[f. SPEND v.1]
1. The disbursing, expending, paying out or away of money, etc.; expenditure. † At other spending, at another’s expense.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Hom. (Thorpe), II. 556. Sum underfehþ eorðlice æhta, and se sceal ðæs pundes spendunge Gode aʓifan of his æhtum.
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 280. First he was a kyng, now is he soudioure, & is at oþer spendyng bonden in þe toure.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIV. 197. But owre spences and spendynge sprynge of a trewe wille, Elles is al owre laboure loste.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 67. [Be] Curteys of language, in spendyng mesurable.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xli. 3. Be nocht a wreche, nor skerche in ȝour spending.
1582. N. Lichefield, trans. Castanheda’s Conq. E. Ind., I. xxvi. 69 b. Not remembring the trouble of his spirite, neyther yet the spending of his treasure.
1686. trans. Chardin’s Coronat. Solyman, 90. According to the usual rate of their spending.
1719. Ramsay, To Arbuckle, 111. My income, management, and spending.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xxxii. It wasna for his spending,… for he just had a mutton-chop and a mug of ale.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xxvi. There was a deal of spending in two thousand pounds.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1877), I. v. 297. There was nothing … but … spending of money.
transf. 1412–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, II. 1511. For whom I had … so gret ado Or I hir gat with spendyng of my blood.
b. An instance or occasion of this; an amount spent.
1617. Rich, Irish Hubbub, 46. 319375. pounds all spent in smoake, besides priuate spendings.
1666. Pepys, Diary, 31 Dec. My spendings this year have exceeded my spendings the last, by 644l.
† 2. That which may be expended or spent; means of support; goods, money, cash. Obs. (freq. in the 15th c.).
a. 1290. S. Eustace, 209, in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1881), 213. Swinken and sweten he moste þo, Wor [= for] his spending wes al at-go.
c. 1325. Deo Gratias, 33, in E. E. P. (1862), 129. Whon .i. hedde spendyng here bifore, Þer wolde no felauschupe founde me fro.
1436. Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 166. They loste here goode, here mone, and spendynge.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, XI. xi. 587. Whanne she was awaked she sente a squyer after them with spendynge ynough.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xxi. 13. Lak of spending dois him spur.
1650. Row, Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.), 417. The money furnished him spending till he came to London.
† b. A supply of some produce or commodity formerly levied by an Irish landlord upon his tenants. Obs. rare.
1596. Spenser, State Irel., Wks. (Globe), 623/2. The which is a common use amongest the Irish landlordes, to have a common spending upon theyr tenauntes. Ibid., 624/1. They … are very loth to yeld any certayne rent, but onely such spendinges.
1612. Davies, Why Ireland, etc. (1747), 179. Irish exactions,… cuttings, tallages, or spendings.
3. The action of using or employing, of using up or consuming, in later use esp. as food.
a. 1430. Octouian, 376. Both thys chylde and thy palfray, Thou most here lete thys ylke day To owre spendyng.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, ix. 11. Off the wrang spending of my wittis fyve.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 120. Whome fancie persuadeth … to haue for his spending, sufficient of hops.
1648. Gage, West Ind., 133. Others to bring him wood for his house spending.
1693. Evelyn, De la Quint. Compl. Gard., I. 77. As for the Fruits that are for the spending both during the End of Autumn, and all the whole Winter.
1709. Dampier, Voy., III. II. 24. The Fish or Flesh that they take, besides what serves for present spending, they dry on a Barbacue.
1764. Museum Rust., II. ii. 14. They made excellent pork for family spending.
1850. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XI. I. 150. The turnip or root land … is ploughed and planted as opportunity offers up to Christmas…; the spending and carting off requiring time.
4. The action or fact of losing, destroying, exhausting, etc.
c. 1595. Capt. Wyatt, Dudley’s Voy. (Hakl. Soc.), 54. When wee expected nothing less then … breakinge of shrowdes, spendinge of mastes, springinge of plankes.
1598. R. Bernard, trans. Terence, Heavtontim., Prol. 194. To the spending of my spirits and wasting of my bodie.
1605. Journ. Earl Nottingham, in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), II. 540. Had not the hoy … by spending of her mast … caused a longer abode.
1680. Burnet, Rochester, 21. He was fully perswaded that Death was not the spending or dissolution of the Soul.
1707. Mortimer, Husb. (1721), II. 54. Be careful to rub a little dry Earth upon the Wound where you cut them,… to prevent their spending of themselves too much, which these Trees are very subject to do.
† 5. Of dogs: The action of giving tongue. Obs.
1615. Markham, Country Contentm., I. i. 7. If you would have your Kennell for sweetnesse of cry, then you must compound it of some large dogges, that haue deepe solempe mouthes, and are swift in spending, which must as it were beare the base in the consort.
6. The pouring or rushing of water.
1847. Emerson, Poems (1857), 156. I see the inundation sweet, I hear the spending of the stream.
7. attrib. in the sense ‘used or available for ordinary expenditure or consumption,’ as spending-brass, -silver (= SPENDING-MONEY), spending income; spending-cheese (see quot. a. 1825).
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XI. 278. Spera in deo speketh or prestes þat haue no spendyng syluer.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Can. Yeom. T., 7. And spending silver had he right y-nough.
a. 1500. Gest Robin Hood, ccxlv. in Child, Ball. For of thy spendynge-syluer, monke, Thereof wyll I ryght none.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xxxviii. I’ll take care o’ the bits o’ claes, and what spending siller she maun hae.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Spending-cheese,… a cheese of a middling quality, used for family consumption in the dairy districts of Suffolk.
1862. Trollope, N. America, xi. A man should certainly not apportion more than a seventh of his spending income to his house rent.
1896. Snowden, Web of Weaver, iv. He had a great deal more ‘spending-brass’ nor I could handle.
