HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY
To look up an entry in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, use the search window above. For best results, after typing in the word, click on the “Search” button instead of using the “enter” key.
Some compound words (like bus rapid transit, dog whistle, or identity theft) don’t appear on the drop-down list when you type them in the search bar. For best results with compound words, place a quotation mark before the compound word in the search window.
THE USAGE PANEL
The Usage Panel is a group of nearly 200 prominent scholars, creative writers, journalists, diplomats, and others in occupations requiring mastery of language. Annual surveys have gauged the acceptability of particular usages and grammatical constructions.
AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY APP
The new American Heritage Dictionary app is now available for iOS and Android.
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY BLOG
The articles in our blog examine new words, revised definitions, interesting images from the fifth edition, discussions of usage, and more.
INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES?
Check out the Dictionary Society of North America at http://www.dictionarysociety.com
| v. spoiledor spoilt (spoilt), spoil·ing, spoils v. tr. 1. a. To impair or destroy the quality or value of; ruin: spoiled the dish by adding too much salt. b. To impair or destroy the enjoyment or experience of: spoiled the movie by talking throughout it. c. To reveal details about (a movie or a book, for example) before someone has a chance to discover these details on their own: The article spoiled the next episode of my favorite TV show. 2. To harm the character of (a child) by overindulgence or leniency. See Synonyms at pamper. 3. Archaic a. To plunder; despoil. b. To take by force. v. intr. To become unfit for use or consumption, as from decay. Used especially of perishables, such as food. See Synonyms at decay. n. Phrasal Verb: 1. spoils a. Goods or property seized from a victim after a conflict, especially after a military victory. b. Incidental benefits reaped by a winner, especially political patronage enjoyed by a successful party or candidate. 2. An object of plunder; prey. 3. Refuse material removed from an excavation. 4. Archaic The act of plundering; spoliation. spoil for To be eager for: spoiling for a fight. [Middle English spoilen, to plunder, from Old French espoillier, from Latin spoliāre, from spolium, booty.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
