plunder

Word family

plun·der1 /ˈplʌndə $ -ər/ verb written

1 STEAL[intransitiveI, transitiveT] to steal large amounts of money or property from somewhere, especially while fighting in a war 〔尤指战时〕窃取；侵占；掠夺，抢劫

The rich provinces of Asia Minor were plundered by the invaders.

小亚细亚的富饶地区遭到侵略者的劫掠。

2 [transitiveT] to use up all or most of the supplies of something in a careless way 胡乱耗尽，将…滥用殆尽

Unlicensed fishermen have plundered tuna stocks.

无证渔民滥捕金枪鱼。

the egotism of man as he plunders our planet

人类挥霍地球资源的自私行为

—plunderer noun [countableC]

Examples from the Corpus

plunder• It was waiting to be plundered.• Many works of art were plundered by Nazi troops.• In 1641 the Castle was taken and plundered by Toole McCann.• There are nine locations to plunder for food, weapons, artefacts and Orichalcum.• A spasm of delight shook her from head to toe as he plundered her neck.• In other eras, the aldermen ran the city and plundered it.• Because of it they simply could not plunder on ahead without thinking.• Critics claim the President has plundered the national treasury.• Then the Cid and his people returned to the field and began to plunder the tents.• Loyal members of the Blooper Patrol have plundered these blunders from newspapers, ads and brochures.

plunder2 noun [uncountableU] written

1 STEALthings that have been stolen during a violent attack, especially during a war 赃物；〔尤指〕战利品，掠夺物

Henry’s army returned loaded down with plunder.

亨利的部队满载战利品而归。

2 STEALthe act of plundering 掠夺，抢劫

fear of invasion and plunder

对侵略和掠夺的恐惧

Examples from the Corpus

plunder• The pay was welcome and there might well be plunder to boot, not to mention the excitement.• Poorer countries are simply a resource for big business-cheap labour, cheap dumping grounds, cheap plunder.• He would risk his life any time for plunder.• He fled the country with $600 million in plunder.• It's not a case of plunder.• All during the night thousands were out in quest of plunder.• But the plunder is just part of the over-fishing that dates back to the 1960s, when North Sea herring were annihilated.• He made nothing for himself out of the plunder of the Church lands.• the plunder of Africa by the European nations

From Longman Business Dictionary

plunderplun·der1 /ˈplʌndə-ər/ verb [transitiveT]

to steal large amounts of money or property from somewhere

When President, he plundered much of his country’s wealth.

—plunderer noun [countableC]

plunderplunder2 noun [uncountableU]

1large amounts of money or property that have been stolen

The army returned loaded down with plunder.

2the act of plundering

The dictator’s fortune was amassed during three decades of plunder of his own country.

Origin plunder1

(1600-1700) German plündern, from Middle High German plunder “things used in the home, clothes”