soil Definition

soil¹
noun

1. The mixture of fragmented rock, plant and animal debris that lies on the surface of the Earth, above the bedrock, containing water and air, as well as living organisms such as bacteria, fungi and invertebrates.

Thesaurus: earth, dirt, loam, clay.
2. literary
Country; land.
Example: on foreign soil

Etymology: 14c: from French suel, from Latin solum ground.

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soil²
verb soiled, soiling

1. To stain or make dirty.

Thesaurus: stain, dirty, sully, spoil, muddy, tarnish, smear.
2. To bring discredit on; to sully.

Example: soiled reputation
Thesaurus: shame, debase, degrade, disgrace, slander, defile, besmirch.

noun

1. A spot or stain.
2. Dirt.
3. Dung; sewage.

Etymology: 13c: from French souil wallowing-place.

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soil³
verb

soiled, soiling
1. To feed (cattle) on fresh-cut green food in order to purge or fatten them.

Etymology: 17c: probably from soil².