Forms: 3 suilen, 5 suyle, sule; 3–4 soilen, 4–7 soyle, 5–7 soile (5 sole); 6–7 soyl, 7– soil. [ad. OF. suill(i)er, soill(i)er, etc. (mod.F. souiller), = Prov. sulhar, app.:—pop. Lat. *suculāre, f. L. suculus or sucula, dim. of sus pig.]
I. trans. 1. To defile or pollute with sin or other moral stain. Also absol.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 84. Oðer speche soileð & fuleð. Ibid., 158. Men þet suiled hore lippen mid misliche spechen.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 7209. Prustes … mid lechors mod Al isoyled.
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 336. Alle manir þingus Þat mihte vs soile wiþ sinne.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 985. Thow art soyled … Off the synne orygynal.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. vii. 62. My soule was soyld with foule iniquitie.
1835. Lytton, Rienzi, II. iv. The instruments he must use soil himself:… the times will corrupt the reformer.
1842. Manning, Serm., i. (1848), I. 5. The lusts of the flesh soiled his spiritual being.
2. To make foul or dirty, esp. on the surface; to begrime, stain, tarnish.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 8971. Wanne he þi mouþ cusste Þat so villiche isoiled is.
c. 1305. St. Edmund, in E. E. P. (1862), 71. So drie þat no cloþ … noþing isoilled nas.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIII. 458. Thus haukyn þe actyf man hadde ysoiled his cote.
c. 1450. Lovelich, Merlin (E.E.T.S.), 11383. With his swerd on honde, that soyled hit was with hors blood & mennes.
1530. Palsgr., 724/2. I soyle, I fyle a thynge with wearyng so that the glosse of it dothe fade, je salle.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., I. iii. 125. That our kingdomes earth should not be soyld With that deere blood which it hath fostered.
1638. Junius, Paint. Ancients, 229. Much handling soileth things and maketh them lose their brightnesse.
1687. Miége, Gt. Fr. Dict., II. s.v., To soil (or slur) his Clothes, salir ses Habits.
1784. Cowper, Task, IV. 555. The stain Appears a spot upon a vestal’s robe, The worse for what it soils.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 360. Instead of it we have an earthy opaque powder which soils the hands.
1892. Photogr. Ann., II. 337. At any time the covering gets soiled or damaged a fresh one can be attached.
absol. 1805–17. Jameson, Char. Min., 257. When a mineral taken between the fingers, or drawn across another body, leaves some particles, or a trace, it is said to soil or colour. Ibid. (1821), Man. Min., 85. It is composed of dull dusty particles, which are feebly cohering. Soils feebly.
b. fig. and in fig. context.
a. 1623. W. Pemble, Grace & Faith (1635), 48. This water was much soyled by them with the mudde of many idle fables and silly conceits.
1680. Otway, Orphan, II. iv. You have soyl’d this Gem, and taken from its value.
1746. Francis, trans. Horace, Epist., I. xx. 15. IV. 175.
| But soon as vulgar Hands thy Beauty soil, | |
| The Moth shall batten on the silent Spoil. |
1805. Scott, Last Minstrel, V. xx. Foul treason’s stain, Since he bore arms, ne’er soil’d his coat.
c. To treat by smearing.
1843. Holtzapffel, Turning, I. 445. Lead works are first smeared or soiled around the intended joints, with a mixture of size and lamp-black, called soil.
3. fig. To sully or tarnish; to bring disgrace or discredit upon (a person or thing).
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., IV. i. 23. Either I must, or haue mine honor soyl’d With th’ Attaindor of his sland’rous Lippes.
1596. Sir T. More (Malone Soc.), 1220. The good Emperour … will not soyle his honor with the theft of Englishe spoyle.
1602. Marston, Ant. & Mel., V. Wks. 1856, I. 64. I am come To soyle thy house with an eternall blot.
1678. Marvell, Corr., Wks. (Grosart), II. 604. Angel hath so soiled you by representing some very late treating … that it will be difficult to wash off those suggestions.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. IV. iv. Black falsehood has ineffaceably soiled her name.
1891. Spectator, 29 Aug., 284/1. Subjects that have been much soiled and confused by the host of impostors.
† b. To charge (a person) falsely with something; to asperse. Obs.–1
1641. R. Carpenter, Experience, I. xviii. 122. They brought in, the arme of a dead man, with an intention to soyle him with murther, and sorcerie.
4. intr. To become dirty or stained; to take on a stain or tarnish.
1530. Palsgr., 724/2. I love to weare satten of Bruges, but it wyll soyle anone.
1579. Gosson, Sch. Abuse (Arb.), 35. To lifte the Gentlewomens roabes from the grounde, for soyling in the duste.
1882. Imperial Dict., IV. 127/2. Silver soils sooner than gold.
II. 5. intr. and † refl. Of a wild boar or deer: To roll or wallow in mud or water.
c. 1410. Master of Game (MS. Digby 182), ii. Þenne he will go into þe stanke and shalle soile hym þer. Ibid., v. Whan men hunteth þe boore, communlich þei go to þe soyle and soileth hem in þe drytte.
1570. Levins, Manip., 214. To soyle as a sowe, luto volutare.
1884. Jefferies, Red Deer, vi. 102. A stag generally drinks before entering the cover, and afterwards ‘soils,’ that is, lies down and rolls in the water.
6. Of a hunted stag: To take to water or marshy ground; † to swim down.
c. 1410. Master of Game (MS. Digby 182), ii. Somtyme he shall soyle downe with þe water halfe a myle or more or he come to londe.
c. 1470. Hors, Shepe & G. (Roxb.), 29. Assone as he [a hart] taketh the Riuer, he suleth.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Soyl, when any Deer is hard Hunted, and betakes himself to Swimming in any River.
1847. Marryat, Childr. N. Forest, viii. The stag made for a swampy ground … and stood at bay…. ‘He has soiled,’ said Edward.
1906. Westm. Gaz., 4 Oct., 4/3. The pack streamed away … to Chalk Water, where the stag soiled.
III. † 7. To cohabit with. (Cf. SOIL sb.3 5.) Obs.
1722. Steele, Conscious Lovers, IV. ii. Such a Husband soils with his Wife for a Month perhaps—then Good b’w’y’ Madam—the Show’s over.
