— spoilable , adj. — spoilless , adj.
/spoyl/ , v. , spoiled or spoilt, spoiling , n.
v.t.
1. to damage severely or harm (something), esp. with reference to its excellence, value, usefulness, etc.: The water stain spoiled the painting. Drought spoiled the corn crop.
2. to diminish or impair the quality of; affect detrimentally: Bad weather spoiled their vacation.
3. to impair, damage, or harm the character or nature of (someone) by unwise treatment, excessive indulgence, etc.: to spoil a child by pampering him.
4. Archaic. to strip (persons, places, etc.) of goods, valuables, etc.; plunder; pillage; despoil.
5. Archaic. to take or seize by force.
v.i.
6. to become bad, or unfit for use, as food or other perishable substances; become tainted or putrid: Milk spoils if not refrigerated.
7. to plunder, pillage, or rob.
8. be spoiling for , Informal. to be very eager for; be desirous of: It was obvious that he was spoiling for a fight.
n.
9. Often, spoils . booty, loot, or plunder taken in war or robbery.
10. the act of plundering.
11. an object of plundering.
12. Usually, spoils .
a. the emoluments and advantages of public office viewed as won by a victorious political party: the spoils of office.
b. prizes won or treasures accumulated: a child's spoils brought home from a party.
13. waste material, as that which is cast up in mining, excavating, quarrying, etc.
14. an imperfectly made object, damaged during the manufacturing process.
[ 1300-50; (v.) ME spoilen espoillier spoliare to despoil, equiv. to spoli ( um ) booty + -are inf. suffix; (n.) deriv. of the v. or espoille, deriv. of espoillier ]
Syn. 1. disfigure, destroy, demolish, mar. SPOIL, RUIN, WRECK agree in meaning to reduce the value, quality, usefulness, etc., of anything. SPOIL is the general term: to spoil a delicate fabric. RUIN implies doing completely destructive or irreparable injury: to ruin one's health. WRECK implies a violent breaking up or demolition: to wreck oneself with drink; to wreck a building.