Wastrel

sb. and a. Also 9 wastorel. [f. WASTE v. + -REL.] A. sb.

  1.  In Cornwall: A tract of waste land. Obs. exc. in narrower sense, a strip of road-side waste.

1589–90.  Anc. Deed, A. 13002 (P. R. O.). [Land in the] towne and feeldes severalls and wastrells of Tregorrock within the parish of St. Austoll.

1602.  Carew, Cornwall, I. 13. Their [tin] workes … lie either in seuerall, or in wastrell, that is, in enclosed grounds, or in commons. Ibid., 13 b. The Wastrel workes are reckoned amongst chattels, and may passe by word or Will.

1899.  ‘Q’ (Quiller-Couch), Ship of Stars, xi. 99. The Chapel stood … on a turfed wastrel where two high roads met and crossed.

1902.  C. T. C. Gaz., Nov., 406/1. [Launceston] The heaps … were not on the metal portion of the road, and the width of the wastrel where the heaps were was about four feet.

  2.  = WASTER sb.¹ 6.

  a.  An article of bad or imperfect workmanship, rejected as unserviceable or not saleable at the full price.

1790.  Marshall, Midl. Co., II. 445. Wastrels; outcasts; as wastrel bricks, &c.

1847.  Halliw., Wastrels, imperfect bricks, china, &c.

1858.  Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Wastrels, waste substances.

1870.  Churchm. Shilling Mag., VI. 42. The word wasteril or wastril, in the dialect of Hallamshire, signifies a knife that is made to sell, for show and not for use.

  b.  An unhealthy, wasted-looking animal.

1819.  Rees, Cycl., Wastorels, or Wastrels.… The young lambs, pigs, and calves, sold to the butchers, which are improper for keeping as stock, are sometimes also called by this name.

1899.  ‘Q’ (Quiller-Couch), Ship of Stars, vi. 48. I wouldn’t ask a bird of mine to break the Sabbath for a wastrel like that.

  3.  A good-for-nothing, idle, worthless, disreputable person.

1847.  Halliw., Wastrel, a profligate. West.

1857.  Waugh, Lanc. Life, 120. There’s ir Jammy; he’s as big a wastril as ever stare’t up a lone.

1881.  Times, 4 Jan., 3/4. In Glasgow last night a ‘Hogmanay supper’ was given by some good Samaritans to a company of 2,000 outcasts and wastrels.

1885.  D. C. Murray, Rainbow Gold, I. ii. I’m not a runaway. I’m not a wastrel. I think if I set myself to do it that I can make a living somehow.

  b.  A neglected child of the streets, a city arab.

1877.  Huxley, Techn. Educ., Sci. & Cult. (1881), 77. The educational method, the intelligence,… and good temper on the teacher’s part, which are now at the disposal of the veriest waifs and wastrels of society.

c. 1880.  Barnardo, Taken out of Gutter, 2. The juvenile ‘wastrels’ of London streets are, alas! still to be reckoned by their thousands.

  4.  A wasteful person, a spendthrift.

1887.  Baring-Gould, Red Spider, vi. Young Hillary, who, brought up in his father’s improvident ways, was sure to turn out a like wastrel.

  transf.  1889.  Q. Rev., April, 390. London is the most conspicuous wastrel of both men and means.

  B.  adj.

  1.  Of manufactured articles: Waste, rejected as imperfect. Of workmanship: Good for nothing.

1790.  Marshall, Midl. Co., II. 445. Wastrel bricks.

1852.  J. Allies, Brit. etc. Antiq. Worc. (ed. 2), 106. The piles of encaustic tiles which were found … which were built up in columns with cement, probably were wastrel tiles, which were so used.

1898.  H. Sutcliffe, Ricroft, ix. 111. Wenches … all … full o’ wastrel wark sooin as ye let ’em go an inch beyond weshing an’ sewing.

  2.  Of an animal: Feeble, lacking strength or vigor.

1880.  Gardening Illustr., 7 Aug., 278. At this time the inferior and imperfect or wustrel [sic] birds may be killed.

1895.  Crockett, Bog-Myrtle & Peat, V. vii. 375. A wastril whalp could hae dung us owre with its tail. We war that surprised like.

  3.  Running to waste, spendthrift.

1894.  Kipling, Seven Seas, M^cAndrews’ Hymn, 47. Blot out the wastrel hours of mine in sin when I abode. Ibid. (1896), Last Rhyme of True Thomas, 23. Where, blown before the wastrel wind, The thistle-down she floated by.