I. də̇ˈspȯil, dē-, esp before pause or consonant -ȯiəl transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English despoylen, from Old French despoillier, from Latin despoliare, from de- + spoliare to strip, rob, plunder — more at spoil
1. : to strip of belongings or possessions : plunder , pillage
the English buccaneers … fell upon their cities and despoiled them — F.J.Haskin
the great northern war involving Sweden, Denmark, and Russia completely despoiled Poland — J.S.Davenport
2. obsolete : to strip of garments or armor : disrobe
3. : to deprive or divest coercively or wantonly — used with of
monasteries were occasionally despoiled of their land and revenues — Owen & Eleanor Lattimore
that Colombia had been despoiled of the Isthmus of Panama
only the Etruscans despoiled the Sirens of all birdlike attributes — Norman Douglas
4. : to strip of what is of value : denude
the despoiling of the land by their primitive methods of subsistence farming — Jean Fortt
also : to strip away
magnificent stands of pine despoiled by loggers
5. : to wrest away, blast, or wreck as if by predatory raid
her maternal instincts, stimulated and then despoiled, were increased, and when she loved it was always with an anxious and protective love — Susan Ertz
you have disagreed and argued without calling each other liars and thieves, without despoiling our best traditions — A.E.Stevenson b. 1990
Synonyms: see ravage
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French despoille, from despoillier
1. archaic : despoiling
2. obsolete : booty