† dispendv.
Obsolete or archaic.
1. transitive. To pay away, expend, spend:absolute.1340 Ayenbite (1866) 53 Ich wylle þet þou ete and drinke and..despendi.1629 J. Gaule Distractions 348 When he must needs despend, he..kisses euery Peece he parts from.
a. money, wealth.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > management of money > expenditure > spend [verb (transitive)]
aspendc885
doOE
spendc1175
spenec1175
dispendc1330
bewarec1374
bestow1377
suckc1380
unpursea1393
warea1417
stowc1440
to lay outc1449
spone1456
expend1477
expend1484
impendc1486
ware?a1513
deburse?1529
disburse1530
defray1543
unburse1570
outlay1573
to lay forth1584
sweat1592
vent1612
dispursea1616
exhaust1616
to set forth1622
waste1639
depursea1648
fence1699
douse1759
shut1797
shift1923
c1330 R. Mannyng Chron. (1810) 290 Þe kyng sent..For bisshoppes..& oþer þat þei found, Þat ilk ȝere mot dispende of londes twenty pound.
c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Reeve's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 63 For holicherches good moot been despended On holicherches blood þt is descended.
a1492 W. Caxton tr. Vitas Patrum (1495) i. xxxvii. f. xlv/1 She had dyspended alle her hauour to leches for to recouure her syghte.
1600 B. Jonson Every Man out of his Humor ii. i. sig. Eivv A poore elder brother of mine sir, a yeoman, may dispend some seuen or eight hundred a yeere. View more context for this quotation
1642 Declar. Lords & Com. 20 June 6 Those summes shall be dispended as the former have been.
c1680 E. Hickeringill Hist. Whiggism in Wks. (1716) I. 28 All [the money] was dispended.
b. other things.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > use (made of things) > use or make use of [verb (transitive)] > use for specific purpose > specifically an immaterial thing
beteec1175
spenec1200
beseta1240
dispenda1400
spenda1400
expendc1440
incline?a1475
expone1527
adhibit?1538
depend1607
dispense?1624
lend1697
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 13410 Þe god drinc suld þou first despend.
14.. T. Hoccleve Compl. Virgin 244 And hath his blood despent in greet foysoun.
1411 Rolls of Parl. III. 650/2 Schal do brynge..two fatte Oxen..to be dispended on a dyner.
1582 N. Lichefield tr. F. L. de Castanheda 1st Bk. Hist. Discouerie E. Indias xlii. 98 a They were the bolder to dispend amongst them their shot, with the which there were many very sore hurt.
1628 O. Felltham Resolves: 2nd Cent. lxix. sig. V2 Euery Man will bee busie in dispending that qualitie, which is predominant in him.
a1745 J. Swift Wks. (1841) II. 69 They insist, that the army dispend as many oaths yearly as will produce £100,000 nett.
1868 A. W. Kinglake Invasion of Crimea III. xvii. 370 That string of French batteries on the crest of Mount Rodolph..has been likened to a solitary and isolated bastion dispending its strength.
c. to dispend land: to have an income from land, to possess land.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > owning > belong [verb (intransitive)] > own land
to dispend land1523
1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Surueyeng xii. f. 22v In some case he shall dispende & haue more landes.
1613 H. Finch Law (1636) 405 Where that clause needs not, the Iurors must dispend some land of freehold out of ancient demesne within the Countie where the issue is to be tried.
2. To spend, consume, employ, occupy (time).
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > spending time > spend time or allow time to pass [verb (transitive)]
overdoOE
adreeOE
wreaka1300
to draw forthc1300
dispend1340
pass1340
drivea1375
wastec1381
occupyc1384
overpassa1387
to pass over ——a1393
usec1400
spend1423
contrive?a1475
overdrive1487
consumea1500
to pass forth1509
to drive off1517
lead1523
to ride out1529
to wear out, forth1530
to pass away?1550
to put offc1550
shiftc1562
to tire out1563
wear1567
to drive out1570
entertainc1570
expire1589
tire1589
outwear1590
to see out1590
outrun1592
outgo1595
overshoot1597
to pass out1603
fleeta1616
elapse1654
term1654
trickle1657
to put over1679
absorb1686
spin1696
exercise1711
kill1728
to get through ——1748
to get over ——1751
tickc1870
fill1875
1340 R. Rolle Pricke of Conscience 2435 Thou here dispended thi tym wrang.
c1386 G. Chaucer Monk's Tale 320 How she in vertu myghte hir lyf dispende [Harl. erron. despent].
c1422 T. Hoccleve Learn to Die 239 My dayes I despente in vanitee.
a1576 Lady Abergavenny Praiers in T. Bentley et al. Monument of Matrones (1582) ii. 122 The time of my life euill dispent.
1582 N. Lichefield tr. F. L. de Castanheda 1st Bk. Hist. Discouerie E. Indias lxix. 142 b That vpon them the Caruells might dispend their times.
