Forms: 4, 6–7 spoyle, 4, 6–8 spoile, 4, 6– spoil, 6 spoylle, 7–8 spoyl; 4–5 spuyle, 5 spuyl. See also SPULYIE. [ad. OF. espoille, espuille, f. espoillier (see next); or directly f. SPOIL v.1 In senses 5–6 after L. spolium, pl. spolia.
As in the verb, there are notable gaps in the continuity of the older senses.]
I. 1. Goods, esp. such as are valuable, taken from an enemy or captured city in time of war; the possessions of which a defeated enemy is deprived or stripped by the victor; in more general sense, any goods, property, territory, etc., seized by force, acquired by confiscation, or obtained by similar means; booty, loot, plunder.
a. In collective sing.
13[?]. K. Alis., 986 (Laud MS.). Alisaundre took þe spoyle of þe cite. Ibid., 2555. After þat was parted þe spoyle.
1382. Wyclif, Jer. xxi. 9. Who forsothe shul … flee to the Caldeis that besegen ȝou, shal lyue, and be shal to hym his soule as spoile.
1530. Palsgr., 274. Spoyle that is gotten in warfare, despoille.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 300. All suche as were at this battayle, were all made riche … by wynning of Golde, Siluer, plate, and Jewels, that was there found in the spoyle.
1582. N. Lichefield, trans. Castanheda’s Conq. E. Ind., 163. With this spoyle the king of Calicut remained … ill contented.
1607. Shaks., Cor., V. vi. 44. That we look’d For no lesse Spoile, then Glory.
1671. Milton, Samson, 1203. As on my enemies, where ever chanc’d, I us’d hostility, and took thir spoil.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), VIII. 122. If they meet with an insect,… several of them will fall upon it at once, and having mangled it, each will carry off a part of the spoil.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F. (1787), III. 467. They were more ambitious of spoil than of glory.
1821. Scott, Pirate, vii. Several of the people … of Jarlshof were now hastening along the beach, to have their share in the spoil.
1838. Thirlwall, Greece, xliii. V. 270. He led his army back … laden with the spoil of Locris.
1876. Mathews, Coinage of World, xiv. 123. Prussia and Austria then attacked Denmark and took Holstein and Schleswig from it, finally quarrelling over the spoil.
fig. 1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 411. To gather Laurel-berries, and the Spoil Of bloody Myrtles.
1816. Byron, Prisoner of Chillon, i. My limbs are … rusted with a vile repose, For they have been a dungeon’s spoil.
b. In pl. Also more fully in the spoils of war.
(a) a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, cxviii. 162. I sall be glad on þi wordis as he þat fyndis spoils many.
1382. Wyclif, Gen. xlix. 27. The morwen tide he shall eete a pray, and the euentide he shal dyuyde spoylis. Ibid., Luke xi. 22. Sothli if a strongere comynge aboue ouercome him, he … schal dele abrood his spuylis.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Macc. viii. 27. So they toke their weapens and spoyles & kepte the Sabbath, geuynge thankes vnto the Lorde.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., II. i. 80. I haue loaden me with many Spoyles, Vsing no other Weapon but his Name.
1601. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw. (1603), 167. The Tartars choosing this for their seate and countrie, beautified it with the spoiles of Asia.
1654. Bramhall, Just Vind., iii. (1661), 37. Why did they not … preserve the spoiles of the cloisters for publick and charitable uses?
1712. Hearne, Collect. (O.H.S.), III. 311. Offering to him the Spoyls of the Enemy.
1746. Francis, trans. Horace, Epist., II. ii. 36. A common Soldier, who by various Toils And Perils gain’d a Competence in Spoils.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., Wks. 1907, IV. 59. Are the curates to be seduced from their bishops, by holding out to them the delusive hope of a dole out of the spoils of their own order?
1823. Scott, Quentin D., xiii. A rich Turkey carpet, the spoils of the tent of a Pacha alter the great battle of Jaiza.
1868. J. H. Blunt. Ref. Ch. Eng., I. 325. The great spoils of which the king had possessed himself.
1891. Farrar, Darkn. & Dawn, lxi. Informers who had recently been enriched with the spoils of the innocent.
fig. 1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 159. Now gentle gales … dispense Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole Those balmie spoiles.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), I. 133. The new islands which are sometimes formed from the spoils of the continent.
(b) 1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 810. Mighty Cæsar, thund’ring from afar, Seeks on Euphrates’ Banks the Spoils of War.
1865. C. Stanford, Symb. Christ, i. (1878), 6. Who after a long pursuit recovered the prisoners with all the spoils of war.
1892. trans. Villari’s Machiavelli, II. iv. II. 184. Only of the spoils of war has the prince the right to be lavish.
c. transf. That which is or has been acquired by special effort or endeavor; esp. objects of art, books, etc., collected in this way.
Sometimes with slight suggestion of the primitive sense.
1750. Gray, Elegy, 50. But Knowledge to their eyes her ample page Rich with the spoils of time did ne’er unroll.
1751. H. Walpole, Lett. (1846), II. 390. I had just seen her collection,… composed of the spoils of her father’s and the Arundel collections.
1820. Hazlitt, Table-T. xvii. (1911), 252. The Louvre is stripped of its triumphant spoils.
1868. G. Duff, Pol. Surv., 7. I found him surrounded by the literary spoils which he had brought across the Alps.
1892. Daily News, 23 Dec., 6/4. The plates represent the spoil of all the great galleries of Europe.
† d. pl. (See quots.) Obs. [F. dépouilles.]
1725. trans. Dupin’s Eccl. Hist. 17th C., I. II. iii. 48. The Name or Spoils was given to the Goods the Clergy left at their Demise.
1772. trans. J. F. de Isla’s Friar Gerund, IV. ii. 21. His spoils (so it is usual in communities to call the effects left by the deceased Religious) consisted almost intirely of his manuscript sermons.
e. The public offices, or positions of emolument, distributed among the supporters of a successful political party on its accession to power. Chiefly U.S. and in pl.
sing. 1770. Junius Lett., xli. (1788), 232. Who is there so senseless as to renounce his share in a common benefit, unless he hopes to profit by a new division of the spoil?
c. 1789. Gibbon, Mem. Misc. Wks. 1796, I. 164. From a principle of gratitude I adhered to the coalition: my vote was counted in the day of battle, but I was overlooked in the division of the spoil.
1812. Massachusetts Ho. Repres. to Governor, The weaker members of the party, would be overlooked…; whilst the more powerful would disagree in the division of the spoil.
pl. 1830. J. S. Johnson, in Congressional Deb., 2 April, 299. The country is treated as a conquered province, and the offices distributed among the victors, as the spoils of the war.
1843. Whittier, What is Slavery? Wks. 1889, III. 107. Leave these to parties contending for office, as the ‘spoils of victory.’
1888. Bryce, Amer. Commw., II. 271. The post of policeman is ‘spoils’ of the humbler order, but spoils equally divided between the parties.
2. The action or practice of pillaging or plundering; the carrying off or taking away of goods as plunder; rapine, spoliation. Now Obs. or arch.
Freq. c. 1550–1625, esp. without article.
1532. Cromwell, in Merriman, Life & Lett. (1902), I. 348. The hole spoyle and eloyning of the sayd goods & plate was made onely by the sayd Edmond Knyghtley.
1550. T. Lever, Serm. (Arb.), 94. Suche Scottes or Frenchemen, as makyng spoyle for theyr owne profit, would not spare to dystroye thys realme.
1592. in J. Morris, Troubles Cath. Forefathers (1877), 19. He … had a bag of money … which … he had before gotten by the spoil of Catholics.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 79. So was the citie of Constantinople … for that time saued from saccage and spoile.
1648. Gage, West Ind., 49. The City was yeelded to the spoil, and the Spaniards took the gold, plate and feathers.
1710. O. Sansom, Acc. Life, 334. The continued cruelty, violence and spoil, that was made upon our Friends.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., xix. Well were the Liegois then assured, that … this Charles … would have given their town up to spoil. Ibid. (1829), Rob Roy, Introd. The alleged acts of spoil and violence on the MacLarens’ cattle were also found to be unsupported by evidence.
personif. 1589. R. Robinson, Gold. Mirr. (1851), 25. And greedy spoile spares not to spill, to pray on others good.
b. To make spoil of, to pillage or plunder; to extort or collect goods, provisions, etc., from.
