Chiefly Sc. Now arch. Forms: α. 4 spoly, 5 spolyon, 6 spolȝe (spoll-, spoulȝe), 7 spolze; 5 spoilȝe, 6 spoillȝe, -ȝie, spoylȝe, -ȝie, 6–7 spoylie, 7 spoilyie. β. 5–6 spulȝe (5 spwl-, 6 spvl-), 6 spuleȝe, -iȝe, spullȝe, 7 spulze; 6 spulȝie (spull-), 7– spulzie, 9 spulyie, -ye; 6 spuilȝe (spwil-), spuilȝie (spuill-), 8 spuilzie. [ad. OF. espoillier SPOIL v.]
1. trans. To despoil or plunder (persons, etc.).
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XIII. 459. Quhen thai nakit spulȝeit war That war slayne in the battale thar.
c. 1375. Cursor M., 2503 (Fairf.). Siþen þai spred to spoly þe lande.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 470/1. Spoylyn, or spolyon,… spolio, dispolio.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, III. 211. The Scottis … Spoilȝeid the feld, gat gold and othir ger.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, III. ii. (S.T.S.), I. 247. At last he ischit at þe grete porte of his tentis, and spuleȝete his inemyis liand but ordoure.
1567. Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.), 59. He … spolȝeit Sathan, hell and sin, And heuinlie gloir to vs hes win.
1588. A. King, trans. Canisius’ Catech., 151. That widoues might becum thair pray, and that thay might spulȝie the fatherles.
a. 1670. Spalding, Troub. Chas. I. (1850), I. 4. Thay … first began to rob and spoilyie the Erllis tennentis.
1791. J. Learmont, Poems, 46. He spulzied fock and did them hang.
b. To despoil or deprive of something.
1508. Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 397. I spittit quhen I saw That super spendit euill spreit, spvlȝeit of all vertu.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, V. iv. 119. Syne Gyas schip … gaif hym place alswa, For scho wes spulȝeit of hir sterisman.
1562. Winȝet, Wks. (S.T.S.), I. 72. Qvhy spulȝe and denude ȝe ws of this part of our Catholik beleif?
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 55. He qvha is spolzeid of his possession, sould be first restored.
1834. H. Miller, Scenes & Leg., xxii. (1857), 316. Spulyieing women of their yarn.
2. To take as spoil or plunder.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, IV. 95. Syne spoilȝied thai the harnais or thai wend.
1508. Kennedie, Flyting w. Dunbar, 277. Than spulȝeit thay the haly stane of Scone.
1587. in Scott. Hist. Rev., July (1905), 358. He reft, spulzied, and took certaine wairs, guids, and geir out of a bark.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., ii. 16. The moueable gudes (spulzeit) or the land.
1754. Erskine, Princ. Sc. Law (1809), 451. It is a relevant defence, that the defender … made voluntary restitution … of the goods spuilzied.
3. intr. To commit spoliation.
1834. H. Miller, Scenes & Leg., xxii. (1857), 317. They ate and drank, and then rose to spulzie.
1894. Latto, Tam. Bodkin, i. The haill lot o’ them reivin’ an’ thievin’ an’ spulyiein’.
Hence Spulyied ppl. a.
1838. W. Bell, Dict. Law Scot., 934. The spuilzied property may be evicted from bona fide purchasers.
1875. Sc. Acts Parlt., Index 1137/2. The lords of session to have power to order the restoration of spulzied goods.
