 1c: something gained by special effort 
   - usu. used in pl.  2a: PLUNDERING, SPOLIATION  2b: the act of damaging : 
   HARM, IMPAIRMENT  3: an object of plundering : PREY  4: earth and rock 
   excavated or dredged  5: an object damaged or flawed in the making  LOOT 
   mean something taken from another by force or craft. SPOIL, more commonly 
   SPOILS, applies to what belongs by right or custom to the victor in war or 
   political contest; PILLAGE stresses more open violence or lawlessness; 
   PLUNDER applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, 
   grafting, or swindling; BOOTY implies plunder to be shared among 
   confederates; PRIZE applies to spoils captured on the high seas or 
   territorial waters of the enemy; LOOT is a contemptuous term for plunder 
   and applies esp. to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe SYN syn 
   SPOIL, PILLAGE, PLUNDER, BOOTY, PRIZE, 
2. spoil \'spo.i(*)ld, 'spo.i(*)lt\ \'spo.i(*)lt\ vb or spoiled or spoilt;  
   or spoil.ing [ME spoilen, fr. MF espoillier, fr. L spoliare, fr. spoliu]m 
   1a: DESPOIL, STRIP  1b: PILLAGE, ROB  archaic  2: to seize by force  3a: to 
   damage seriously : RUIN {a crop ~ed by floods } 3b: impair the quality or 
   effect of {a quarrel ~ed the celeb ration} 4a: to impair the disposition or 
   character of by overindulgence or excessi ve praise 4b: to pamper 
   excessively : CODDLE  1: to practice plunder and robbery  2: to become 
   corrupted or tainted  3: to have an eager desire {~ing for a fight}