'Soil' definitions:

Definition of 'soil'

From: WordNet
noun
The state of being covered with unclean things [syn: dirt, filth, grime, soil, stain, grease, grunge]
noun
The part of the earth's surface consisting of humus and disintegrated rock [syn: soil, dirt]
noun
Material in the top layer of the surface of the earth in which plants can grow (especially with reference to its quality or use); "the land had never been plowed"; "good agricultural soil" [syn: land, ground, soil]
noun
The geographical area under the jurisdiction of a sovereign state; "American troops were stationed on Japanese soil" [syn: territory, soil]
verb
Make soiled, filthy, or dirty; "don't soil your clothes when you play outside!" [syn: dirty, soil, begrime, grime, colly, bemire] [ant: clean, make clean]

Definition of 'Soil'

From: GCIDE
  • Soil \Soil\, v. i. To become soiled; as, light colors soil sooner than dark ones. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Soil'

From: GCIDE
  • Soil \Soil\, n. [See Soil to make dirty, Soil a miry place.] That which soils or pollutes; a soiled place; spot; stain. [1913 Webster]
  • A lady's honor . . . will not bear a soil. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Soil'

From: GCIDE
  • Soil \Soil\, v. t. To enrich with soil or muck; to manure. [1913 Webster]
  • Men . . . soil their ground, not that they love the dirt, but that they expect a crop. --South. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Soil'

From: GCIDE
  • Soil \Soil\ (soil), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Soiled (soild); p. pr. & vb. n. Soiling.] [OF. saoler, saouler, to satiate, F. so[^u]ler, L. satullare, fr. satullus, dim. of satur sated. See Satire.] To feed, as cattle or horses, in the barn or an inclosure, with fresh grass or green food cut for them, instead of sending them out to pasture; hence (such food having the effect of purging them), to purge by feeding on green food; as, to soil a horse. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Soil'

From: GCIDE
  • Soil \Soil\, n. [OF. soil, souil, F. souille, from OF. soillier, F. souiller. See Soil to make dirty.] A marshy or miry place to which a hunted boar resorts for refuge; hence, a wet place, stream, or tract of water, sought for by other game, as deer. [1913 Webster]
  • As deer, being stuck, fly through many soils, Yet still the shaft sticks fast. --Marston. [1913 Webster]
  • To take soil, to run into the mire or water; hence, to take refuge or shelter. [1913 Webster]
  • O, sir, have you taken soil here? It is well a man may reach you after three hours' running. --B. Jonson. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Soil'

From: GCIDE
  • Soil \Soil\, n. [OE. soile, F. sol, fr. L. solum bottom, soil; but the word has probably been influenced in form by soil a miry place. Cf. Saloon, Soil a miry place, Sole of the foot.]
  • 1. The upper stratum of the earth; the mold, or that compound substance which furnishes nutriment to plants, or which is particularly adapted to support and nourish them. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. Land; country. [1913 Webster]
  • Must I thus leave thee, Paradise? thus leave Thee, native soil? --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. Dung; faeces; compost; manure; as, night soil. [1913 Webster]
  • Improve land by dung and other sort of soils. --Mortimer. [1913 Webster]
  • Soil pipe, a pipe or drain for carrying off night soil. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Soil'

From: GCIDE
  • Soil \Soil\, v. t.[OE. soilen, OF. soillier, F. souiller, (assumed) LL. suculare, fr. L. sucula a little pig, dim. of sus a swine. See Sow, n.]
  • 1. To make dirty or unclean on the surface; to foul; to dirty; to defile; as, to soil a garment with dust. [1913 Webster]
  • Our wonted ornaments now soiled and stained. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To stain or mar, as with infamy or disgrace; to tarnish; to sully. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • Syn: To foul; dirt; dirty; begrime; bemire; bespatter; besmear; daub; bedaub; stain; tarnish; sully; defile; pollute. [1913 Webster]

Words containing 'Soil'