3. passive. To be brought to an end or finished up; to be exhausted or spent; to come to an end.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > existence > non-existence > be non-existent [verb (intransitive)] > end or cease to exist
tirec725
endOE
forfareOE
goc1175
fleec1200
to wend awayc1225
diea1240
to-melta1240
to pass awaya1325
flit1340
perishc1350
vanisha1375
decorre1377
cease1382
dispend1393
failc1400
overshakec1425
surcease1439
adrawc1450
fall1523
decease1538
define1562
fleet1576
expire1595
evanish1597
extinguish1599
extirp1606
disappear1623
evaporatea1631
trans-shift1648
annihilate1656
exolve1657
cancela1667
to pass off1699
to burn out, forth1832
spark1845
to die out1853
to come, go, etc. by the board1859
sputter1964
the world > relative properties > order > order, sequence, or succession > end or conclusion > be at an end [verb (intransitive)] > come to an end, terminate, or expire
to run outeOE
endOE
stintc1275
slakea1300
overpassc1350
determinec1374
overruna1393
dispend1393
failc1399
missa1400
to wear out, forth1412
stanchc1420
to come outa1450
terminea1450
expire?c1450
finish1490
conclude1593
upclose1603
terminate1608
to shut up1609
to wind off1650
stop1733
to fall in1771
close1821
to blaze out1884
outgive1893
to play out1964
the world > relative properties > quantity > insufficiency > be insufficient [verb (intransitive)] > become scanty or scarce > run out
tirec725
failc1250
dispend1393
wanta1425
expirec1515
defect1587
to run out1685
to fall short1694
to spin out1720
to run short1850
to give out1861
1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis I. 5 Whan the prologe is so despended.
1452 Will of S. Fyncham in Blyth Fincham (1863) 154 Til hese issue male be dispended.
1470 J. Hardyng Chron. ix. i Anchises dyed and was dispent.
1520 Chron. Eng. i. f. 9/2 The vytayles were dispended and fayled.
4. To spend to no purpose; to waste, squander.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > relinquishing > squandering or prodigality > squander [verb (transitive)]
forspendc893
scatter1154
dispend1303
waste1340
misspendc1390
miswastec1400
consumec1425
waste1474
profund1527
lasha1535
prodige1538
lavish1542
to play away1562
riot1566
embezzle1578
dilapidate1590
squander1593
confound1598
to make ducks and drakes of or withc1600
prodigalize1611
profuse1611
squander1611
paddle1616
bezzle1617
to run out of ——1622
to piss away1628
prodigal1628
decoct1629
to bangle (away)1632
debauch1632
deboise1632
to fribble away1633
to fool out1635
to run outa1640
to fiddle away1667
slattera1681
dissipate1682
to play off1693
duck-and-drake1700
liquidate1702
sparkle away1703
waster1821
befool1861
to frivol away1866
to play (at) duck and drake with1872
to fling away1873
mislive1887
slather1904
mucker1928
profligate1938
peter1956
spaff2002
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > misuse > [verb (transitive)] > mis-spend
misspenec1300
dispend1303
misspendc1390
misdispenda1393
bespend1567
1303 R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne 1198 A clerk that folylyche dyspendyth Þe godys þat hys fadyr hym ȝyveth.
c1385 G. Chaucer Legend Good Women Phyllis. 2491 Me liste not..Despenden [v.r. dispenden] on hym a pennefull of ynke.
1483 W. Caxton tr. Caton B v b To thende that thou dyspende hyt not folysshly.
5. To distribute, dispense v. (esp. in early use, in charity to the poor).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > giving > distributing or dealing out > distribute or deal out [verb (transitive)]
britteneOE
to-dealeOE
dealOE
britOE
setc1275
dispensec1374
dispendc1375
to-seta1387
dispone1429
disposec1430
sparple1435
demean1439
distributea1464
distribue1477
issuec1484
communy1530
to deal out1535
impart1545
disperse1555
retail1576
digest1578
deliver1626
to hand out1648
to dispose of1676
dispensate1701
dole1701
to give out1710
sling1860
to give away1889
to pass out1926
dish1934
c1375 Cato Major iii. x, in Anglia (1884) VII Freliche dispende, Þer neod is, euer among.
c1475 (?c1400) Apol. Lollard Doctr. (1842) 112 If þis be ȝeuen or despendid to þe pore.
1483 W. Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende 275/1 To gyue to the poure peple and dispende it among the nedy.
1517 in J. Raine Testamenta Eboracensia (1884) V. 88 Dispendyd and dalt at my buryall..xls.
1633 P. Fletcher Purple Island iii. vii. 30 The purple fountain..By thousand rivers through the Isle dispent.
1652 E. Benlowes Theophila xii. xlix. 225 When Sols Influence descends..And richer Showres, then fell on Danaes Lap, dispends.
a1656 J. Hales Golden Remains (1673) i. 210 To make them..profitable unto us, by charitable dispending them.
6. To dispense with, do without. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > relinquishing > casting or laying aside > [verb (transitive)] > do without or dispense with
forbearc900
forgoa1175
aspare1377
dispensec1420
missa1450
renouncec1480
sparea1525
afford?1560
free1561
egar1584
suspense1584
dispend1614
to dispense witha1616
waive1669
1614 T. Adams Diuells Banket ii. 61 If a present punishment be suspended, the future shall neuer be dispended with.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1896; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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