spentadj.
/spɛnt/, U.S. /spɛnt/ I. In predicative uses.
1. † b. Wrecked; drowned. Obsolete. rare.
a. Of material things: Expended, consumed, used up completely.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > [adjective] > devouring > devoured
consumpta1398
forfrettenc1420
spentc1440
consumed1580
engulfed1590
exhausted1656
the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > use (made of things) > using up, expending, or consuming > [adjective] > using up completely > used up completely
spentc1440
spent1620
exhaust1621
exhausted1656
tired1766
run-out1795
used up1837
played-out1856
c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 468/2 Spent, expensus, dispensatus.
1450 in Hist. MSS Comm.: Rep. MSS Var. Coll. (1907) IV. 85 in Parl. Papers (Cd. 3218) LXIV. 1 The vitailes of oure seid Towne ben al moste spent and consumed.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry V f. xlviv Their vitaile was in maner all spent and newe thei coulde gette none.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 1 (1623) ii. v. 8 These Eyes, like Lampes, whose wasting Oyle is spent, Waxe dimme. View more context for this quotation
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. vii. 329 The..cause of our Arriuall here, was in regard of our fresh Water that was spent.
1664 H. Power Exper. Philos. i. 34 When the Liquor wherin they swim is almost spent and dried up.
1772 W. Jones Poems 24 His guards retir'd, his glimmering taper spent.
1837 J. G. Lockhart Mem. Life Scott I. xi. 417 When the lamp of his own genius was all but spent.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. v. 611 Their powder and ball were spent.
1883 R. Browning Jocoseria 116 Our acquist Of life is spent.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > shipwreck > [adjective] > wrecked (of ship)
spent1477
lost1769
the world > life > death > manner of death > [adjective] > from drowning
drowneda1300
drenta1350
drencheda1400
ydreynt1426
drowning1488
ydrownd1603
spent1626
1477 W. Caxton tr. R. Le Fèvre Hist. Jason (1913) 102 Thus by this waye they [sc. the ships] were all lost and spent.
1626 Whitburn Par. Reg. 17 July John Burne of Sheels, being casten forth of a Cobble and spent in the sea.
2. Passed, gone; come to an end; over:
a. Of time. Also far spent (far adv. 3c).
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > the past > [adjective]
formerc1160
apassedc1314
past1340
preterite1340
eldera1400
elderna1400
eldernlya1400
bygone1424
bypast1452
ancient1490
by-runa1522
bywenta1522
spent1528
departed1552
forepassed1557
preter1578
by-come1592
worn-out1594
preterlapsed1599
foregone1609
worna1616
elapseda1644
lapsed1702
surpassed1725
gone-by1758
back1808
old-time1865
by-flown1884
1528 S. Gardiner Let. 1 Apr. in N. Pocock Rec. of Reformation (1870) (modernized text) I. li. 127 The day being then spent.
1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. clxxxij The time is farre spente.
1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II ii. i. 155 His time is spent, our pilgrimage must be. View more context for this quotation
1611 Bible (King James) Rom. xiii. 12 The night is farre spent . View more context for this quotation
1615 G. Sandys Relation of Journey 87 January being now well spent, we departed from Constantinople.
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost viii. 206 Day is yet not spent . View more context for this quotation
1724 J. Gay Captives i. i. 1 Is night near spent?
1849 R. Browning Poems (new ed.) 228 New year's day is over and spent.
1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps i. xi. 79 The day was already far spent.
b. Of things, material and immaterial.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > order, sequence, or succession > end or conclusion > [adjective] > come or brought to an end
past1340
consummatea1500
determined1581
finished1582
overpassed1582
overspent1597
ended1598
spent1609
expired1631
terminate1639
winded1642
petered-out1971
1609 W. Shakespeare Sonnets cvii. sig. G3 And thou in this shalt finde thy monument, When tyrants crests and tombs of brasse are spent . View more context for this quotation
1634 T. Herbert Relation Some Yeares Trauaile 7 The raine is spent.
1766 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. II. 237 Till both the immediate bloods of George Stiles, the paternal grandfather, are spent.
