A mixture of mineral particles and organic material, used to support plant growth.
"The hunters knew to avoid the boggy soil where the wild boar always hid from their arrows."
Faeces or urine etc. when found on clothes.
A wet or marshy place in which a boar or other such game seeks refuge when hunted.
In plain English: Soil is the layer of dirt and organic matter that covers the ground where plants grow.
"The gardener added more organic soil to help the plants grow stronger."
To make dirty.
"The farmer decided to soil the herd before winter to help clear their systems after a long dry spell."
To feed, as cattle or horses, in the barn or an enclosure, with fresh grass or green food cut for them, instead of sending them out to pasture; hence (due to such food having the effect of purging them) to purge by feeding on green food.
In plain English: To soil something means to make it dirty or stained.
"The farmer will soil his boots by walking through the muddy field."
Usage: Do not use this verb meaning when referring to planting seeds or tilling earth. Instead, it specifically describes feeding livestock by providing chopped greens within a confined space rather than letting them graze outdoors.
The word "soil" entered Middle English around 1300 with the meaning of ground or earth. It is a blend of two different roots: one derived from Latin via Anglo-Norman, originally referring to a seat or throne but mistakenly applied to the ground, and another from Old English describing mud or wet sand.