What is the meaning of pillaging?

noun

• The act of stealing valuable things from a place.
  • usage: "the plundering of the Parthenon"; "his plundering of the great authors"
  • synonyms: plundering, pillage

verb

• Steal goods; take as spoils.
  • usage: "During the earthquake people looted the stores that were deserted by their owners"
  • synonyms: plunder, despoil, loot, reave, strip, rifle, ransack, pillage, foray