Obs. Forms: 2–4 wastine, 3 -ene, -in, 4 -ayne, -eyn(e, -yne, -en. [a. OF. wastine, guastine, gastine: f. root of wast WASTE a.] A wild, uncultivated tract of country; a desert region, wilderness.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 141. Sunnedei smat Moyses þene stan ine þe wastine.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 161. Ðis woreldes biwest is efned to wastene, for þat þe hit is ferren atleien holie tilðe.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5801. In wildrin land and in wastin I wil þam bring of þair nocin.
13[?]. K. Alis., 7097. Unicornes they fond in that wasten [Laud MS. wastayne].
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 6112. An ermyte woned fer ouer a doune, Yn a wasteyne, fer fro þe toune. Ibid. (1338), Chron. (1810), 75. Alle mad he [William] wasteyn, pastur, medow & korn.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, ii. (Paul), 838. [He] fled allane owt of þe towne, willand in wastine vpe and done.
