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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

soil en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • /sɔɪl/
  • (US) audio
  • [sɔɪ̯ɫ]
  • [sɔi̯əɫ] pre-l breaking
  • [sɔi̯l̩] pre-l breaking
  • /sɔɪ.əl/ pre-l breaking

Etymology

From Middle English soile, soyle, sule (“ground, earth”), partly from Anglo-Norman soyl (“bottom, ground, pavement”), from Latin solium (“seat, chair; throne”), mistaken for Latin solum (“ground, foundation, earth, sole of the foot”); and partly from Old English sol (“mud, mire, wet sand”), from Proto-Germanic *sulą (“mud, spot”), from Proto-Indo-European *sūl- (“thick liquid”). Cognate with Middle Low German söle (“dirt, mud”), Middle Dutch sol (“dirt, filth”), Middle High German sol, söl (“dirt, mud, mire”), Danish søle (“mud, muck”). Compare French seuil (“level; threshold”) and sol (“soil, earth; ground”). See also sole, soal, solum. For the sole and soil relation, compare typologically Russian по́чва (póčva) akin to подо́шва (podóšva).

Meanings

  1. (uncountable) A mixture of mineral particles and organic material, used to support plant growth.
    • We bought a bag of soil for the houseplants.
  2. (uncountable) The unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants.
  3. (uncountable) The unconsolidated mineral or organic matter on the surface of the earth that has been subjected to and shows effects of genetic and environmental factors of: climate (including water and temperature effects), and macro- and microorganisms, conditioned by relief, acting on parent material over a period of time. A product-soil differs from the material from which it is derived in many physical, chemical, biological, and morphological properties and characteristics.
  4. (countable, uncountable) Country or territory.
    • Pro-democracy demonstrations in the Thai capital saw Germany's embassy become the focus Monday as the throngs of protesters gathered in front of the mission asked Berlin to investigate whether King Maha Vajiralongkorn is inappropriately conducting state business on German soil. 2020 October 27, Apornrath Phoonphongphiphat, Yuda Masayuki, “Thailand protesters query German embassy on absent king”, in Nikkei Asia, Nikkei Inc, retrieved 27 Oct 2020:
    • Except during the season in town, she spends her year in golfing, either at St Magnus or Pau, for, like all good Americans, she has long since abjured her native soil. 1902, Robert Marshall Grade, The Haunted Major:
  5. (countable, uncountable) That which soils or pollutes; a stain.
    • And ſince not only a dead Fathers fame, / But more a Ladies honour muſt be touch’d, / Which nice as Ermines will not bear a Soil ; / Let all retire ; that you alone may hear / What ev’n in whiſpers I won’d tell your ear. 1690, John Dryden, Don Sebastian, King of Portugal: A Tragedy Acted at the Theatre Royal, London: Jo. Hindmarſh, act V, page 118:
    • Precleaning treatments in combination with warewashing were evaluated for removing tahini soils. 2026 February 14, Jeremiah Kidd, David Buckley, Peter Teska, Amandeep K. Sandhu, Tina Gettis, Marc Boyer, Laurie Williams, Lauren S. Jackson, “Effectiveness of Manual and Mechanical Warewashing Methods for Removing Allergen- and Gluten-Containing Foods from Food-Contact Surfaces Used in Retail and Food Service Operations”, in Journal of Food Protection, volume 89, number 2, →DOI, page 100689:
  6. (countable, uncountable) 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 Deere being ſtrucke flie thorow many ſoiles, / Yet ſtill the ſhaft ſitcks faſt, ſo ; 1603, John Marston, John Webster, The Malcontent, act III, scene i:
  7. (countable, uncountable) Dung; compost; manure.
    • HAving given you an Account of the way of ordering of Meadows, Paſtures and Arable Land, with ſeveral Sorts of Improvement of them ; I ſhall in the next place proceed to give an Account of the ſeveral ways uſed to improve Land by Manure, Dung, and other Sort of Soils. 1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, “Of Manuring, Dunging, and Soiling of Land”, in The Whole Art of Husbandry; Or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land, 2nd edition, London: J. H. for H. Mortlock, and J. Robinſon, published 1708, page 66:
    • night soil
  8. (countable, uncountable) A food preparation with the texture and often color of soil.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
soyl alternative, obsolete lexicographic
soils Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

