De‐spoil″ (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p.Despoiled (?); p. pr. & vb. n.Despoiling.] [OF. despoiller, F. dépouiller, L. despoliare, despoliatum; de- + spoliare to strip, rob, spolium spoil, booty. Cf. Spoil, Despoliation.] 1. To strip, as of clothing; to divest or unclothe. Chaucer.
2. To deprive for spoil; to plunder; to rob; to pillage; to strip; to divest; — usually followed by of.
The clothed earth is then bare,
Despoiled is the summer fair. Gower.
A law which restored to them an immense domain of which they had been despoiled. Macaulay.
Despoiled of innocence, of faith, of bliss. Milton.
Syn. — To strip; deprive; rob; bereave; rifle.