Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SOIL, v.t. [Sax. selan, sylian; Dan. söler; Sw. söla; Fr. salir, souiller; Arm. salicza; Ir. salaighim. Class Sl, No. 35, Syr.]

1. To make dirty on the surface; to foul; to dirt; to stain; to defile; to tarnish; to sully; as, to soil a garment with dust. Our wonted ornaments now soil'd and stain'd. – Milton.
2. To cover or tinge with any thing extraneous; as, the earth to soil the earth with blood. – Tate.
3. To dung; to manure. – South. To soil a horse, is to purge him by giving him fresh grass. – Johnson. To soil cattle, in husbandry, is to feed them with grass daily mowed for them, instead of pasturing them.