/ spɔɪl; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb ( spoiled , spoiled / spɔɪld; NAmE /) ( BrE also spoilt , spoilt / spɔɪlt; NAmE /)
1.
[ vn ] to change sth good into sth bad, unpleasant, useless, etc.
SYN ruin :
Our camping trip was spoilt by bad weather.
Don't let him spoil your evening.
The tall buildings have spoiled the view.
Don't eat too many nuts—you'll spoil your appetite (= will no longer be hungry at the proper time to eat) .
( BrE )
spoiled ballot papers (= not valid because not correctly marked)
2.
[ vn ] to give a child everything that they ask for and not enough discipline in a way that has a bad effect on their character and behaviour
SYN overindulge :
She spoils those kids of hers.
3.
[ vn ] spoil sb / yourself to make sb/yourself happy by doing sth special :
Why not spoil yourself with a weekend in a top hotel?
He really spoiled me on my birthday.
4.
[ v ] ( of food ) to become bad so that it can no longer be eaten
SYN go off
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IDIOMS
- be spoiling for a fight
- spoil the ship for a ha'p'orth / ha'pennyworth of tar
—more at cook noun
■ noun
1.
the spoils [ pl. ] ( formal or literary ) goods taken from a place by thieves or by an army that has won a battle or war
2.
spoils [ pl. ] the profits or advantages that sb gets from being successful :
the spoils of high office
3.
[ U ] ( technical ) waste material that is brought up when a hole is dug, etc.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the sense to plunder ): shortening of Old French espoille (noun), espoillier (verb), from Latin spoliare , from spolium plunder, skin stripped from an animal, or a shortening of despoil .