Definition Definition

soil - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'soil' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Soil [ n.]
- 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.
- Land; country.
- Dung; faeces; compost; manure; as, night soil.
- 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.
- To make dirty or unclean on the surface; to foul; to dirty; to defile; as, to soil a garment with dust.
- To stain or mar, as with infamy or disgrace; to tarnish; to sully.
- That which soils or pollutes; a soiled place; spot; stain.
2 . Soil [ v. i.]
- To become soiled; as, light colors soil sooner than dark ones.
3 . Soil [ v. t.]
- 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.
- To enrich with soil or muck; to manure.

Meaning of 'soil' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . soil [ n]
Meaning (1):
- the geographical area under the jurisdiction of a sovereign state
Example in sentence:
  • American troops were stationed on Japanese soil
Meaning (2):
- material in the top layer of the surface of the earth in which plants can grow (especially with reference to its quality or use)
Example in sentence:
  • good agricultural soil;
  • the land had never been plowed
3 . soil [ v]
Meaning (3):
- make soiled, filthy, or dirty
Example in sentence:
  • don't soil your clothes when you play outside!

Nearby Words:

soi-disant soiled soiliness soiling soilless soilure soily soiree

See 'soil' also in:

Dictionary.com Google Translator Wikipedia.com Merriam Webster

Categories

Browse Dictionary