despoil
verb (used with object)
to strip of possessions, things of value, etc.; rob; plunder; pillage.
had despoiled
-
past perfectof despoil.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
By demonstrating that golf can rectify the landscape that a mining operation had despoiled, Old Works became another harbinger of golf's role in land reclamation.
From Golf Digest ● Oct. 13, 2010
It was only later that I could see how Disney had despoiled beautiful stories and had abused the idea of animation.
From The New Yorker ● Jan. 14, 1966
But those two had robbed her, what she took was not so much as a thousandth part of the money of which they had despoiled her.
From Red Masquerade by Louis Joseph Vance
When they had despoiled him of every remnant of his property, they deemed themselves entitled to his gratitude for leaving his person unmolested.
From Ormond, Volume I (of 3) or, The Secret Witness by Charles Brockden Brown
Their ambition was evident to their neighbours, and those whom they had despoiled, under every plausible pretext, awaited the opportunity of retribution.
From Lectures on Modern history by John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, Baron Acton
