soil

plural soils · alternative obsolete soyl

1. uncountableA mixture of mineral particles and organic material, used to support plant growth.

   We bought a bag of soil for the houseplants.

2. uncountableThe unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants.
3. uncountableThe unconsolidated mineral or organic matter on the surface of the earth that has been subjected to and shows effects of genetic and environmental factors of: climate (including water and temperature effects), and macro- and microorganisms, conditioned by relief, acting on parent material over a period of time. A product-soil differs from the material from which it is derived in many physical, chemical, biological, and morphological properties and characteristics.
4. countableuncountableCountry or territory.

   Except during the season in town, she spends her year in golfing, either at St Magnus or Pau, for, like all good Americans, she has long since abjured her native soil.

   1902, Robert Marshall Grade, The Haunted Major

   1 more example

   Pro-democracy demonstrations in the Thai capital saw Germany's embassy become the focus Monday as the throngs of protesters gathered in front of the mission asked Berlin to investigate whether King Maha Vajiralongkorn is inappropriately conducting state business on German soil.

   2020 October 27, Apornrath Phoonphongphiphat, Yuda Masayuki, “Thailand protesters query German embassy on absent king”, in Nikkei Asia, Nikkei Inc, retrieved 27 Oct 2020

5. countableuncountableThat which soils or pollutes; a stain.

   Precleaning treatments in combination with warewashing were evaluated for removing tahini soils.

   2026 February 28, Jeremiah Kidd, David Buckley, Peter Teska, Amandeep K. Sandhu, Tina Gettis, Marc Boyer, Laurie Williams, Lauren S. Jackson, “Effectiveness of Manual and Mechanical Warewashing Methods for Removing Allergen- and Gluten-Containing Foods from Food-Contact Surfaces Used in Retail and Food Service Operations”, in Journal of Food Protection, volume 89, number 2, →DOI, page 100689

   1 more example

   And ſince not only a dead Fathers fame, / But more a Ladies honour muſt be touch’d, / Which nice as Ermines will not bear a Soil ; / Let all retire ; that you alone may hear / What ev’n in whiſpers I won’d tell your ear.

   1690, John Dryden, Don Sebastian, King of Portugal: A Tragedy Acted at the Theatre Royal, London: Jo. Hindmarſh, act V, page 118

6. countableuncountableA 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.

   As Deere being ſtrucke flie thorow many ſoiles, / Yet ſtill the ſhaft ſitcks faſt, ſo ;

   1603, John Marston, John Webster, The Malcontent, act III, scene i

7. countableuncountableDung; compost; manure.

   night soil

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   HAving given you an Account of the way of ordering of Meadows, Paſtures and Arable Land, with ſeveral Sorts of Improvement of them ; I ſhall in the next place proceed to give an Account of the ſeveral ways uſed to improve Land by Manure, Dung, and other Sort of Soils.

   1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, “Of Manuring, Dunging, and Soiling of Land”, in The Whole Art of Husbandry; Or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land, 2nd edition, London: J. H. for H. Mortlock, and J. Robinſon, published 1708, page 66

8. countableuncountablecookingA food preparation with the texture and often color of soil.

present singular third person soils · participle present soiling · participle past soiled · past soiled

1. transitiveTo make dirty.

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   […]Bad Fruit of Knowledge, if this be to know, / Which leaves us naked thus, of Honour void, / Of innocence, of Faith, of Puritie, / Our wonted Ornaments now ſoild and ſtaind, / And in our Faces evident the ſignes / Of foul concupiſcence ; whence eveil ſtore ; / Even ſhame, the laſt of evils ; of the firſt / Be ſure then.

   1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 1073–1080

   Synonyms: besmirch, dirty, smirch, assoil, beclart, bedaub, bedirty, imbrue (especially with blood)

2. intransitiveTo become dirty or soiled.

   Light colours soil sooner than dark ones.

   Synonyms: dirten, dirty, muddy, sully

3. figurativelytransitiveTo stain or mar, as with infamy or disgrace; to tarnish; to sully.

   […]They clip vs drunkards, and with Swiniſh phraſe / Soyle our addition, and indeede it takes / From our atchieuements, though perform’d at height / The pith and marrow of our attribute[…]

   c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]

4. reflexiveTo dirty one's clothing by accidentally defecating while clothed.

   The child was so scared she soiled herself.

   1 more example

   The Australian athlete who caused a storm by winning a Hyrox event in China despite soiling herself during the race has apologised to the “people of China” and rival athletes in a statement online.

   2026 September 17, Martin Farrer, “‘I’m genuinely sorry’: Australian Hyrox athlete who soiled herself apologises to China and rivals”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

5. To make invalid, to ruin.

   Synonyms: invalidate, ball up, blight, bumble, botch, bugger up, bungle, contaminate

6. To enrich with soil or muck; to manure.

   1 more example

   For to be kind to the former is traffic ; and in these times men present, just as they soil their ground, not that they love the dirt, but that they expect a crop : and for the latter, the politician well approves of the Indian’s religion, in worshiping the devil, that he may do him no hurt ; how much soever he hates him, and is hated by him.

   1676 April 30, Robert South, “A Sermon Preached at Westminster Abbey”, in Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume I, New York: Hurd and Houghton, published 1866, page 176

plural soils

1. euphemisticuncountableFaeces or urine etc. when found on clothes.

   Synonyms: dirt

2. countablemedicineA bag containing soiled items.

plural soils

1. A wet or marshy place in which a boar or other such game seeks refuge when hunted.

present singular third person soils · participle present soiling · participle past soiled · past soiled

1. To feed, as cattle or horses, in the barn or an enclosure, with fresh grass or green food cut for them, instead of sending them out to pasture; hence (due to such food having the effect of purging them) to purge by feeding on green food.

   to soil a horse