Soil vs. Subsoil — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Soil and Subsoil
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Soil
Soil is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Earth's body of soil, called the pedosphere, has four important functions: as a medium for plant growth as a means of water storage, supply and purification as a modifier of Earth's atmosphere as a habitat for organismsAll of these functions, in their turn, modify the soil and its properties.
Subsoil
Subsoil is the layer of soil under the topsoil on the surface of the ground. Like topsoil, it is composed of a variable mixture of small particles such as sand, silt and clay, but with a much lower percentage of organic matter and humus, and it has a small amount of rocks which are smaller in size mixed with it.
Soil
The top layer of the earth's surface in which plants can grow, consisting of rock and mineral particles mixed with decayed organic matter and having the capability of retaining water.
Subsoil
The layer or bed of earth beneath the topsoil.
Soil
A particular kind of earth or ground
Sandy soil.
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Subsoil
To plow or turn up the subsoil of.
Soil
Country; land
Native soil.
Subsoil
The layer of earth that is below the topsoil.
Soil
The agricultural life
A man of the soil.
Subsoil
(transitive) To turn up the subsoil of.
Soil
A place or condition favorable to growth; a breeding ground.
Subsoil
The bed, or stratum, of earth which lies immediately beneath the surface soil.
Soil
The state of being soiled.
Subsoil
To turn up the subsoil of.
Soil
A stain.
Subsoil
The layer of soil between the topsoil and bedrock
Soil
Filth, sewage, or refuse.
Soil
Manure, especially human excrement, used as fertilizer.
Soil
To make dirty, particularly on the surface.
Soil
To disgrace; tarnish
A reputation soiled by scandal.
Soil
To corrupt; defile.
Soil
To dirty with excrement.
Soil
To become dirty, stained, or tarnished.
Soil
To feed (livestock) with soilage.
Soil
(uncountable) A mixture of mineral particles and organic material, used to support plant growth.
Soil
(uncountable) The unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants.
Soil
(uncountable) The unconsolidated mineral or organic matter on the surface of the earth that has been subjected to and shows effects of genetic and environmental factors of: climate (including water and temperature effects), and macro- and microorganisms, conditioned by relief, acting on parent material over a period of time. A product-soil differs from the material from which it is derived in many physical, chemical, biological, and morphological properties and characteristics.
Soil
Country or territory.
Soil
That which soils or pollutes; a stain.
Soil
A marshy or miry place to which a hunted boar resorts for refuge; hence, a wet place, stream, or tract of water, sought for by other game, as deer.
Soil
Dung; compost; manure.
Soil
Faeces or urine etc. when found on clothes.
Soil
A bag containing soiled items.
Soil
A wet or marshy place in which a boar or other such game seeks refuge when hunted.
Soil
(transitive) To make dirty.
Soil
(intransitive) To become dirty or soiled.
Soil
To stain or mar, as with infamy or disgrace; to tarnish; to sully.
Soil
(reflexive) To dirty one's clothing by accidentally defecating while clothed.
Soil
To make invalid, to ruin.
Soil
To enrich with soil or muck; to manure.
Soil
To feed, as cattle or horses, in the barn or an enclosure, with fresh grass or green food cut for them, instead of sending them out to pasture; hence (due to such food having the effect of purging them) to purge by feeding on green food.
Soil
To feed, as cattle or horses, in the barn or an inclosure, with fresh grass or green food cut for them, instead of sending them out to pasture; hence (such food having the effect of purging them), to purge by feeding on green food; as, to soil a horse.
Soil
To enrich with soil or muck; to manure.
Men . . . soil their ground, not that they love the dirt, but that they expect a crop.
Soil
To make dirty or unclean on the surface; to foul; to dirty; to defile; as, to soil a garment with dust.
Our wonted ornaments now soiled and stained.
Soil
To stain or mar, as with infamy or disgrace; to tarnish; to sully.
Soil
To become soiled; as, light colors soil sooner than dark ones.
Soil
The upper stratum of the earth; the mold, or that compound substance which furnishes nutriment to plants, or which is particularly adapted to support and nourish them.
Soil
Land; country.
Must I thus leave thee, Paradise? thus leaveThee, native soil?
Soil
Dung; fæces; compost; manure; as, night soil.
Improve land by dung and other sort of soils.
Soil
A marshy or miry place to which a hunted boar resorts for refuge; hence, a wet place, stream, or tract of water, sought for by other game, as deer.
As deer, being stuck, fly through many soils,Yet still the shaft sticks fast.
O, sir, have you taken soil here? It is well a man may reach you after three hours' running.
Soil
That which soils or pollutes; a soiled place; spot; stain.
A lady's honor . . . will not bear a soil.
Soil
The state of being covered with unclean things
Soil
The part of the earth's surface consisting of humus and disintegrated rock
Soil
Material in the top layer of the surface of the earth in which plants can grow (especially with reference to its quality or use);
The land had never been plowed
Good agricultural soil
Soil
The geographical area under the jurisdiction of a sovereign state;
American troops were stationed on Japanese soil
Soil
Make soiled, filthy, or dirty;
Don't soil your clothes when you play outside!
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