v. Obs. Forms: 1 wansian, 3 Ormin wannsenn, 4 wanese, 5 wanyse, whanse, 4–5 wanse, (5 inf. wansyn, wanson, wanshon, wanschon, 6–7, 9 dial. wanze. [OE. wansian (also áwansian) trans., to diminish, f. wan, WANE a. Cf. ON. vanse wk. masc. (Mid.Sw., Norw. vanse) want, defect.]
1. trans. To diminish, waste; in later use, to render lean.
a. 1121. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 656. Swa hwa swa ure ʓife ouþer oðre godene manne ʓyfe wansiað wansie him seo heofenlice iateward on heofenrice.
c. 1200. Ormin, 1904. Crist ras upp off dæþess slap, Forr dæþess nahht to wannsenn. Ibid., 7157. To wannsenn himm hiss riche. Ibid., 12238.
1647. Trapp, Comm. Matt. vi. 16. 215. They doe so disfigure their faces, so wanze and wither their countenances, that [etc.]. Ibid. (1657), Job xvi. 8. 152. That with fasting and paines taking he had so wanzed and macerated himself, that at past thirty, he was looked upon as one towards fifty.
2. intr. To decrease, grow less (lit. and fig.); of the moon, to wane.
c. 1200. Ormin, 1901. Marrchess nahhtess wannsenn aȝȝ, & Marrchess daȝhess waxenn. Ibid., 17969. Ned iss … þatt he nu forrþwarrd waxe, & ec iss ned … þatt I nu forrþwarrd wannse.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Eng. Wks., II. 148. He mut wex and Y mut wanese.
a. 1400. Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1903), 263. Worldes catel passet sone. þat wacset & wansit rit as te mone.
c. 1407. Lydg., Reson & Sens., 6187. They be nat lyche the hornyd moon That kan encrese and wanse ageyn.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 515/2. Wanschon’ [Winch. MS. wanshon], idem quod wanson’. Ibid. Wanson’, evaneo, Cath., evanesco. Wanson’, or wanyn’, as þe mone, decresco.
c. 1440. Capgrave, Life St. Kath., I. 487. Peyntyng & wrytyng & grauyng in entayle It wyll wanyse [MS. Arund. whanse] & wast, roten & be brent.
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys, 11,000 Virgins, 207. Thys was here feer þat … Eche day shuld growen & encrese Crystyn relygyoun … And paynymry wansyn & discrese.
14[?]. MS. Ashm. 191, fol. 199 b. Wiþ ynne it is an hole, ye whiche schewiþ bi symylitude howe þe moone wexiþ & wansiþ.
b. To wither, fade, waste away; to become emaciated.
1567. Golding, Ovid’s Met., III. 618. And all the things that lyked him did wanze away at length. Ibid., VI. 58. A ruddynesse besprent Hir cheekes which wanzed away againe.
1593. Nashe, Christ’s T., T 1 b. Decke our selues how we will,… wee cannot equalize one of the Lillies of the fielde; as they wither, so shall we wanze and decay.
1614. D. Dyke, Myst. Self-Deceiv., ii. 30. Doth Timothie weaken his constitution by abstinence? The Pharisee will neuer giue ouer till his complexion be wholly withered and wanzed.
1623. Cockeram, I. Wanze, to perish, to decay.
1633. D. R[ogers], Treat. Sacram., ii. 46. Recover thy losse, quicken that hath wanzed, strengthen the feeble knees or hands. Ibid. (1642), Naaman, 118. In a short time have bewraied themselves to be time-servers, and wanzed away to nothing. Ibid., 111, 153.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Wanze, to waste, pinc, wither.
1917. Hardy, Moments of Vision, 171. Not as one wanzing weak From life’s roar and reck, His rest still to seek.
Hence Wanzing ppl. a., evanescent; Wanzingness.
1571. Golding, Calvin on Ps. iii. 8 b. So did he not rashly thrust oute wanzing woordes [L. voces evanidas] into the aire as vnbeleuers are woont to do.
1633. D. R[ogers], Treat. Sacram., ii. 22. The life of faith … is very poore and wanzing in us. Ibid., 48. Each wanzing motion and Pang after faith. Ibid. (1642), Naaman, 143. That pleasingnesse of it … doth bewitch them so, that they rest in wanzing hope of it. Ibid., 268. Shewes them the vanity and wanzingnesse of their own principle.
