spoil
Translation
to spoil, to ruin, to pamper, to go bad
Examples
Don't spoil your appetite before dinner.
Don't spoil your appetite before dinner.
The fruit will spoil if you leave it out.
The fruit will spoil if you leave it out.
They spoil their children with too many gifts.
They spoil their children with too many gifts.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to ruin or diminish the value of (sth.) Don't spoil your appetite before dinner.
((sb.)) ((with sth.)) to treat (sb.) with too much kindness They spoil their children with too many gifts.
(of food) to become unfit to eat The fruit will spoil if you leave it out.
Similar Words
Synonyms: ruin, corrupt, pamper, decay; Antonyms: improve, preserve, discipline
Etymology
From Old French 'espoillier' (to plunder), from Latin 'spoliare'.
Memory Tips
If you leave food out, bacteria will take the 'spoils' (plunder) and make it go bad.