pillage English · revision 1316

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈpɪl.ɪd͡ʒ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) [[der|fro|pillage|t=plunder]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from ''piller'' “to plunder, mistreat”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) of uncertain origin,^(RHWU) perhaps from Vulgar Latin ''*piliāre''.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) The American Heritage Dictionary relates this to ''peille'' “rag”,^(AHD) while Etymonline suggests Latin ''pilāre'' “to strip of hair”, compare [[fleece]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Spoils or booty (before 1393),^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989) and the act of plundering, chiefly in war (1390).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The verb was formed from the noun about 1592,^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989) replacing an older verb ''pill'' “to plunder”.^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) The Century Dictionary, quoted by Etymonline, notes that ''pillage'' stresses the owner's loss, while ''plunder'' stresses the value of what is taken.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1390 – the act of plundering.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * before 1393 – booty.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * about 1592 – verb, to plunder.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1600 – to carry off as booty.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To rob a place of goods by force, especially in war; to [[plunder]] or [[loot]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To take as booty.^(AHD)^(RHWU)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The act of plundering, especially in war.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Goods taken by force; [[booty]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pillager]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[plunder]]

+ * [[loot]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House gives ''rob'', ''sack'', ''spoil'', ''despoil'' and ''rape'' as synonyms of the verb, and ''rapine'', ''depredation'' and ''spoliation'' of the noun.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}