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soil ~ soil

[the same pronunciation]

“Soil” (noun) is ‘the top layer of the earth, which we see and grow plants and build houses on; a country; a place or situation where something developed or can develop; (the soil) farming as a way of life’,

e.g.

Rice crops grow well in wet black soil; and thorny bushes grow well in sandy soil.

We do not tolerate foreigners causing troubles on our soil.   [i.e. our mother land, our country]

Borders between land-locked countries provide fertile soil for politicians to play their dirty politics.   [i.e. the border places give good opportunity  for the politicians to cause trouble for others]

Eighty per cent of the Indian population makes its living from the soil.   [i.e. 80% of Indians live on agricultural related jobs]

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“Soil” (verb) is ‘to make or cause to make something dirty, especially with sweat, urine or faecal matter from one’s body (the past participle form ‘soiled‘ as an adjective is more commonly used, e.g. ‘soiled baby nappies’, ‘soiled clothes’, ‘soiled clothes bin’, etc.)’; to refuse to do something because it is either very unpleasant or dishonest’,

e.g.

His clothes were soiled with mud and blood; he must have got into a fight again.

She would not soil her hands with the dishonest money the smugglers offered.

Babies soil their diapers quite often.

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