soilnoun
uk/sɔɪl/us/sɔɪl/B2 [ C or U ] the material on the surface of the ground in which plants grow:
light/heavy/fertile soil
sandy or chalky soils
[ U ] literary a country:
It was the first time we had set foot on foreign/French/American soil (= gone to a foreign country/France/America).
the soil literary
the activity of farming:
Gardening is a way for city dwellers to return to the soil.
More examples
- acid soil
- This vertical section of the soil shows four basic soil layers.
- Corn is grown a lot in this area - the soil seems to suit it very well.
- These new plants haven't taken - they don't like this dry soil.
- The soil in this area is very chalky.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Soil
- aerator
- boulder clay
- chalk
- dirt
- grit
- ground
- heavy
- laterite
- limy
- loam
- mudslide
- ooze
- ore
- peat bog
- sandy
- sediment
- sludge
- soil science
- topsoil
- worm cast
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Countries, nationalities & continents: country & nation
Farming - general words
soilverb [ T ]
uk/sɔɪl/us/sɔɪl/formalto make something dirty, especially with solid waste:
soiled nappies/underwear/sheets
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Making things dirty & untidy
- blacken
- clutter
- contaminate
- defile
- dirty
- disarrange
- foul
- mess
- mired
- mix
- mix sth up
- muddle
- muddle sth up
- muddy
- muss
- pollute
- polluter
- stain
- tarnish
- the polluter pays principle idiom
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Idiom(s)
not soil your hands