spoils

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔɪlz

Noun

1. That which is taken from another by violence; especially, the plunder taken from an enemy; pillage; booty.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC:

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

2. 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.

Synonyms

• (that which is taken from another by violence): See Thesaurus:booty

See also

• manubial

Translations

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

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Latin: praeda f, exuviae f pl
• 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)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• French: distribution de postes à des membres du parti, favoritisme (fr) m

Verb

spoils

1. third-person singular simple present indicative of spoil

   Milk spoils when left out too long.