native soil · soil mineralogy · soil acidification · nonsoil · back-to-the-soil · top soil · undersoil · take soil · racy of one's soil · garden soil · soil nail · blood and soil · soil conservation · soil stack · soil pollution · soilscape · soillike · soiler · soil centipede · unsoil · antisoil · virgin soil · soilflow · soilsome · hydrosoil · Free-Soilism · soil series · soil science · green soil · soilborne · potting soil · soil physics · night-soil · soil microbiology · assoil · paleosoil · desoil · soilization · soil stabiliser · soilless · racy of the soil · soil genesis · resoil · ABC soil · soil mechanics · soil fertility · soil scientist · besoil · soilish · home soil · soilproof · night soil man · soil moisture deficit · subsoil · soil pipe · soil creep · soil management · gleysoil · sandy soil · soil biochemistry · virgin soil epidemic · neosoil · night soil · supersoil · soil chemistry · soil classification · soil sterilant · desert soil · swelling soil · topsoil · unsoiling · soily · son of the soil · black cotton soil · fill soil · soilable

Meronyms

organic matter

Relateds

alluvium · solum

Synonyms

dirt (senses 1 to 3) · earth (senses 1 to 3)

Translations (312)

txb keṃ (mixture of sand and organic material) · za namh (mixture of sand and organic material) · fr sol (mixture of sand and organic material) · ota تراب (mixture of sand and organic material) · es tierra (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · hy հող (country or territory) · lt dirva (mixture of sand and organic material) · syl ꠝꠣꠐꠤ (mixture of sand and organic material) · kmr erd (mixture of sand and organic material) · ja(mixture of sand and organic material) · nb jord (mixture of sand and organic material) · ms tanah (mixture of sand and organic material) · es tierra (mixture of sand and organic material) · ba тупраҡ (country or territory) · tr toprak (mixture of sand and organic material) · fr sol (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · yag tan (mixture of sand and organic material) · om biyyoo (mixture of sand and organic material) · hy հող (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · gl solo (mixture of sand and organic material) · sl zemlja (mixture of sand and organic material) · ms تانيه (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · yue(mixture of sand and organic material) · cmn 泥土 (mixture of sand and organic material) · jv siti (mixture of sand and organic material) · uk ґрунт (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · es suelo (country or territory) · gl solo (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · eu lurzoru (mixture of sand and organic material) · nah tlālpantli (mixture of sand and organic material) · gd talamh (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · de Grund und Boden (country or territory) · nl grond (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · ja(mixture of sand and organic material) · sk zem (mixture of sand and organic material) · ff leydi (country or territory) · yi ערד (mixture of sand and organic material) · fa-ira خاک (country or territory) · ro sol (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · prs خَاک (mixture of sand and organic material) · alt тобрак (mixture of sand and organic material) · krc топракъ (mixture of sand and organic material) · vi đất (mixture of sand and organic material) · ar تُرْبَة (mixture of sand and organic material) · ru по́чва (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · pl grunt (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · ota تراب (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · ota طوپراق (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · es humus (mixture of sand and organic material) · af grond (mixture of sand and organic material) · hu táptalaj (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · fi maaperä (country or territory) · uk ґрунт (mixture of sand and organic material) · hy հող (mixture of sand and organic material) · tay uraw (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · ur زَمِین (mixture of sand and organic material) · fr terre (country or territory) · ka ნიადაგი (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · da jord (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · is jarðvegur (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · ca sòl (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · la humus (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · fi maa (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · mk почва (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · fa-ira خاک (mixture of sand and organic material) · my မြေဆီလွှာ (mixture of sand and organic material) · it terra (mixture of sand and organic material) · ota طوپراق (mixture of sand and organic material) · pdt Ieed (mixture of sand and organic material) · ca sòl (mixture of sand and organic material) · cmn(mixture of sand and organic material) · sh зѐмља (mixture of sand and organic material) · bal ہاک (mixture of sand and organic material) · mhr аварок (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · krc джер (mixture of sand and organic material) · nrf tèrre (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · ar أَرْض (mixture of sand and organic material) · tr toprak (country or territory) · rif šar (mixture of sand and organic material) · pl gleba (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · tr toprak (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · ru грунт (mixture of sand and organic material) · cv тӑпра (mixture of sand and organic material) · om biyya (mixture of sand and organic material) · ga talamh (country or territory) · ro sol (mixture of sand and organic material) · tg гил (mixture of sand and organic material) · it terreno (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · ga cré (mixture of sand and organic material) · pt solo (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · is jarðvegur (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · cy gweryd (mixture of sand and organic material) · pl ziemia (mixture of sand and organic material) · uk земля́ (mixture of sand and organic material) · hi धरती (mixture of sand and organic material) · yue(mixture of sand and organic material) · khb ᦡᦲᧃ (mixture of sand and organic material) · sv jord (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · id tanah (mixture of sand and organic material) · iba tanah (mixture of sand and organic material) · nrf tèrre (mixture of sand and organic material) · yue 土壤 (mixture of sand and organic material) · cmn 土壤 (mixture of sand and organic material) · pl gleba (mixture of sand and organic material) · pt solo (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · pl grunt (mixture of sand and organic material) · chr ᎦᏓ (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · be зямля́ (mixture of sand and organic material) · ba тупраҡ (mixture of sand and organic material) · ko 토양 (mixture of sand and organic material) · ca sòl (country or territory) · az torpaq (mixture of sand and organic material) · ta மண் (mixture of sand and organic material) · krc топуракъ (mixture of sand and organic material) · cy tir (country or territory) · hy հող (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · nv łeezh (mixture of sand and organic material) · twf ną̀méne (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · fa-ira زَمین (mixture of sand and organic material) · ba тупраҡ (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · ru по́чва (mixture of sand and organic material) · nn jord (mixture of sand and organic material) · alt јер (mixture of sand and organic material) · qu allpa (mixture of sand and organic material) · ga ithir (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · et muld (mixture of sand and organic material) · ga ithir (mixture of sand and organic material) · pt solo (mixture of sand and organic material) · bn মাটি (mixture of sand and organic material) · hi मिट्टी (mixture of sand and organic material) · de Erde (mixture of sand and organic material) · nl grond (country or territory) · tl lupa (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · bg по́чва (mixture of sand and organic material) · la humus (mixture of sand and organic material) · rif tamurt (country or territory) · om lafa (mixture of sand and organic material) · twf ną̀méne (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · ml മണ്ണ് (mixture of sand and organic material) · gl terra (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · uz tuproq (mixture of sand and organic material) · ps خاوره (mixture of sand and organic material) · za doem (mixture of sand and organic material) · hu föld (mixture of sand and organic material) · ota ارض (country or territory) · mk почва (mixture of sand and organic material) · lv augsne (mixture of sand and organic material) · twf ną̀méne (mixture of sand and organic material) · is jörð (mixture of sand and organic material) · gd ùir (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · ta மண் (country or territory) · ky топурак (mixture of sand and organic material) · bcl daga (mixture of sand and organic material) · pl ziemia (country or territory) · bg земя́ (mixture of sand and organic material) · cu землꙗ (mixture of sand and organic material) · cs půda (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · da jord (mixture of sand and organic material) · sw mchanga (mixture of sand and organic material) · mk земја (country or territory) · km ដី (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · be зямля́ (country or territory) · nv łeezh (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · de Land (country or territory) · mnc ᠪᠣᡳᡥᠣᠨ (mixture of sand and organic material) · sq tokë (mixture of sand and organic material) · ur مِٹِّی (mixture of sand and organic material) · ota تراب (country or territory) · ka მიწა (mixture of sand and organic material) · gd ùir (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · sh zèmlja (mixture of sand and organic material) · bg земя́ (country or territory) · sv jord (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · ba ер (country or territory) · nl aarde (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · bg пръст (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · ba тупраҡ (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · lv zeme (mixture of sand and organic material) · cs půda (mixture of sand and organic material) · nl grond (mixture of sand and organic material) · da grund (country or territory) · ota تراب (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · kk топырақ (mixture of sand and organic material) · qu allpa (country or territory) · da jord (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · uk ґрунт (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · el έδαφος (country or territory) · es mantillo (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · es mantillo (mixture of sand and organic material) · de Grund (mixture of sand and organic material) · de Territorium (country or territory) · be грунт (mixture of sand and organic material) · tab руг (mixture of sand and organic material) · be гле́ба (mixture of sand and organic material) · my မြေ (mixture of sand and organic material) · fi maannos (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · ug تۇپراق (mixture of sand and organic material) · mn шороо (mixture of sand and organic material) · fi maannos (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · fr terre (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · gd talamh (mixture of sand and organic material) · ff leydi (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · hi