- the top layer of the land surface of the earth that is composed of disintegrated rock particles, humus, water, and air
- a type of this material having specific characteristics: loamy soil
- land, country, or region: one's native soil
- the soil ⇒ life and work on a farm; land: he belonged to the soil, as his forefathers had
- any place or thing encouraging growth or development
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2016
soil1 /sɔɪl/USA pronunciation
n. [uncountable]
soil2 /sɔɪl/USA pronunciation v.
n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2016- the portion of the earth's surface made up of humus;
earth:Farmers were at work tilling the soil for thousands of years. - a country, land, or region:longing to set foot on his native soil.
- any environment that encourages growth.
soil2 /sɔɪl/USA pronunciation v.
- to (cause to) become dirty: [~ + object]The baby had soiled her diapers.[no object]These white clothes soil too easily.
n. [uncountable]
- the act or fact of soiling, or the state of being soiled.
- a spot or stain:The detergent gets rid of soil and stains.
soil1
(soil),
n.
soil2 (soil),
v.t.
v.i.
n.
soil3 (soil),
v.t.
n.
- the portion of the earth's surface consisting of disintegrated rock and humus.
- a particular kind of earth:sandy soil.
- the ground as producing vegetation or as cultivated for its crops:fertile soil.
- a country, land, or region:an act committed on American soil.
- the ground or earth:tilling the soil.
- any place or condition providing the opportunity for growth or development:Some believe that poverty provides the soil for crime.
Etymology:
soil′less, adj. - Latin solium seat, confused with solum ground
- Anglo-French soyl
- Middle English soile 1300–50
soil2 (soil),
v.t.
- to make unclean, dirty, or filthy, esp. on the surface:to soil one's clothes.
- to smirch, smudge, or stain:The ink soiled his hands.
- to sully or tarnish, as with disgrace; defile morally:to soil one's good name.
v.i.
- to become soiled:White soils easily.
n.
- the act or fact of soiling.
- the state of being soiled.
- a spot, mark, or stain.
- dirty or foul matter;
filth;
sewage. - ordure;
manure.
Etymology:
3 . blacken, taint, debase.
- Vulgar Latin *suculāre, equivalent. to sū(s) pig + -cul(us) -cle1 + -āre infinitive ending
- Old French souiller, soillier to dirty
- Middle English soilen (verb, verbal) 1175–1225
soil3 (soil),
v.t.
- Animal Husbandryto feed (confined cattle, horses, etc.) freshly cut green fodder for roughage.
Etymology:
- origin, originally uncertain 1595–1605
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
soil /sɔɪl/ n
soil /sɔɪl/ vb
- to make or become dirty or stained
- (transitive) to pollute with sin or disgrace; sully; defile
- the state or result of soiling
- refuse, manure, or excrement
soil /sɔɪl/ vb
- (transitive) to feed (livestock) freshly cut green fodder either to fatten or purge them
'soil' also found in these entries:
agro-
- agronomy
- alluvium
- amoeba
- angle of repose
- ant hill
- arenaceous
- backfill
- background
- bacteria
- balk
- banyan
- bed
- bedrock
- befoul
- begrime
- bemire
- benign
- besmirch
- bury
- caecilian
- chernozem
- container garden
- core
- coulter
- cover crop
- cradle
- creep
- cultivate
- cultivated
- cultivator
- culture
- dig
- dirt
- dirty
- disc harrow
- donga
- drag
- dust bowl
- earth
- earth up
- earthworm
- ecoregion
- enrich
- excavate
- fatten
- fertilize
- fertilizer
- fix
- geography
