expīlō

1. Vastare (from ustus?) means to lay waste, from rage or from policy to destroy the property of an enemy, like πέρθειν, πορθεῖν; whereas populari, diripere, and agere ferre, to plunder for one’s own use; populari, on a great scale, for example, to lay waste all the crops, and drive off the herds; diripere, on a small scale, to break into the houses, and break open the closets; agere ferre includes both meanings, like ἄγειν καὶ φέρειν. 2. Spoliare and populari mean to plunder, in a state of open warfare; whereas expilare and peculari, depeculari, in a state of peace; expilare (ψιλόω) by open force; peculari (dimin. of πέκω) by fraud, and by secretly purloining the property of the state. Cic. Parad. vi. 1. Si socios spolias, ærarium expilas. (iv. 339.)