[f. SPOIL v.1]
1. The action of pillaging, plundering or robbing; spoliation.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 425. Þey ben not in þis þer vikeris, but in bodily trauel & spuyling of men.
1395. Purvey, Remonstr. (1851), 155. The spoilinge of the rewme bi beringe out of the tresore to straungeris.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 7. Feiþful curats owen to sorowe … of þe spoling of þer sogetis.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 470. Spoylynge, or spolyynge, spoliacio, depredacio.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Edw. IV., 20. The Esterlinges … had done ye last yeres past much preiudice & domage to the Englishe marchantes, both in takyng and spoyling of shippes.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. x. 7. A saluage nation … That … By hunting and by spoiling liued then.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus iii. 3. Yet this sinne is a greater breach of loue then theft, or spoyling of the goods.
1647. Sprigge, Anglia Rediv., II. iv. (1854), 109. If … you shall surrender it, and save the loss of blood, or hazard the spoiling of such a city.
1726. Leoni, Alberti’s Archit., I. 15/2. After the plunder and spoiling of the Temple.
1829. Scott, Anne of G., xxxii. So I got into Charles’s own pavilion, where Rudolph and some of his people were trying to keep out every one, that he might have the spoiling of it himself.
1869. Boutell, Arms & Armour, vi. 89. The results … of the spoiling of some dead Roman soldier.
b. An instance or occasion of this.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 348. Bi þis spuylyng þei bilden Caymes castelis, to harme of cuntreis.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 76. Wat aȝen batails, aȝen reseruacouns, aȝen furst frutis, & oþer spolingis of goodis of þe kirk.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., VI. clx. (1811), 151. He in wrath … entryd the countrey of Burgoyne,… and executyd therin many spolynges and other inordynate dedys.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 405. Spoylynges & robbinges of townes.
1601. J. Wheeler, Treat. Comm., 87. Manifold robberies, & spoilings at sea.
1692. Washington, trans. Milton’s Def. People Eng., ii. M.’s Wks. 1851, VIII. 67. The Wars that he rais’d, the Spoilings and Plunderings and Conflagrations that he occasioned.
1819. Scott, Ivanhoe, xxxiii. Easing a world of such mis-proud priests as thou art of their jewels … is a lawful spoiling of the Egyptians.
1886. Mrs. Lynn Linton, Paston Carew, xix. It would be a spoiling of the Egyptians perfectly justifiable.
2. The action of destroying, injuring, marring, etc.; an instance or occasion of this.
1479. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 321. So … Edmond complayned of spoyllyng of hys gowne and lackyng of his cloth.
1564–78. Bullein, Dial. agst. Pest. (1888), 17. Euen so in tragedie he bewailed the sodaine resurrection of many a noble man before their time, in spoylyng of Epitaphes.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 105. Make riddance of carriage, er yeere go about, for spoiling of plant that is newlie come out.
1632. Sanderson, Serm., 14. Euil manners haue bin the spoyling of many good words.
1695. Congreve, Love for L., II. x. They’re all so, Sister, these Men—they love to have the spoiling of a Young Thing.
1712. Swift, Let. Eng. Tongue, Wks. 1755, II. II. 188. There is another sett of men, who have contributed very much to the spoiling of the English tongue.
1836. E. Howard, R. Reefer, lx. D—n his smooth face!—I should like to have the spoiling of it.
1875. J. C. Cox, Ch. Derbysh., I. 374. At that time … the spoiling of church bells was considered a necessary adjunct to a reformation in religion.