ज़मीन (mixture of sand and organic material) · eo grundo (mixture of sand and organic material) · izh gruntti (mixture of sand and organic material) · tr toprak (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · fr terre (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · ota طوپراق (country or territory) · nl grond (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · cs země (mixture of sand and organic material) · sq dhe (mixture of sand and organic material) · ab анышә (mixture of sand and organic material) · xsr(mixture of sand and organic material) · ga ithir (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · es suelo (mixture of sand and organic material) · he אֲדָמָה (mixture of sand and organic material) · mel tanak (mixture of sand and organic material) · sv jord (country or territory) · ka ნიადაგი (mixture of sand and organic material) · ko(mixture of sand and organic material) · tk toprak (mixture of sand and organic material) · mba bugta (mixture of sand and organic material) · ka ნიადაგი (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · es tierra (country or territory) · ota طوپراق (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · lt žemė (mixture of sand and organic material) · lo ດິນ (mixture of sand and organic material) · sk pôda (mixture of sand and organic material) · mk земја (mixture of sand and organic material) · da muldjord (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · nds Eerd (mixture of sand and organic material) · uk земля́ (country or territory) · tg замин (mixture of sand and organic material) · ga cré (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · yue 泥土 (mixture of sand and organic material) · an suelo (mixture of sand and organic material) · fr sol (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · ckb خاک (mixture of sand and organic material) · ota ارض (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · mt ħamrija (mixture of sand and organic material) · sv jord (mixture of sand and organic material) · nl aarde (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · nrf tèrre (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · nl aarde (mixture of sand and organic material) · mk почва (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · tl sulip (mixture of sand and organic material) · ota ارض (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · he עָפָר (mixture of sand and organic material) · sl prst (mixture of sand and organic material) · nds Grund (mixture of sand and organic material) · or ମାଟି (mixture of sand and organic material) · ru земля́ (mixture of sand and organic material) · es suelo (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · ta மண் (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · hil duta (mixture of sand and organic material) · lt gruntas (mixture of sand and organic material) · tew nan (mixture of sand and organic material) · pt solo (country or territory) · nv łeezh (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · ru по́чва (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · es humus (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · bn ভূমি (mixture of sand and organic material) · ja 土壌 (mixture of sand and organic material) · de Grund (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · hu talaj (mixture of sand and organic material) · ru земля́ (country or territory) · sv mark (country or territory) · kmr ax (mixture of sand and organic material) · ta மண் (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · nb jordsmonn (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · ota ارض (mixture of sand and organic material) · mn хөрс (mixture of sand and organic material) · chr ᎦᏓ (mixture of sand and organic material) · fr territoire (country or territory) · bo(mixture of sand and organic material) · km ដី (mixture of sand and organic material) · jv lemah (mixture of sand and organic material) · tl lupa (mixture of sand and organic material) · pt terra (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · fwe évù (mixture of sand and organic material) · ga cré (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · ro teren (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · ceb yuta (mixture of sand and organic material) · el έδαφος (mixture of sand and organic material) · fi multa (mixture of sand and organic material) · de Boden (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · gd ùir (mixture of sand and organic material) · tt туфрак (mixture of sand and organic material) · as মাটি (mixture of sand and organic material) · prs زَمِین (mixture of sand and organic material) · th ดิน (mixture of sand and organic material) · cy pridd (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · nrf tèrre (country or territory) · it suolo (mixture of sand and organic material) · ur دَھرْتی (mixture of sand and organic material) · izh maa (mixture of sand and organic material) · om dachee (mixture of sand and organic material) · ca sòl (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · pl ziemia (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · fr terre (mixture of sand and organic material) · sib tana' (mixture of sand and organic material) · pdt Ieed (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · tl lupa (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · ce латта (mixture of sand and organic material) · shn လိၼ် (mixture of sand and organic material) · ru грунт (unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth) · gd talamh (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · sne tana' (mixture of sand and organic material) · bg по́чва (mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants) · gl terra (mixture of sand and organic material) · tg хок (mixture of sand and organic material) · ta நிலம் (country or territory)

