PILL'AGE, noun 1. Plunder; spoil; that which is taken from another by open force, particularly and chiefly from enemies in war. 2. The act of plundering. 3. In architecture, a square pillar behind a column to bear up the arches. PILL'AGE, verb transitive To strip of money or goods by open violence; as, troops pillage the camp or towns of an enemy; to plunder; to spoil. It differs from stealing, as it implies open violence, and from robbery, which may be committed by one individual on another; whereas pillaging is usually the act of bands or numbers. To pillage and to rob are however sometimes used synonymously.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI