A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Spending, -yng(e, vbl. n. [ME and e.m.E. spending (a1290); Spend v.1] The action of Spend v.1
1. The paying out or disbursing of money, etc.; expenditure; an instance of this.a1500 Seven S. 636.
Ane staitly message … fra the king … said na spending suld be sparde To heile his son a1500 Colk. Sow i 486.
Thus is the cais endit Of the penny that wes spendit That grew to so grit pris Scars spending, skathis gentris c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 19/124.
I have synnit … In prodigall spending but reuth of pure folkis neding c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xli 5.
Be nocht a wreche, nor skerche in ȝour spending 1543 Reg. Privy S. III 45/1.
Ane respitt maid to Walter Donaldsoun, … for the distructioun and spending of Vincent Strathauchinnis gudis, the tyme he lay and intromettit with Elizabeth Strathauchin his wiffe 1568 Haddington Corr. 276 (see 3 below). a1570-86 Arbuthnot in Maitl. F. 57/73.
Waisting is comptit liberalitie … Honest spending is prodigalite … O leving lord this change is wounder nycepl. 1730 Stirling B. Rec. II 211.
No part of the publick revenew … shall be spent with such [sc. entertaining strangers] … without … the majority of them present in the town [sc. magistrates, etc.] at the time of … such spendings making
b. That which may be spent; money, a means of support.a1400 Leg. S. xxxii 679.
Quhare he wiste ony … That of spendyng had nede He can releif thaim c1475 Wall. ii 413.
Syluer thai [sc. the English] had, all with him has he tayne, Him to support; for spendyng had he nayne c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxi 13.
Lak of spending dois him spur a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 429/11.
The puir folk sayis that thai for falt of spending Man leawe the lawe it is sa lang in ending a1650 Row 417.
The money furnished him spending till he came to London 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 245.
I have been … amased, in reading my grandfathers bookes of accounts, where he sets down the exacte particulars of the vast spending of this noble famely
c. attrib. Spending siluer, spending money.c1650 Spalding I 236.
And in the mein tyme [he] send doun to the Garmoche for expenssis and spending siluer, vtheruaies he wold cum and plunder thair houssis and goodis
2. a. The using of one's senses or abilities. b. The use or consumption of a commodity. c. The using up of time.a. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 15/11.
Off the wrang spending of my wittis five In hering, seing [etc.] … and rebelling Aganis my lord God omnipotent 1533 Bell. Livy I 122/17.
The said pepill war … movit aganis him for the surfett spending of thare laubouris … in his … biggingisb. (1) a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 121/7.
Judas (quha disdanit the spendynge of the costlye vnctment apone our saluiour) 1598 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne 24 Oct.
This day began the spendyng of the kane beiff of buitt 1695 Arch. Scot. I 558.
Ye are to take all wayse to prevent spending of coals extravagantly(2) 1644 Acts VI i 76/1.
Ale and smale beire … which anie houskeeper breweth for his owne spendingc. a1578 Pitsc. I 219/28.
Wther poyntis of ditta quhilk I neid nocht to rehearse for spending of tyme
d. That which may be consumed or used; provisions.1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 245.
The spending of this noble famely … 70 black cowes in the year, besids venison, fish [etc.] … it is incredible how any house could spend this store and provision yearly
3. The losing of one's life, shedding of one's blood, etc.1568 Haddington Corr. 276.
The saidis thrie Estaitis of our realme … sall … cum forwart to ws … in setting fordward our auctoritie and persecutioun and troubling of the saidis tressonabill traitouris, in spending of thair lyves, bludis, bodyis [pr. bludiebodyis], landis, heritages, guidis or geir, but excuse or delay