soil en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

  • /sɔɪl/
  • (US) audio
  • [sɔɪ̯ɫ]
  • [sɔi̯əɫ] pre-l breaking
  • [sɔi̯l̩] pre-l breaking
  • /sɔɪ.əl/ pre-l breaking

Etymology

From Middle English soilen, soulen, suylen (“to sully, make dirty”), partly from Old French soillier, souillier (“to soil, make dirty, wallow in mire”), from Old Frankish *saulijan, *sulwijan (“to make dirty, soil”); partly from Old English solian, sylian (“to soil, make dirty”), from Proto-Germanic *sulwōną, *sulwijaną, *saulijaną (“to soil, make dirty”), from Proto-Indo-European *sūl- (“thick liquid”). Cognate with Old Frisian sulia (“to soil, mire”), Middle Dutch soluwen, seulewen (“to soil, besmirch”), Old High German solōn, bisulen (“to make dirty”), German suhlen (“to soil, make dirty”), Danish søle (“to make dirty, defile”), Swedish söla (“to soil, make dirty”), Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌿𐌻𐌾𐌰𐌽 (bisauljan, “to bemire”). Compare sully.

Meanings

  1. (euphemistic, uncountable) Faeces or urine etc. when found on clothes.
  2. (countable) A bag containing soiled items.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
soils Number=Plur lexicographic

Synonyms

dirt (faeces or urine etc.)

Translations (13)

fr souillure (faeces or urine etc.) · bg мръсотия (faeces or urine etc.) · ta கறை (faeces or urine etc.) · fi skeida (faeces or urine etc.) · tl dumi (faeces or urine etc.) · bg изпражнения (faeces or urine etc.) · de Fäkalienbeutel (bag containing soiled items) · fi sonta (faeces or urine etc.) · fi lika (faeces or urine etc.) · de Kotbeutel (bag containing soiled items) · ml മലമൂത്രം (faeces or urine etc.) · de Exkremente (faeces or urine etc.) · de Fäkalienbeutel (bag containing soiled items)

soil en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

  • /sɔɪl/
  • (US) audio
  • [sɔɪ̯ɫ]
  • [sɔi̯əɫ] pre-l breaking
  • [sɔi̯l̩] pre-l breaking
  • /sɔɪ.əl/ pre-l breaking

Etymology

From Middle English soilen, soulen, suylen (“to sully, make dirty”), partly from Old French soillier, souillier (“to soil, make dirty, wallow in mire”), from Old Frankish *saulijan, *sulwijan (“to make dirty, soil”); partly from Old English solian, sylian (“to soil, make dirty”), from Proto-Germanic *sulwōną, *sulwijaną, *saulijaną (“to soil, make dirty”), from Proto-Indo-European *sūl- (“thick liquid”). Cognate with Old Frisian sulia (“to soil, mire”), Middle Dutch soluwen, seulewen (“to soil, besmirch”), Old High German solōn, bisulen (“to make dirty”), German suhlen (“to soil, make dirty”), Danish søle (“to make dirty, defile”), Swedish söla (“to soil, make dirty”), Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌿𐌻𐌾𐌰𐌽 (bisauljan, “to bemire”). Compare sully.

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To make dirty.
    • […]Bad Fruit of Knowledge, if this be to know, / Which leaves us naked thus, of Honour void, / Of innocence, of Faith, of Puritie, / Our wonted Ornaments now ſoild and ſtaind, / And in our Faces evident the ſignes / Of foul concupiſcence ; whence eveil ſtore ; / Even ſhame, the laſt of evils ; of the firſt / Be ſure then. 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 1073–1080:
  2. (intransitive) To become dirty or soiled.
    • Light colours soil sooner than dark ones.
  3. (figuratively, transitive) To stain or mar, as with infamy or disgrace; to tarnish; to sully.
    • […]They clip vs drunkards, and with Swiniſh phraſe / Soyle our addition, and indeede it takes / From our atchieuements, though perform’d at height / The pith and marrow of our attribute[…] c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]:
  4. (reflexive) To dirty one's clothing by accidentally defecating while clothed.
    • The child was so scared she soiled herself.
  5. To make invalid, to ruin.
  6. To enrich with soil or muck; to manure.
    • For to be kind to the former is traffic ; and in these times men present, just as they soil their ground, not that they love the dirt, but that they expect a crop : and for the latter, the politician well approves of the Indian’s religion, in worshiping the devil, that he may do him no hurt ; how much soever he hates him, and is hated by him. 1676 April 30, Robert South, “A Sermon Preached at Westminster Abbey”, in Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume I, New York: Hurd and Houghton, published 1866, page 176:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
soiling Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
soils Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
soiled Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
soiled Tense=Past lexicographic

Deriveds

soil one's pants · soil oneself · soilage

Synonyms

sully · smirch · sour · inquinate · soil · foul · befoul · darken · dirten · stain · mess up · defile · assoil · smudge · spot · disturb · bumble · blot · uggle · bedizen · disrupt · mar · stain · upset the applecart · sowl · vitiate · corrupt · fuck up · clat · put a crimp in · slotter · befile · mishandle · beshit · smirch · dirty · besully · undo · elt · gunk up · dirty · upset · befilth · scunge · blacken · deprave · turn upside down · muddy · bewray · screw up · imbrue (especially with blood) · sullow · bungle · slur · botch · queer · file · invalidate · bedaub · mommick · jack up · soil · dirty · smutch · crab · contaminate · ruin · blur · bedirty · soss · sully · blight · foil · bugger up · contaminate · smear · beray · spoil · gunk · foil · beclart · besmirch · sling mud · ball up · besmear · pollute · begrime · smut · tarnish · besmirch · dirten

