spoil (spoil)

[Early mod. E. spoile, spoyle, patronage and emoluments of office, considered as a reward for zeal or service rendered in a struggle of parties: frequently in the plural: as, the spoils of capture; to the victor belong the spoils; the spoils of office; party spoils. The spoil got on the Antiates Was ne'er distributed. Shak ., Cor., iii. 3. 4. IMG:content-1805.png:[blocks in formation] The spoil of the church was now become the only resource of all their operations in finance. Burke , Rev. in France. 3t. Injury; damage; waste; havoc; destruction. If the tender-hearted and noble-minded reioice of the victorie, they are greened with others spoyle . Guevara, Letters (tr. by Hellowes, 1577), p. 39. Old age, that ill layer up of beauty, can do no more spoil upon my face. Shak., Hen. V., v. 2. 249. The mice also did much spoil in orchards, eating off the bark at the bottom of the fruit trees in the time of the snow. 5850 The selection of the sites was guided... in part by convenience in disposing of the spoil , or waste rock. The Century , XXXIX. 215. 7t. The slough, or cast skin, of a serpent or other animal. [Rare.] The snake is thought to renew her youth by casting her spoil. Bacon , Nat. Hist., § 969. 8. In spoil - five , a drawn game. Spoils system, in politics , the practice of treating the public offices not as public trusts, to be administered primarily for the public interest, but as spoils of war, to be taken from members of the defeated party and given to members of the succe ful party-the emoluments and distinction of holding such offices being regarded as rewards for services rendered to the succe ful party, and the influence resulting from the po e ion of the offices being expected to be used for the maintenance of that party in power: a term of depreciation. The name is derived from a remark made in a speech in the United States Senate, in January, 1832, by Mr. Marcy of New York; speaking of and for the New York politicians, he said, "They see nothing wrong in the rule that to the victor belong the spoils of the enemy. This system had previously attained great power in the State of New York; under Jackson's administration it prevailed in national politics, and was soon adopted by nearly all parties, and applied to local as well as State and national offices. To shoot to spoil. See shoot . =Syn. 1. Plunder, Booty , etc. See pillage , n. IMG:content-1806.png:[ocr errors] spoil (spoil), v.; pret. and pp. spoiled or spoilt, ppr. spoiling. [Early mod. E. also spoile, spoyle; And the sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city. Gen. xxxiv. 27. Love always gives something to the object it delights in, and something anger spoils laudable the in person him. against whom it is moved of Steele , Spectator, No. 263. 21. To seize or take by force; carry off as booty. For feare lest Force or Fraud should unaware Breake in, and spoile the treasure there in gard. Spenser, F. Q., II. vii. 25. How can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? Mat. xii. 29. 3. To destroy; ruin; injure; mar; impair; render usele , or le valuable, potent, or the like; seriously impair the quality, value, soundne , beauty, usefulne , pleasantne , etc., of: as, to spoil a thing in the making; to spoil one's chances of promotion; to spoil the fun. Spiritual pride spoils many graces. Jer. Taylor . There are not ten people in the world whose deaths would spoil my dinner. Macaulay , in Trevelyan, I. 286. 4. To injure, vitiate, or impair in any way; especially, as applied to persons, to vitiate or impair in character or disposition; render le filial, obedient, affectionate, mannerly, modest. contented, or the like: as, to spare the rod and spoil the child; to spoil one with flattery. You will spoil me, Mamma. I always thought I should like to be spoiled , and I find it very sweet. Charlotte Brontë , Shirley, xxv. 5t. To cut up; carve: as, to spoil a hen. Babees Book (E. E. T. S.), p. 265. II. in trans. 1. To engage in plunder and robbery; pillage; rob. Robbers and out-lawes, which lurked in woodes, whence they used oftentimes to breake foorthe rob be and spoyle . to Spenser , State of Ireland. 2. To decay; become tainted or unsavory; lose freshne : as, fruit and fish soon spoil in warm weather. To be spoiling for, to be pining for; especially, to have a longing for, caused or stimulated by disuse: as, he was just spoiling for a fight. [Slang.] spoilable (spoi'la-bl), a. [ tricks make the game, and when no one can take so many the game is said to be spoiled. spoilful (spoil'ful), a. [ Those spoylefull Picts, and swarming Easterlings. Spenser, F. Q., II. x. 63. spoil-paper (spoil'pā"pėr), n . [ spoil , v., + obj. paper .] A scribbler. [Humorous.] As some Spoile - papers have dearly done of late. A. Holland . (Davies.) spoilsman (spoilz'man), n.; pl. spoilsmen (-men). [