booty

Everyday

Booty is goods taken by force or by theft, especially by robbers or soldiers in war; it can also mean a prize that is won. tree →

In the lessons

in tales, booty is the treasure that robbers or conquerors carry off, which is then shared out

Examples

• The robbers counted their booty. tree →
• The pirates took a large booty of gold. tree →
• The Lion asked the Ass to divide the booty. tree →

Note

if a problem asks you to share out a booty, it is a total to divide; the word itself gives no count

In Jewish tradition

Goods and animals taken from an enemy in war. In Numbers it is divided between the soldiers and the community.

Interpretation. The law shares the booty fairly, and part is given to God and the priests. Habakkuk warns that those who plunder will in turn become booty.

Examples

• For the men of war had taken booty, every man for himself. — (Torah NUM.31.53, JPS 1917) tree →
• Now the prey, over and above the booty which the men of war took, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep, (Torah NUM.31.32, JPS 1917) tree →
• Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall exact interest of thee, and awake that shall violently shake thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? (Prophets HAB.2.7, JPS 1917) tree →
• Therefore their wealth shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation; yea, they shall build houses, but shall not inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards, but shall not drink the wine thereof. (Prophets ZEP.1.13, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

if a problem asks you to share out a booty, it is a total to divide; the word itself gives no count