Dictionary entry details
• SPOIL (noun)
Meaning:
(usually plural) valuables taken by violence (especially in war)
Classified under:
Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession
Context example:
to the victor belong the spoils of the enemy
Hypernyms ("spoil" is a kind of...):
stolen property (property that has been stolen)
Domain usage:
plural; plural form (the form of a word that is used to denote more than one)
Meaning:
The act of spoiling something by causing damage to it
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
spoiling; spoil; spoilage
Context example:
her spoiling my dress was deliberate
Hypernyms ("spoil" is a kind of...):
injury (an act that injures someone)
Meaning:
The act of stripping and taking by force
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
despoilation; despoilment; despoliation; spoilation; spoliation; spoil
Hypernyms ("spoil" is a kind of...):
pillage; pillaging; plundering (the act of stealing valuable things from a place)
• SPOIL (verb)
Meaning:
Make a mess of, destroy or ruin
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
flub; fluff; foul up; fuck up; louse up; mess up; mishandle; muck up; spoil; bungle; bumble; botch up; bobble; bodge; bollix; ball up; bollix up; bollocks; bollocks up; botch; screw up; muff; fumble; blow
Context examples:
I botched the dinner and we had to eat out / the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement
Hypernyms (to "spoil" is one way to...):
fail; go wrong; miscarry (be unsuccessful)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Become unfit for consumption or use
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
go bad; spoil
Context example:
the meat must be eaten before it spoils
Hypernyms (to "spoil" is one way to...):
decay (undergo decay or decomposition)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "spoil"):
addle (become rotten)
curdle (go bad or sour)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s
Meaning:
Alter from the original
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
corrupt; spoil
Hypernyms (to "spoil" is one way to...):
modify (make less severe or harsh or extreme)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "spoil"):
adulterate; debase; dilute; stretch (corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Treat with excessive indulgence
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
pamper; mollycoddle; featherbed; cosset; coddle; cocker; baby; indulge; spoil
Context examples:
grandparents often pamper the children / Let's not mollycoddle our students!
Hypernyms (to "spoil" is one way to...):
do by; handle; treat (interact in a certain way)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
Meaning:
Hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
thwart; frustrate; queer; scotch; baffle; bilk; foil; cross; spoil
Context examples:
What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge / foil your opponent
Hypernyms (to "spoil" is one way to...):
forbid; foreclose; forestall; preclude; prevent (keep from happening or arising; make impossible)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "spoil"):
disappoint; let down (fail to meet the hopes or expectations of)
dash (destroy or break)
short-circuit (hamper the progress of; impede)
ruin (destroy or cause to fail)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Have a strong desire or urge to do something
Classified under:
Verbs of feeling
Synonyms:
itch; spoil
Context examples:
She is itching to start the project / He is spoiling for a fight
Hypernyms (to "spoil" is one way to...):
desire; want (feel or have a desire for; want strongly)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
Meaning:
Destroy and strip of its possession
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Synonyms:
despoil; rape; plunder; violate; spoil
Context example:
The soldiers raped the beautiful country
Hypernyms (to "spoil" is one way to...):
destroy; ruin (destroy completely; damage irreparably)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Make imperfect
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
mar; vitiate; impair; deflower; spoil
Context example:
nothing marred her beauty
Hypernyms (to "spoil" is one way to...):
damage (inflict damage upon)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "spoil"):
cloud; corrupt; defile; sully; taint (place under suspicion or cast doubt upon)
blemish; deface; disfigure (mar or spoil the appearance of)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