Translations (62)

nl bevuilen (to make dirty) · hy կեղտոտել (to make dirty) · pt estragar (to make invalid, to ruin) · hu bepiszkol (to make dirty) · es enlodazar (to sully) · de besudeln (to make dirty) · fr souiller (to make dirty) · pt arruinar (to make invalid, to ruin) · pt sujar (to make dirty) · uk руйнувати (to make invalid, to ruin) · gl luxar (to make dirty) · ky булгоо (to make dirty) · ar اِتَّسَخَ (to make dirty) · fi pistää paskaksi (to make invalid, to ruin) · fa خاکی کردن (to make dirty) · ru па́чкать (to make dirty) · ota پیسلمك (to make dirty) · ru замара́ть (to make dirty) · ru мара́ть (to make dirty) · da svine til (to make dirty) · de verschmutzen (to make dirty) · ro spurca (to make dirty) · cmn 弄髒 /弄脏 (to make dirty) · da tilsøle (to make dirty) · ru испа́чкать (to make dirty) · pl brudzić (to make dirty) · it sporcare (to make dirty) · ko 더럽히다 (to make dirty) · de ruinieren (to make invalid, to ruin) · ja 汚す (to make dirty) · de ungültig machen (to make invalid, to ruin) · uk мара́ти (to make dirty) · es enfangar (to sully) · sv smutsa ner (to make dirty) · fi liata (to make dirty) · mk валка (to make dirty) · la polluo (to make dirty) · uk забру́днювати (to make dirty) · ota بوقلامق (to make dirty) · fi tahria (to make dirty) · ota مردارلامق (to make dirty) · ga salaigh (to make dirty) · es embarrar (to sully) · la foedō (to make dirty) · ota كیرلمك (to make dirty) · es enlodar (to sully) · da besudle (to make dirty) · de beschmutzen (to make dirty) · ru вы́пачкать (to make dirty) · sv skita ner (to make dirty) · uk псувати (to make invalid, to ruin) · bg оцапвам (to make dirty) · hy աղտոտել (to make dirty) · fa خاکی کردن (to make invalid, to ruin) · yi אָנפּאַטשקען (to make dirty) · la spurco (to make dirty) · ta அழுக்காக்கு (to make dirty) · fr salir (to make dirty) · ru запа́чкать (to make dirty) · uk брудни́ти (to make dirty) · yi פּאַטשקען (to make dirty) · he לכלך (to make dirty)

soil en · NOUN · etymology 3

Pronunciation

  • /sɔɪl/
  • (US) audio
  • [sɔɪ̯ɫ]
  • [sɔi̯əɫ] pre-l breaking
  • [sɔi̯l̩] pre-l breaking
  • /sɔɪ.əl/ pre-l breaking

Etymology

From Middle English soyl, from Old French soil, souil (“quagmire, marsh”), from Frankish *sōlja, *saulja (“mire, miry place, wallow”), from Proto-Germanic *saulijō (“mud, puddle, feces”), from Proto-Indo-European *sūl- (“thick liquid”). Cognate with Old English syle, sylu, sylen (“miry place, wallow”), Old High German sol, gisol (“miry place”), German Suhle (“a wallow, mud pit, muddy pool”).

Meanings

  1. A wet or marshy place in which a boar or other such game seeks refuge when hunted.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
soils Number=Plur lexicographic

soil en · VERB · etymology 4

Pronunciation

  • /sɔɪl/
  • (US) audio
  • [sɔɪ̯ɫ]
  • [sɔi̯əɫ] pre-l breaking
  • [sɔi̯l̩] pre-l breaking
  • /sɔɪ.əl/ pre-l breaking

Etymology

From Old French saoler, saouler (“to satiate”).

Meanings

  1. To feed, as cattle or horses, in the barn or an enclosure, with fresh grass or green food cut for them, instead of sending them out to pasture; hence (due to such food having the effect of purging them) to purge by feeding on green food.
    • to soil a horse

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
soils Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
soiling Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
soiled Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
soiled Tense=Past lexicographic

Deriveds

soilage