spoils

Contents

EnglishEdit

PronunciationEdit

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔɪlz

NounEdit

spoils pl (plural only)

1. That which is taken from another by violence; especially, the plunder taken from an enemy; pillage; booty.

   "Gentle gales, Fanning their odoriferous wings, dispense Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole Those balmy spoils."

(Can we date this quote by Milton?)

1. Public offices and their benefits regarded as the peculiar property of a successful party or faction, to be bestowed for its own advantage.

   To the victor belong the spoils.

SynonymsEdit

• (that which is taken from another by violence): For semantic relationships of this sense, see booty in the Thesaurus.

TranslationsEdit

that which is taken from another by violence

• Dutch: plundering (nl), roofbuit
• French: pillage (fr) m, sac (fr) m
• German: Beute (de) f
• Greek:

  Ancient Greek: σκῦλα n pl (skûla), λάφυρα n pl (láphura)

• Maori: parakete, muremurenga
• Russian: добы́ча (ru) f (dobýča)

public offices and their benefits regarded as the peculiar property of a successful party or faction.

• Dutch: het uitdelen van ambten aan partijgenoten, vriendjespolitiek (nl)

• French: distribution de postes à des membres du parti, favoritisme (fr) m

VerbEdit

spoils

1. Third-person singular simple present indicative form of spoil

   Milk spoils when left out too long.