spoil
spoil /sp'ɔɪl/ (spoils spoiling spoiled spoilt)
American English uses the form spoiled as the past tense and past participle. British English uses either spoiled or spoilt.
1 [VERB] V n, V n
If you spoil something, you prevent it from being successful or satisfactory.
It's important not to let mistakes spoil your life...
Peaceful summer evenings can be spoilt by mosquitoes.
2 [VERB] V n
If you spoil children, you give them everything they want or ask for. This is considered to have a bad effect on a child's character.
Grandparents are often tempted to spoil their grandchildren whenever they come to visit.
● spoilt, spoiled [ADJ]
A spoilt child is rarely popular with other children...
Oh, that child. He's so spoiled.
3 [VERB] V pron-refl, V n
If you spoil yourself or spoil another person, you give yourself or them something nice as a treat or do something special for them.
Spoil yourself with a new perfume this summer...
Perhaps I could employ someone to iron his shirts, but I wanted to spoil him. He was my man.
= pamper
4 [VERB] V, V n
If food spoils or if it is spoilt, it is no longer fit to be eaten.
We all know that fats spoil by becoming rancid...
Some organisms are responsible for spoiling food and cause food poisoning...
5 [VERB] V n
If someone spoils their vote, they write something illegal on their voting paper, usually as a protest about the election, and their vote is not accepted. (BRIT)
They had broadcast calls for voters to spoil their ballot papers...
= deface
6 [N-PLURAL] usu with supp
The spoils of something are things that people get as a result of winning a battle or of doing something successfully.
True to military tradition, the victors are now treating themselves to the spoils of war...
7 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
If you say that someone is spoilt for choice or spoiled for choice, you mean that they have a great many things of the same type to choose from.
At lunchtime, MPs are spoilt for choice in 26 restaurants and bars.spoil for
[PHRASAL VERB] only cont, V P n
If you are spoiling for a fight, you are very eager for it to happen.
A mob armed with guns was at the border between the two republics, spoiling for a fight.
American English uses the form spoiled as the past tense and past participle. British English uses either spoiled or spoilt.
1 [VERB] V n, V n
If you spoil something, you prevent it from being successful or satisfactory.
It's important not to let mistakes spoil your life...
Peaceful summer evenings can be spoilt by mosquitoes.
2 [VERB] V n
If you spoil children, you give them everything they want or ask for. This is considered to have a bad effect on a child's character.
Grandparents are often tempted to spoil their grandchildren whenever they come to visit.
● spoilt, spoiled [ADJ]
A spoilt child is rarely popular with other children...
Oh, that child. He's so spoiled.
3 [VERB] V pron-refl, V n
If you spoil yourself or spoil another person, you give yourself or them something nice as a treat or do something special for them.
Spoil yourself with a new perfume this summer...
Perhaps I could employ someone to iron his shirts, but I wanted to spoil him. He was my man.
= pamper
4 [VERB] V, V n
If food spoils or if it is spoilt, it is no longer fit to be eaten.
We all know that fats spoil by becoming rancid...
Some organisms are responsible for spoiling food and cause food poisoning...
5 [VERB] V n
If someone spoils their vote, they write something illegal on their voting paper, usually as a protest about the election, and their vote is not accepted. (BRIT)
They had broadcast calls for voters to spoil their ballot papers...
= deface
6 [N-PLURAL] usu with supp
The spoils of something are things that people get as a result of winning a battle or of doing something successfully.
True to military tradition, the victors are now treating themselves to the spoils of war...
7 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
If you say that someone is spoilt for choice or spoiled for choice, you mean that they have a great many things of the same type to choose from.
At lunchtime, MPs are spoilt for choice in 26 restaurants and bars.spoil for
[PHRASAL VERB] only cont, V P n
If you are spoiling for a fight, you are very eager for it to happen.
A mob armed with guns was at the border between the two republics, spoiling for a fight.