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spoil

spoil
S s

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [spoil]
    • /spɔɪl/
    • /spɔɪl/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [spoil]
    • /spɔɪl/

Definitions of spoil word

  • verb with object spoil to damage severely or harm (something), especially with reference to its excellence, value, usefulness, etc.: The water stain spoiled the painting. Drought spoiled the corn crop. 1
  • verb with object spoil to diminish or impair the quality of; affect detrimentally: Bad weather spoiled their vacation. 1
  • verb with object spoil to impair, damage, or harm the character or nature of (someone) by unwise treatment, excessive indulgence, etc.: to spoil a child by pampering him. 1
  • verb with object spoil Archaic. to strip (persons, places, etc.) of goods, valuables, etc.; plunder; pillage; despoil. 1
  • verb with object spoil Archaic. to take or seize by force. 1
  • verb without object spoil to become bad, or unfit for use, as food or other perishable substances; become tainted or putrid: Milk spoils if not refrigerated. 1

Information block about the term

Origin of spoil

First appearance:

before 1300
One of the 15% oldest English words
1300-50; (v.) Middle English spoilen < Old French espoillier < Latin spoliāre to despoil, equivalent to spoli(um) booty + -āre infinitive suffix; (noun) derivative of the v. or < Old French espoille, derivative of espoillier

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Spoil

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

spoil popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 95% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

spoil usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for spoil

verb spoil

  • abuse — Abuse of someone is cruel and violent treatment of them.
  • actioned — Simple past tense and past participle of action.
  • atrophied — exhibiting or affected with atrophy; wasted; withered; shriveled: an atrophied arm; an atrophied talent.
  • atrophying — Also, atrophia [uh-troh-fee-uh] /əˈtroʊ fi ə/ (Show IPA). Pathology. a wasting away of the body or of an organ or part, as from defective nutrition or nerve damage.
  • baby — A baby is a very young child, especially one that cannot yet walk or talk.

noun spoil

  • acidify — to convert into or become acid
  • acidulate — to make slightly acid or sour
  • carrot — Carrots are long, thin, orange-coloured vegetables. They grow under the ground, and have green shoots above the ground.
  • clabber — curdled milk
  • curd — The thick white substance which is formed when milk turns sour can be referred to as curds.

Antonyms for spoil

verb spoil

  • adjust — When you adjust to a new situation, you get used to it by changing your behaviour or your ideas.
  • adorn — If something adorns a place or an object, it makes it look more beautiful.
  • atone — If you atone for something that you have done, you do something to show that you are sorry you did it.
  • beautify — If you beautify something, you make it look more beautiful.
  • bedizen — to dress or decorate gaudily or tastelessly

Top questions with spoil

  • what does spare the rod spoil the child mean?
  • how long does it take for milk to spoil?
  • what does spare the rod and spoil the child mean?
  • how to spoil your boyfriend?
  • what temperature does milk spoil?
  • how to spoil your girlfriend?
  • why does milk spoil?
  • how to spoil your man?
  • how long does it take milk to spoil?
  • what is the spoil system?
  • why doesn t honey spoil?
  • why does food spoil?
  • what was the spoil system?
  • what is the only food that doesn't spoil?
  • what is spoil?

See also

Matching words

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