Spoil | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Spoil, v. t.

verbtransitive

[imp. & p. p. SPOILED, or SPOILT; p. pr. & vb. n. SPOILING.] [Fr. spolier, Pr. & Pg. espoliar, It. spogliare, Lat. spoliare, from spolium. See SPOIL, n., and cf. DESPOIL.] 1. To plunder; to strip by violence; to rob;—with of before the indirect object; as, to spoil one of his goods or possessions. My sons their old, unhappy sire despise. Spoiled of his kingdom, and deprived of eyes. Pope. 2. To seize by violence; to take by force; as, to spoil one's goods. This mount With all its verdure spoiled. Milton. 3. To cause to decay and perish; to corrupt; to vitiate; to mar. Spiritual pride spoils many graces. Bp. Taylor. 4. To render useless by injury; to injure fatally; to ruin; to destroy; as, to spoil paper by wetting it; to have crops spoiled by insects; to spoil the eyes by reading.

Spoil, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. 1. To practice plunder or robbery.

Outlaws, which, lurking in woods, used to break forth to rob and spoil. Spencer.

Sense 2. To lose the valuable qualities; to be corrupted; to decay; as, fruit will soon spoil in warm weather.

Spoil, n.

noun

n. [Lat. spolium, It. spoglia.] 1. That which is taken from others by violence; especially, the plunder taken from an enemy; pillage; booty. Gentle gales, Fanning their odoriferous wings, dispense Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole Their balmy spoils. Milton.

That which is gained by strength or effort. “Each science and each art his spoil.” Bentley.
The act or practice of plundering; robbery; waste.

The man that hath not music in himself, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treason, stratagems, and spoils. Shak. 4. Corruption; cause of corruption. Villainous company hath been the spoil of me. Shak. 5. The slough, or cast skin, of a serpent or other animal. Bacon.