1613–8. Daniel, Coll. Eng. Hist., Wks. (Grosart), IV. 164. [He] enters France in the chiefest time of their fruits, making spoil of all in his way.
1643. R. Baker, Chron. (1653), 229. The Welchmen … break into the borders of Herefordshire, making spoil and prey of the Country as freely as if they had leave to do it.
1891. Farrar, Darkn. & Dawn, xxxii. In this way they made spoil of all the country side.
† 3. An act or occasion of pillaging or plundering; an incursion for the sake of booty or plunder; a marauding expedition or raid. Obs.
1543–4. Act 35 Hen. VIII., c. 12. The same Scottes … make … inuasions, spoyles, burnynges,… and depopulations in this his realme.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., II. ix. 43. The Turkes haue made dyuers rodes & spoiles into the same.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia (1622), 323. Lycurgus … went toward her, rather as to a spoile then to a fight.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 1314. The fregats of Russia,… the which had continually made inroads and spoyles vpon his lands.
1646. J. Temple, Irish Reb. (1746), 214. The being found upon Examination guilty of the late Spoils committed most barbarously on the English.
4. An object or article of pillage, plunder or spoliation; a prey.
1594. Kyd, Cornelia, I. 90. The Rocks … if thou sholdst but touch, thou straight becomst A spoyle to Neptune.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., I. i. 74. And is not this an honourable spoyle? A gallant prize?
1791. Cowper, Iliad, I. 24. So may the Gods who in Olympus dwell Give Priam’s treasures to you for a spoil.
1808. W. Wilson, Hist. Dissent. Ch., I. 251. The Priory of the Holy Trinity … was fixed upon as an early spoil.
1821. Bryant, Ages, xvi. Oh, Greece! thy flourishing cities were a spoil Unto each other.
II. 5. The arms and armor of a slain or defeated enemy as stripped off and taken by the victor; a set or suit of these. Opime spoils [L. spolia opima]: (see quot. 1770 and OPINE a.).
a. 1547. Surrey, Æneid, II. 352. Ay me, what one? that Hector how vnlike, Which erst returnd clad with Achilles spoiles.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 170. Before he was full 17 yeres of age, hee had gained already two complete spoiles of his enemies.
1611. Sir W. Mure, Mes Amours, Wks. (S.T.S.), I. 10. Ye goddesse airmed With proud, presuming Cupid’s conquered spoyle.
1697. Dryden, Æneid, II. 359. Hector, who return’d, from toils Of war, triumphant in Æacian spoils.
1718. Pope, Iliad, XVI. 808. The radiant arms are by Patroclus borne; Patroclus’ ships the glorious spoils adorn.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch, II. 366. What they take from the enemy in the field, they call by the general name of spoils, but these which a Roman general takes from the general of the enemy, they call opime spoils.
1810. Davidson, trans. Virgil (1843), 286. I vow that you … shall be clad in the spoils torn from the pirate’s body.
transf. a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, II. xxviii. Thou God, whose youth was deckt with spoiles of Pythons skin.
fig. 1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 659. Our abhorrences and tormenting passions,… were designed for our benefit, that in struggling with them we … gain the spolia opima, the richest spoils.
b. A single article acquired in this way.
1697. Dryden, Æneid, XII. 149. O pon’drous spoil [sc. a lance] of Actor slain.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, April 1646. A Turkish bridle … taken from a basshaw whom he had slain. With this glorious spoile I rid the rest of my journey as far as Paris.
6. The skin of a snake stripped or cast off, esp. that cast off naturally; the slough. Also pl. Now Obs. or arch.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 363. As for the skinne or spoile of a snake, if it be put alone in a chist … it wil kil the moth.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 969. The Wearing of the Spoil of a Snake, for preserving of Health,… is but a Conceit: For that the Snake is thought to renew her Youth, by Casting her Spoil.