1804 W. Cruise Digest Laws Eng. Real Prop. III. 548 The lease..determined by the estate tail being spent.
3. in extended use.1612 M. Drayton Poly-olbion i. 8 When long-renowned Troy lay spent in hostile fire.
a. Of persons or animals: Deprived of force or strength; tired or worn out by labour, exertion, hardship, etc.; completely exhausted.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > weariness or exhaustion > [adjective]
wearyc825
asadc1306
ateyntc1325
attaintc1325
recrayed1340
methefula1350
for-wearya1375
matea1375
taintc1380
heavy1382
fortireda1400
methefula1400
afoundered?a1425
tewedc1440
travailedc1440
wearisomec1460
fatigate1471
defatigatec1487
tired1488
recreant1490
yolden?1507
fulyeit?a1513
traiked?a1513
tavert1535
wearied1538
fatigated1552
awearya1555
forwearied1562
overtired1567
spenta1568
done1575
awearied1577
stank1579
languishinga1586
bankrupt?1589
fordone1590
spent1591
overwearied1592
overworn1592
outworn1597
half-dead1601
back-broken1603
tiry1611
defatigated1612
dog-wearya1616
overweary1617
exhaust1621
worn-out1639
embossed1651
outspent1652
exhausted1667
beaten1681
bejaded1687
harassed1693
jaded1693
lassate1694
defeata1732
beat out1758
fagged1764
dog-tired1770
fessive1773
done-up1784
forjeskit1786
ramfeezled1786
done-over1789
fatigued1791
forfoughten1794
worn-up1812
dead1813
out-burnta1821
prostrate1820
dead beat1822
told out1822
bone-tireda1825
traiky1825
overfatigued1834
outwearied1837
done like (a) dinner1838
magged1839
used up1839
tuckered outc1840
drained1855
floored1857
weariful1862
wappered1868
bushed1870
bezzled1875
dead-beaten1875
down1885
tucked up1891
ready (or fit) to drop1892
buggered-up1893
ground-down1897
played1897
veal-bled1899
stove-up1901
trachled1910
ragged1912
beat up1914
done in1917
whacked1919
washy1922
pooped1928
shattered1930
punchy1932
shagged1932
shot1939
whipped1940
buggered1942
flaked (out)1942
fucked1949
sold-out1958
wiped1958
burnt out1959
wrung out1962
juiced1965
hanging1971
zonked1972
maxed1978
raddled1978
zoned1980
cream crackered1983
1591 H. Savile tr. Tacitus Ende of Nero: Fower Bks. Hist. i. 7 Galba was spent and feeble for age.
1647 H. Hexham Copious Eng. & Netherduytch Dict. (Hunting) The Hart, Stagg, Hinde, Buck, or Doe, is spent.
1692 J. Ray Wisdom of God (ed. 2) i. 128 Why the Hare when she is near spent makes up a Hill?
1713 J. Addison Cato iv. iv Now thou seest me Spent, overpower'd, despairing of success.
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth V. 33 Many..quite spent by the fatigues of their flight, drop down into the sea.
1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop ii. xlv. 46 So very weak and spent, she felt.
b. Const. with age, fatigue, toil, etc.Frequently from c1600 to 1730.
ΚΠ
1603 R. Knolles Gen. Hist. Turkes 137 Ertogrul now spent with age, shortly after died.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Cymbeline (1623) iii. vi. 60 Almost spent with hunger, I am falne in this offence. View more context for this quotation
1712 A. Pope tr. Statius First Bk. Thebais in Misc. Poems 37 On the cold Marble spent with Toil he lies.
1769 H. Brooke Fool of Quality IV. xvii. 38 Being spent with fatigue, I..sat me down to die.
1817 P. B. Shelley Laon & Cythna x. xxxvii. 230 They will sleep with luxury spent.
1867 F. Parkman Jesuits in N. Amer. iv. 26 Spent with travel, and weakened by precarious and unaccustomed fare.
4.
a. Of things: Exhausted of the active or effective power or principle.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > use (made of things) > using up, expending, or consuming > [adjective] > using up completely > used up completely > of a power or principle
spent1596
1596 T. Lodge Margarite of Amer. sig. F4v Thy sap by course of time is blent, My sence by care and age is spent.
1633 T. James Strange Voy. 85 Our tooles were all so spent, that we could cut none.
1665 T. Manley tr. H. Grotius De Rebus Belgicis 437 For by the..long distance of place, the Shot was spent, before it came to the place, which it was intended to batter.
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World iii. 36 At length when the Creatures strength is spent, they..knock it on the head.
a1722 E. Lisle Observ. Husbandry (1757) 154 The malt is spent and wasted before it is laid in the grounds.
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth I. 201 If this acquired velocity be quite spent.
1817 P. B. Shelley Laon & Cythna iv. xxx. 90 Tho' their lustre now were spent and faded.
1883 Manch. Examiner 28 Nov. 5/1 The vigour and ‘go’ infused into the party..would show symptoms of being spent.
b. Nautical. Of the tide or a current.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > tide > type of tide > [adjective] > slack
spentc1595
slack1670
the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > current > [adjective] > exhausted of active power
spent1719
c1595 Capt. Wyatt in G. F. Warner Voy. R. Dudley to W. Indies (1899) 3 Our master thought it not good to turne downe the channell, the tide beinge soe far spent.
1616 J. Lane Contin. Squire's Tale vii. 359 Then in hee bore for land, till th' tyde was spent.
1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 166 When I had made something more than a League of Way by the help of this Current or Eddy, I found it was spent.
1743 J. Bulkeley & J. Cummins Voy. to South-seas 137 And the Tide being spent, we put into a small Cove, and made fast.
II. In attributive uses.
5.
a. Of persons or animals: = sense 3.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > weariness or exhaustion > [adjective]
wearyc825
asadc1306
ateyntc1325
attaintc1325
recrayed1340
methefula1350
for-wearya1375
matea1375
taintc1380
heavy1382
fortireda1400
methefula1400
afoundered?a1425
tewedc1440
travailedc1440
wearisomec1460
fatigate1471
defatigatec1487
tired1488
recreant1490
yolden?1507
fulyeit?a1513
traiked?a1513
tavert1535
wearied1538
fatigated1552
awearya1555
forwearied1562
overtired1567
spenta1568
done1575
awearied1577
stank1579
languishinga1586
bankrupt?1589
fordone1590
spent1591
overwearied1592
overworn1592
outworn1597
half-dead1601
back-broken1603
tiry1611
defatigated1612
dog-wearya1616
overweary1617
exhaust1621
worn-out1639
embossed1651
outspent1652
exhausted1667
beaten1681
bejaded1687
harassed1693
jaded1693
lassate1694
defeata1732
beat out1758
fagged1764
dog-tired1770
fessive1773
done-up1784
forjeskit1786
ramfeezled1786
done-over1789
fatigued1791
forfoughten1794
worn-up1812
dead1813
out-burnta1821
prostrate1820
dead beat1822
told out1822
bone-tireda1825
traiky1825
overfatigued1834
outwearied1837
done like (a) dinner1838
magged1839
used up1839
tuckered outc1840
drained1855
floored1857
weariful1862
wappered1868
bushed1870
bezzled1875
dead-beaten1875
down1885
tucked up1891
ready (or fit) to drop1892
buggered-up1893
ground-down1897
played1897
veal-bled1899
stove-up1901
trachled1910
ragged1912
beat up1914
done in1917
whacked1919
washy1922
pooped1928
shattered1930
punchy1932
shagged1932
shot1939
whipped1940
buggered1942
flaked (out)1942
fucked1949
sold-out1958
wiped1958
burnt out1959
wrung out1962
juiced1965
hanging1971
zonked1972
maxed1978
raddled1978
zoned1980
cream crackered1983
a1568 R. Ascham Scholemaster (1570) ii. f. 63v The talke of a spent old man.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) i. ii. 8 It stood, As two spent Swimmers, that doe cling together. View more context for this quotation
1715 A. Pope tr. Homer Iliad I. ii. 465 Let..each spent Courser at the Chariot blow.
1825 in W. Hone Every-day Bk. (1826) I. 292 I remember the..squire and his..chaplain casting home on spent horses.
