spoil
to damage severely or harm (something), especially with reference to its excellence, value, usefulness, etc.: The water stain spoiled the painting.Drought spoiled the corn crop.
to diminish or impair the quality of; affect detrimentally: Bad weather spoiled their vacation.
to impair, damage, or harm the character or nature of (someone) by unwise treatment, excessive indulgence, etc.: to spoil a child by pampering him.
Archaic. to strip (persons, places, etc.) of goods, valuables, etc.; plunder; pillage; despoil.
Archaic. to take or seize by force.
to become bad, or unfit for use, as food or other perishable substances; become tainted or putrid: Milk spoils if not refrigerated.
to plunder, pillage, or rob.
Often spoils. booty, loot, or plunder taken in war or robbery.
the act of plundering.
an object of plundering.
Usually spoils.
the emoluments and advantages of public office viewed as won by a victorious political party: the spoils of office.
prizes won or treasures accumulated: a child's spoils brought home from a party.
waste material, as that which is cast up in mining, excavating, quarrying, etc.
an imperfectly made object, damaged during the manufacturing process.
Idioms about spoil
be spoiling for, Informal. to be very eager for; be desirous of: It was obvious that he was spoiling for a fight.
Origin of spoil
1synonym study For spoil
Other words for spoil
Other words from spoil
- spoil·a·ble, adjective
- spoil·less, adjective
- un·spoil·a·ble, adjective
Words Nearby spoil
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use spoil in a sentence
It was as though he wanted to have the vast spoils of the world all for himself.
The tangled history behind David Fincher’s Mank — and its link to Citizen Kane — explained | Alissa Wilkinson | December 4, 2020 | VoxWhen Jones County Confederates tried to steer a corn-filled wagon through the county en route to Mobile, Alabama, Newton and his fellow soldiers opened fire and took the wagon as spoils.
These Pioneers Tried to Get the Confederate Flag Out of Mississippi 156 Years Ago | Fiona Zublin | December 3, 2020 | OzyThe problem is that the spoils from technology-driven productivity gains have not been shared equally.
MIT Report: Robots Aren’t the Biggest Threat to the Future of Work—Policy Is | Edd Gent | November 23, 2020 | Singularity HubLater, laaities in town would cross blocks to crowd into living rooms where we sat in front of the machines of more fortunate sons, garlanded in their spoils and praise as we cracked consoles our parents couldn’t afford.
Connected TVs are streaming more video than ever to people in Europe and Samsung wants a share of the spoils.
‘We want to be as frictionless as possible’: Samsung ramps up its pitch to advertisers across Europe | Seb Joseph | October 15, 2020 | Digiday
Rico Finally Paid: its easy fast money money and im welling to spoil you to def .
Of course I dismissed him for the day, and of course I paid him for the full time, that being the way we spoil our models.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the Show | Robert W. Chambers | February 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTSo in episode five—not to spoil anything—Cohle gives one of his metaphysical addresses.
Inside the Obsessive, Strange Mind of True Detective’s Nic Pizzolatto | Andrew Romano | February 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAt these wellness retreats, the staff will kick your butt—and then spoil you silly.
There are other ways in which the shutdown can spoil the holiday season – for retailers and workers.
She says she ain't going to spoil her children by sparing rods when our 'upper lot' is full of 'em.
Dorothy at Skyrie | Evelyn RaymondIf only we could obtain running powers to Limerick and carry them back to Ireland, we should have secured some of the spoil.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland | Joseph TatlowThy riches and thy treasures I will give unto spoil for nothing, because of all thy sins, even in all thy borders.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version | VariousA soiled bonnet cap, untidy strings, or torn gloves and collar will utterly spoil the prettiest costume.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness | Florence HartleyThey were rowing down the channel of the wider portion of the creek towards Isabel's landing, their boat filled with spoil.
Ancestors | Gertrude Atherton
British Dictionary definitions for spoil
/ (spɔɪl) /
(tr) to cause damage to (something), in regard to its value, beauty, usefulness, etc
(tr) to weaken the character of (a child) by complying unrestrainedly with its desires
(intr) (of perishable substances) to become unfit for consumption or use: the fruit must be eaten before it spoils
(intr) sport to disrupt the play or style of an opponent, as to prevent him from settling into a rhythm
archaic to strip (a person or place) of (property or goods) by force or violence
be spoiling for to have an aggressive desire for (a fight, etc)
waste material thrown up by an excavation
any treasure accumulated by a person: this gold ring was part of the spoil
obsolete
the act of plundering
a strategically placed building, city, etc, captured as plunder
Origin of spoil
1- See also spoils
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with spoil
In addition to the idioms beginning with spoil
- spoil for
also see:
- spare the rod and spoil the child
- too many cooks spoil the broth
- to the victor belong the spoils
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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