1638. Rawley, trans. Bacon’s Life & Death (1650), 51. Like the old Skin, or Spoile of Serpents.
1742. trans. Algarotti’s Newton’s Theory, II. 200. Laying aside it’s old Spoils like the Snake, it may again grow young.
b. The cast or stripped-off skin of any animal.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., I. 12. House spiders have … a sleek thin skin: which they change once a moneth, sayes Muffet; though I hardly believe they cast their spoils so often.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 589. Skins of Beasts, the rude Barbarians wear; The Spoils of Foxes, and the furry Bear.
1725. Pope, Odyss., IV. 593. She … from her azure car, the finny spoils Of four vast phocæ takes.
1906. C. M. Doughty, Dawn in Britain, III. 41–2.
| Sith soles, the hammered hide, of a wild ox, | |
| Bound of his feet; with buskins of the spoil | |
| Of mountain broc. |
c. pl. The remains of an animal body; the parts left intact or uneaten.
1695. Woodward, Nat. Hist. Earth, I. (1723), 16. A Dissertation concerning Shells,… proving … that they are the real Spoils of once living Animals. Ibid., 26. These are the real Spoils and Remains of Sea-Animals.
1704. Swift, Batt. Bks., Wks. 1768, I. 177. Numbers of flies, whose spoils lay scattered before the gates of his [the spider’s] palace.
1865. G. F. Berkeley, Life & Recoll., II. 313. I never found the remains of a tench … where were what we denominate the ‘Spoils’ of an otter.
III. 7. The action or fact of spoiling or damaging; damage, harm, impairment, or injury, esp. of a serious or complete kind. Now rare.
a. With of (= inflicted on) or possessive pron.
1572. in Feuillerat, Revels Q. Eliz. (1908), 409. To the grell hurt, spoylle, & dyscredyt of the same.
1592. Kyd, Murther J. Brewen, Wks. (1901), 292. It is thou and no man else that can triumph in my spoyle.
1600. Surflet, Countrie Farme, II. lxvi. 414. They rotte and destroy the honie,… and the spoile of the honie causeth the bees to die.
1677. Gilpin, Demonol. (1867), 118. The like spoil of duty is made when we adventure upon it in our own strength.
1691. T. H[ale], Acc. New Invent., 22. Were this Spoil of Iron-work chargeable with nothing but what is contained in the Lead and Nails.
b. With of (= caused by).
1575–85. Abp. Sandys, Serm. (1841), 69. Although God hitherto hath preserved his vineyard from the spoil of these foxes.
1682. Penn, No Cross, xi. (ed. 2), 229. Poor Mortals!… who with all their Pride cannot secure themselves from the Spoil of Sickness.
1691. Ray, Creation (1714), 162. Guard them from the invasions and spoil of Beasts.
1820. Shelley, Sensit. Pl., III. 25. The noonday sun … Mocking the spoil of the secret night.
c. Without const., or with upon; chiefly in phr. to do, make, etc. (great, much) spoil.
1575. Turberv., Faulconrie, 358. They will haue a disease in the backe,… and moreouer they shall be in daunger of vtter spoyle.
1596. Drayton, Legends, ii. 549. Ruing the spoile done by his fatall hand.
1609. C. Butler, Fem. Mon. (1634), 43. Mice … which in Winter are wont to make much spoil.
a. 1648. Ld. Herbert, Hen. VIII. (1683), 562. Sir John Wallop … landed at Calais, and from thence … did much spoil upon the French.
1722. De Foe, Plague (1754), 154. Our three Travellers were obliged to keep the Road, or else they must commit Spoil, and do the Country a great deal of Damage in breaking down Fences and Gates.
1760. Patrington Haven Act, 23. To make such recompence … for any damage or spoil that may be done.
1888. Pall Mall Gaz., 28 Sept., 10/2. He was entitled … to raise minerals from the land, and to commit the necessary damage and spoil without making any compensation.
d. On spoil, spoiling. rare–1.
1750. in Temple & Sheldon, Hist. Northfield, Mass. (1875), 378. Thus poorly have our Garrisons been stored; whilst many Hundred Pair of Snow Shoes lie on Spoil some where or other.
† 8. An act or instance of spoiling, damaging, injuring, etc.; a damage, impairment or injury; a piece or work of destruction. Obs.
1550. T. Lever, Serm. (Arb.), 95. In theyr doynges appeareth … a procedyng from euyl vnto worse, by an vncharitable spoyle, and deuyllyshe destruccion.
1581. Mulcaster, Positions, xl. (1887), 225. At home spoiles, soilthes, twentie things, are nothing in the parentes homely eye.
1598. Manwood, Lawes Forest, viii. (1615), 66. A wast of the forest is as much by common intendment, as to say, a spoile of the couerts or pasture of the forest.
1607. Cowell, Interpr., Waste … signifieth … a spoile made, either in houses, woods, gardens, orchards, &c. by the tenent for terme of life.
1660. F. Brooke, trans. Le Blanc’s Trav., 19. They creepe up the trees, shake down the fruit, and make a great spoyle.
a. 1722. Lisle, Husb. (1757), 442. I observed in the barley several full-grown ears withered lying along in a track of the field, which seemed to be a great spoil.
† b. A spoiler or destroyer of something. Obs.–1
c. 1611. Chapman, Iliad, V. 331. Away flew Venus then, And after her cried Diomed: ‘Away, thou spoil of men.’
9. † a. A spoiled or waste part of a timber-tree; wood of this kind. Obs.
1567. in F. J. Baigent, Crondal Rec. (1891), 167. The same tenauntes maye lawfully haue … all the loppes, toppes, barkes, spoyles, and offalles of all … tymbre … trees.
1609. [see next].
† b. ? A piece of ground spoiled or rendered unserviceable in some way. Obs.–1
1609. Mem. Ripon (Surtees), III. 334. Commons, Wastes, Spoils, Heaths, Moors, Fishings, Woods, Underwoods and Trees and the Spoil of the same woods.
c. Some thing spoiled or imperfectly executed, esp. in the process of manufacture.
1892. Pall Mall Gaz., 29 Dec., 3/1. At the termination of the printing the notes are finally counted and packed up for delivery. If there are any ‘spoils’ they are burned.
1898. Westm. Gaz., 7 March, 7/1. The Progressives had already given way to the Moderates on two points, but the latter party now declared that this paper was a ‘spoil.’
d. In spoil-five: A drawn game.
1891. in Cent. Dict.
10. techn. Earth or refuse material thrown or brought up in excavating, mining, dredging, etc.
1838. F. W. Simms, Publ. Wks. Gt. Brit., i. 62. About three hundred thousand yards will be taken from this cutting to the embankment north of New Cross, and the remaining quantity will be placed in spoil. The deposit of the spoil and the formation of the embankment are both proceeding rapidly.
1863. Edin. Rev., April, 409. Countless mounds,… which have been gradually formed round the pits, by the accumulation of ‘spoil,’ or rubbish which has been brought up from below.
1894. Times, 29 Jan., 14/2. The dredged material will be delivered by the buckets through shoots into steel hoppers on either side of the vessel, each of which is capable of containing 7,000 cubic feet of spoil.
11. attrib. and Comb., chiefly in sense 10, as spoil-earth, -ground, -heap, etc.; also, in sense 1, spoil-hunting adj., -taker. See also SPOIL BANK.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., XXV. viii. 274. The Romans … when they had … driven away the Saracen spoyle-takers [etc.].
1848. Buckley, Iliad, 67. The spoil-hunting daughter of Jove averted the deadly weapon.
1883. Gresley, Gloss. Coal-mining, 232. Spoil-bank or Spoil-heap, the place on the surface where spoil is deposited.
1891. S. C. Scrivener, Our Fields & Cities, 36. A quarry—a very old one, judging by the many large heaps of spoil-earth … over which grass had grown.
b. In sense 1 e (pl.); esp. spoils system, the system or practice of a successful political party giving government or public offices, etc., to its supporters. See also SPOILSMAN.
1833. Whittier, in Pickard, Life & Lett. (1895), I. 170. To fall down and do homage to Andrew Jackson with the idolatrous ‘spoils party’ of the day.
1883. Nation, XXXVI. 539. According to the old ways of the spoilsmonger.
1888. Bryce, Amer. Commw., I. xxxiv. I. 521. The practice of dismissing Federal officials belonging to the opposite party, and appointing none but adherents of their own party to the vacant places,… is the so-called Spoils System.
