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Plunder vs Spoils - What's the difference?

plunder | spoils |

As verbs the difference between plunder and spoils

is that plunder is to pillage, take or destroy all the goods of, by force (as in war); to raid, sack while spoils is third-person singular of spoil.

As nouns the difference between plunder and spoils

is that plunder is an instance of plundering while spoils is that which is taken from another by violence; especially, the plunder taken from an enemy; pillage; booty.

plunder

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To pillage, take or destroy all the goods of, by force (as in war); to raid, sack.
    • ''The mercenaries plundered the small town.
    The shopkeeper was plundered of his possessions by the burglar.
  • To take (goods) by pillage.
    • The mercenaries plundered all the goods they found.
  • To take by force or wrongfully; to commit robbery or looting, to raid.
    • ''"Now to plunder , mateys!" screamed a buccaneer, to cries of "Arrgh!" and "Aye!" all around.
  • To make extensive (over)use of, as if by plundering; to use or use up wrongfully.
    • ''The miners plundered the jungle for its diamonds till it became a muddy waste.
  • * 2014 , , " Southampton hammer eight past hapless Sunderland in barmy encounter", The Guardian , 18 October 2014:
    • The Serb teed up Steve Davis, who crossed low for Graziano Pellè to plunder his fifth league goal of the campaign.

    Derived terms

    * plunderable * plunderage * plunderer * plunderous

    Noun

    (-)
  • An instance of plundering
  • The loot attained by plundering
    • ''The Hessian kept his choicest plunder in a sack that never left his person, for fear that his comrades would steal it.
  • (slang, dated) baggage; luggage

    • spoils

    English

    Noun

    (en-plural noun)
  • That which is taken from another by violence; especially, the plunder taken from an enemy; pillage; booty.
    • "Gentle gales, Fanning their odoriferous wings, dispense Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole Those balmy spoils." —Milton.
  • Public offices and their benefits regarded as the peculiar property of a successful party or faction, to be bestowed for its own advantage; -- commonly in the plural; as
    • to the victor belong the spoils

    Verb

    (head)
  • (spoil)
    • Milk spoils when left out too long.