plunder
To pillage, take or destroy all the goods of, by forceTo pillage, take or destroy all the goods of, by force (as in war); to raid, sack.
» The pirate plunders the treasure trove.
Meaning
6 senses(transitive)To pillage, take or destroy all the goods of, by force (as in war); to raid, sack.
The mercenaries plundered the small town.
The shopkeeper was plundered of his possessions by the burglar.
ausplündern, plündern
гра́битьgrábitʹ
плюндрува́тиpljundruváty, сплюндрува́тиspljundruváty, поплюндрува́тиpopljundruváty
steal goods; take as spoils
(transitive)To take (goods) by pillage.
The mercenaries plundered all the goods they found.
take illegally; of intellectual property
(intransitive)To take by force or wrongfully; to commit robbery or looting, to raid.
“Now to plunder, mateys!” screamed a buccaneer, to cries of “Arrgh!” and “Aye!” all around.
plündern, plündern
(transitive)To make extensive (over)use of, as if by plundering; to use or use up wrongfully.
The miners plundered the jungle for its diamonds till it became a muddy waste.
ausbeuten, ausplündern
(transitive)To take unexpectedly.
(Philippines)To amass ill-gotten wealth (by public officials) through a combination or series of overt criminal acts.
Examples
30 sentencesThe pirate plunders the treasure trove.
I've come to plunder your treasure.
Many businesses were plundered during the riots.
deViele Geschäfte wurden während der Unruhen ausgeplündert.
Looting, raping, and plundering are common during wartime.
Algerian seas are illegally plundered for their coral.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 2
Origin
Recorded since 1632 during the Thirty Years War, native British use since the CromwellianRecorded since 1632 during the Thirty Years War, native British use since the Cromwellian Civil War. Borrowed from German plündern (“to loot”), from Middle High German, from Middle Low German plunderen, from a noun originally meaning "household goods, bedding, clothing," of obscure ultimate origin. This is first attested in medieval records, and according to Gijsseling, is therefore attested too late to be considered a substrate word. Due to the lack of obvious cognates in other languages from which it would have been loaned, it could have developed as some slang word in Lower Saxony/the Low Countries.
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Forms
plunders, plundering, plundered, plunderedSynonyms
13 synonymsWord family
12 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle