[syn: rape, spoil, despoil, violate, plunder]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Plunder \Plun"der\, n.
1. The act of plundering or pillaging; robbery. See Syn. of
Pillage.
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Inroads and plunders of the Saracens. --Sir T.
North.
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2. That which is taken by open force from an enemy; pillage;
spoil; booty; also, that which is taken by theft or fraud.
"He shared in the plunder." --Cowper.
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3. Personal property and effects; baggage or luggage. [Slang,
Southwestern U.S.]
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Plunder \Plun"der\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plundered; p. pr. &
vb. n. Plundering.] [G. pl["u]ndern to plunder, plunder
frippery, baggage.]
1. To take the goods of by force, or without right; to
pillage; to spoil; to sack; to strip; to rob; as, to
plunder travelers.
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Nebuchadnezzar plunders the temple of God. --South.
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2. To take by pillage; to appropriate forcibly; as, the enemy
plundered all the goods they found.
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Syn: To pillage; despoil; sack; rifle; strip; rob.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
plunder
n 1: goods or money obtained illegally [syn: loot, booty,
pillage, plunder, prize, swag, dirty money]
v 1: take illegally; of intellectual property; "This writer
plundered from famous authors" [syn: loot, plunder]
2: plunder (a town) after capture; "the barbarians sacked Rome"
[syn: sack, plunder]
3: steal goods; take as spoils; "During the earthquake people
looted the stores that were deserted by their owners" [syn:
plunder, despoil, loot, reave, strip, rifle,
ransack, pillage, foray]
4: destroy and strip of its possession; "The soldiers raped the
beautiful country" [syn: rape, spoil, despoil,
violate, plunder]
The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):
PLUNDER, v. To take the property of another without observing the
decent and customary reticences of theft. To effect a change of
ownership with the candid concomitance of a brass band. To wrest the
wealth of A from B and leave C lamenting a vanishing opportunity.