[? f. SOIL sb.3 8.]
1. trans. To feed (horses, cattle, etc.) on fresh-cut green fodder, originally for the purpose of purging; † to feed up or fatten (fowls).
1605. [see SOILED ppl. a.2].
1611. Beaum. & Fl., Philaster, V. iii. I’le … send you Brawn and Bacon, and soil you every long vacation a brace of foremen, that at Michaelmas shall come up fat and kicking.
1715. Lond. Gaz., No. 5325/1. He designs … to stay about three Weeks at Perez…, to Soil his Cavalry according to the Customs of the Turks.
1736. Pegge, Kenticisms (E. D. S.), s.v., To soil horses, is to scour or purge ’em, by giving ’em green meat, as tares green, clover, and the like.
1776. A. Young, Tour Irel. (1780), I. 172. A few sow clover, which increases, to mow for soiling their cows.
1812. Sir J. Sinclair, Syst. Husb. Scot., I. 352. Milch cows give more milk when soiled than when pastured.
1842. Penny Cycl., XXII. 192/2. The great advantage of soiling cattle is the increase of manure of the best quality, which is thereby produced.
1868. N. & Q., 4th Ser. II. 308/2. To soil a horse with clover or vetches.
2. With off: To employ, make use of, as fodder for soiling cattle, etc. ? Obs.
1778. [W. H. Marshall], Minutes Agric., Observ., 30. This part was soiled-off or plowed-in.
1789. Trans. Soc. Arts, I. 155. Vetches, which were soiled, or led off, with sheep.
