Defn: To feed, as cattle or horses, in the barn or an inclosure, with fresh grass or green food cut for them, instead of sending them out to pasture; hence (such food having the effect of purging them), to purge by feeding on green food; as, to soil a horse.
SOIL
Soil, n. Etym: [OE. soile, F. sol, fr. L. solum bottom, soil; but the
word has probably been influenced in form by soil a miry place. Cf.
Saloon, Soil a miry place, Sole of the foot.]
1. The upper stratum of the earth; the mold, or that compound substance which furnishes nutriment to plants, or which is particularly adapted to support and nourish them.
2. Land; country. Must I thus leave thee, Paradise thus leave Thee, native soil Milton.
3. Dung; fæces; compost; manure; as, night soil. Improve land by dung and other sort of soils. Mortimer. Soil pipe, a pipe or drain for carrying off night soil.
SOIL
Soil, v. t.
Defn: To enrich with soil or muck; to manure. Men . . . soil their ground, not that they love the dirt, but that they expect a crop. South.
SOIL Soil, n. Etym: [OF. soil, souil, F. souille, from OF. soillier, F. souiller. See Soil to make dirty.]
Defn: A 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 deer, being stuck, fly through many soils, Yet still the shaft
sticks fast. Marston.
To take soil, to run into the mire or water; hence, to take refuge or
shelter.
O, sir, have you taken soil here It is well a man may reach you after
three hours' running. B. Jonson.
SOIL
Soil, v. t.Etym: [OE. soilen, OF. soillier, F. souiller, (assumed)
LL. suculare, fr. L. sucula a little pig, dim. of sus a swine. See
Sow, n.]