despoil
pronunciation
How to pronounce despoil in British English:
UK [dɪˈspɔɪl]
How to pronounce despoil in American English:
US [dɪˈspɔɪl]
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- Verb:
- steal goods; take as spoils
- destroy and strip of its possession
Word Origin
- despoil (v.)
- c. 1300, from Old French despoillier (12c., Modern French dépouiller) "to strip, rob, deprive of, steal, borrow," from Latin despoliare "to rob, despoil, plunder," from de- "entirely" (see de-) + spoliare "to strip of clothing, rob," from spolium "armor, booty" (see spoil (v.)). Related: Despoiled; despoiling.
Example
- 1. They can more readily employ women and are less likely to despoil the environment .
- 2. And tremble and despoil themselves : oh hear !
- 3. And it 's not like democrats never despoil .
- 4. Such is the portion of those who despoil us , the lot of those who plunder us .
- 5. Unlike some renewable energy projects blocked by objections that they would despoil the landscape , this one has the support of environmentalists .