[spoil] n [ME spoile, fr. MF espoille, fr. L spolia, pl. of spolium animal skin--more at spill] (14c) 1 a: plunder taken from an enemy in war or a victim in robbery: loot b: public offices made the property of a successful party--usu. used in pl. c: something valuable or desirable gained through special effort or opportunism or in return for a favor--usu. used in pl.
2. a: spoliation, plundering b: 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 syn spoil, plunder, booty, prize, 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 "the spoils of political victory". plunder applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, grafting, or swindling "a bootlegger's plunder". booty implies plunder to be shared among confederates "thieves dividing up their booty". prize applies to spoils captured on the high seas or territorial waters of the enemy "the wartime right of seizing prizes at sea". loot applies esp. to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe "picked through the ruins for loot".
[2]spoil vb spoiled also spoilt ; spoil.ing [ME, fr. MF espoillier, fr. L spoliare, fr. spolium] vt (14c) 1 a archaic: despoil, strip b: pillage, rob
2. archaic: to seize by force 3 a: to damage seriously: ruin b: to impair the quality or effect of "a quarrel ~ed the celebration"
4. a: to impair the disposition or character of by overindulgence or excessive praise b: to pamper excessively: coddle ~ vi 1: to practice plunder and robbery
2: to lose valuable or useful qualities usu. as a result of decay
3: to have an eager desire "~ing for a fight" syn see decay, indulge -- spoil.able adj