1642. Milton, Apol. Smect., Wks. 1851, III. 305. Providence … hath ever bred me up in plenty, although my life hath not bin unexpensive in learning, and voyaging about.
1727. Thomson, Britannia, 204. Then cherish this, this unexpensive power,… By lavish Nature thrust into your hand.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch (1879), I. 74/2. His sacrifices … consisting chiefly of … simple and unexpensive things.
1834. Ht. Martineau, Farrers, ii. 21. Mr. Farrer eschewed luxuries, except a few of the most unexpensive.
1859. Mill, Lett. (1910), I. 233. Neither they nor the Tories wish to make elections unexpensive.
Hence Unexpensively adv., -ness.
1815. Jane Austen, Emma, xxv. Keeping little company, and that little unexpensively.
1825. Carlyle, Schiller (1845), App. 285. Add to this the unexpensiveness to me of such a town as Weimar.