1859 J. M. Jephson & L. Reeve Narr. Walking Tour Brittany xii. 193 The English archers..charged down..upon the now spent and wearied French.
b. Of fish: Exhausted by spawning; having recently spawned. Also elliptical as n., a spent herring.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > fish > [adjective] > having discharged spawn
shot1414
shottenc1682
spent1864
the world > animals > fish > class Osteichthyes or Teleostomi > subclass Actinopterygii > order Clupeiformes > [noun] > family Clupeidae and herrings > member of > that has spawned
spent1957
1864 Intellect. Observer 5 369 After the performance of this function the fish is sickly and weak, and is then called a Shotten or Spent fish.
1866 Chambers's Encycl. VIII. 446/2 Salmon, which have completed their spawning, continue for some time..very unfit for the table... They are called ‘foul fish’, or more distinctively, ‘spent fish’, or Kelts.
1883 Great Internat. Fisheries Exhib. Catal. 69 1 Barrel Large Full Herrings... 1 Barrel Spent Herrings.
1957 W. C. Hodgson Herring & its Fishery ii. 18 In this area [of the North Sea] there are large shoals of small immature herrings of low fat-content mixed with recovered spents that are just beginning to fatten.
1975 New Yorker 22 Dec. 55/1 April and May are the slack months, since the spring spawning has by then completed itself, and the herring are what are known as ‘spents’—thin, indolent, not worth the catching.
c. spent gnat n. a kind of artificial fly used in trout fishing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > fishing-tackle > means of attracting fish > [noun] > artificial fly > trout flies
trout-fly1746
wren's-tail1837
Greenwell's glory1867
skipjack1867
spent gnat1867
Greenwell1872
heckum-peckum1876
Wickham1876
Saltoun1886
muddler1924
1867 F. Francis Bk. Angling vi. 229 The black drake, or spent gnat, as it is sometimes called.
1894 Daily News 9 June 832/1 All kinds were tried, including the spent gnat, but the fish would have none of them.
6.
a. Of things: Exhausted, worn out, used up; no longer active, effective, or serviceable.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > use (made of things) > using up, expending, or consuming > [adjective] > using up completely > used up completely > no longer active or effective
spent1697
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics i, in tr. Virgil Wks. 52 That the spent Earth may gather heart again; And, better'd by Cessation, bear the Grain. View more context for this quotation
1830 C. Lyell Princ. Geol. I. 322 If the action of one becomes very great for a century or more, the others assume the appearance of spent volcanos.
1850 J. G. Whittier To Avis Keene 38 Where spent waves glimmer up the beach.
1883 R. Broughton Belinda II. iii. vi. 191 ‘I should like to sit down,’ says Belinda, in a spent voice.
b. Of arrows, balls, or shot.
ΚΠ
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Æneis ix, in tr. Virgil Wks. 491 Heaps of spent Arrows fall; and strew the Ground.
1799 Naval Chron. 1 169 A spent ball..hit him.
1802 C. James New Mil. Dict. (at cited word) Spent balls..are frequently fatal in their effects.
1858 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia I. ii. ix. 153 [He] declared, in solemn Diet, the Pope's ban to be mere spent shot.
c. Of hops, tan, etc., from which the essential properties have been extracted.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > use (made of things) > using up, expending, or consuming > [adjective] > using up completely > used up completely > from which essential properties extracted
spent1826
1826 D. Booth Art of Brewing (ed. 2) 105 If the disorder do not subside readily, a gyle of spent hops thrown in will generally be advantageous.
1842 J. C. Loudon Suburban Horticulturist 390 Coverings for the surface of the ground include dead leaves,..spent tan,..rotten dung,..&c.
1857 W. A. Miller Elements Chem. III. vi. §1. 372 A quantity of common salt is next added to separate the spent leys.
1877 R. W. Raymond Statistics Mines & Mining 390 The spent liquor..is discharged into the stream.
7. In combination with out.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > use (made of things) > using up, expending, or consuming > [adjective] > using up completely > used up completely
spentc1440
spent1620
exhaust1621
exhausted1656
tired1766
run-out1795
used up1837
played-out1856
1620 T. Dekker Dreame sig. B3 The Terrestiall Pauement burn'd, In which the Starres to spent-out Snuffes were turnd.
1848 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair lxi. 548 A spent-out, bootless life of defeat and disappointment.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adj.c1440