Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Soil?

\Soil\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Soiled}; 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.
\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. 2. Land; country. Must I thus leave thee, Paradise? thus leave Thee, native soil? --Milton. 3. Dung; f[ae]ces; compost; manure; as, night soil. Improve land by dung and other sort of soils. --Mortimer. {Soil pipe}, a pipe or drain for carrying off night soil.
\Soil\, v. t. To enrich with soil or muck; to manure. Men . . . soil their ground, not that they love the dirt, but that they expect a crop. --South.
\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. As deer, being stuck, fly through many soils, Yet still the shaft sticks fast. --Marston. {To take soil}, to run into the mire or water; hence, to take refuge or shelter. O, sir, have you taken soil here? It is well a man may reach you after three hours' running. --B. Jonson.
\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. Our wonted ornaments now soiled and stained. --Milton. 2. To stain or mar, as with infamy or disgrace; to tarnish; to sully. --Shak. Syn: To foul; dirt; dirty; begrime; bemire; bespatter; besmear; daub; bedaub; stain; tarnish; sully; defile; pollute.
\Soil\, v. i. To become soiled; as, light colors soil sooner than dark ones.
\Soil\, n. [See {Soil} to make dirty, {Soil} a miry place.] That which soils or pollutes; a soiled place; spot; stain. A lady's honor . . . will not bear a soil. --Dryden.