1. Consumed, used up, expended.
1656–81. Blount, Glossogr., Exhausted, drawn out, emptyed, consumed.
1701. Rowe, Amb. Step-Moth., III. i. Fresh Supplies renew th’ exhausted Stores.
2. Emptied of contents; chiefly said of a vessel or receiver: Emptied of air.
1667. Boyle, in Phil. Trans., II. 583. In one exhausted Receiver I had observed [etc.].
c. 1790. Imison, Sch. Arts, I. 69. To prevent any air from getting into the exhausted glass.
1801. Southey, Thalaba, I. xxi. Exhausted mines Supplied their golden store.
1869. Mrs. Somerville, Molec. Sc., I. I. ii. 39. The whole amount of radiant heat that passed thro’ the exhausted tube.
3. Of air, soil, etc.: Deprived of essential properties; effete, ‘spent,’ worn out. Also, deprived of resources, completely impoverished.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 230. The Funnel … which carries up … the … exhausted Air of the Green-house.
1719. London & Wise, Compl. Gard., Advt. 9. Take out all the old, worn out, or exhausted Earth.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., III. 177. The revenue of exhausted provinces.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Ireland, i. 14. He had grown potatoes: but the soil became exhausted.
1858. Greener, Gunnery, 17. We still fruitlessly fall back on exhausted principles.
4. Of persons or living things: Having one’s strength, energy, etc., used up; tired out.
1667. Milton, P. L., VI. 852. Fire … that … of thir wonted vigour left them draind, Exhausted.
1796. Burney, Mem. Metastasio, II. 396–7. A tired and exhausted individual, loaded with years, like myself.
1817. Parl. Deb., 24 Feb. XXXV. 587. Lord Holland did not mean to discuss the subject at any length in the present exhausted state of the House.
1846. Peele, Sp., 28 June, in McCarthy, Own Times (1879), I. 412. When [working men] shall recreate their exhausted strength with abundant and untaxed food.
1881. Lady Herbert, Edith, 1. The exhausted cart and cab horses staggered under their loads.
Hence Exhaustedly adv., in an exhausted manner. Exhaustedness, exhausted state or condition, worn out condition.
1835. New Monthly Mag., XLIII. 161. The poor beasts … toiled exhaustedly on.
1883. Cable, Dr. Sevier, vi. Her … skirt dropping between her knees, and her hands pressed on them exhaustedly.
1840. Fraser’s Mag., XXI. 713. The disquietude of utter prostration and exhaustedness produced by the application of violent remedies.
