---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Learning Kingdom's Cool Word of the Day for May 20, 1999 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- spoil [n., v. SPOYL] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To spoil something is to render it unfit for use, or to seriously impair its quality or beauty. To spoil can also be to harm someone's character (especially a child) through excessive praise or overindulgence. There is also the noun form (usually plural): goods or property seized from a victim after a conflict. Originally, Latin spolium was the hide stripped from a killed animal. The ancient root of this was spel- (split, burst), which also led to German spalten (to split) and Modern English spill and split. The meaning drifted over the centuries to "weapons taken from a slain enemy" and eventually any sort of booty or plunder. Thus we have the modern expression "the spoils of war." Meanwhile, the verb form evolved from the original meaning of the word, in recognition that a dead animal that has been spoiled (stripped of its skin) is essentially worthless. The most recent meaning, to harm someone's character through overindulgence, arose in the 17th century. Today's sponsor: ACSI Bulk Inks <http://www.oddparts.com/ink> WHY pay $30 for a new inkjet cartridge, when you can refill your current one 10 times for $21.95 with our 450 ml pint bottles. Free, easy on-line instructions. Color and photo inks too. Call us now Toll Free: 1-888-728-2465 VISA/MC/AMEX ACSI Bulk Inks: <http://www.oddparts.com/ink> Mention Cool-Word and save $5 on shipping/handling ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Cool Word of the Day list membership: 95,935 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To subscribe, visit http://www.tlk-lists.com/join/ To unsubscribe, visit http://www.tlk-lists.com/change/ To become a sponsor, visit http://www.tlk-lists.com/sponsor/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright (c) 1999, The Learning Kingdom, Inc. http://www.LearningKingdom.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------