Despoiling

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Despoil \De*spoil"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Despoiled}; p. pr. &
     vb. n. {Despoiling}.] [OF. despoiller, F. d['e]pouiller, L.
     despoliare, despoliatum; de- + spoliare to strip, rob,
     spolium spoil, booty. Cf. {Spoil}, {Despoliation}.]
     1. To strip, as of clothing; to divest or unclothe. [Obs.]
        --Chaucer.


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     2. To deprive for spoil; to plunder; to rob; to pillage; to
        strip; to divest; -- usually followed by of.
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              The clothed earth is then bare,
              Despoiled is the summer fair.         --Gower.
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              A law which restored to them an immense domain of
              which they had been despoiled.        --Macaulay.
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              Despoiled of innocence, of faith, of bliss.
                                                    --Milton.
  
     Syn: To strip; deprive; rob; bereave; rifle.
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