▪ I. † spene, n. Obs.—1
(Meaning obscure.)
| a 1400–50 Alexander 4162 Þan ferd þai forth..& freschly assemblis All at was sperpolid on þe spene & spilt with þe blastis. |
▪ II. spene
variant of spean n. and v.
▪ III. † spene, v. Obs.
Also 4 spen.
[Alteration of spend v.1]
1. trans. To spend, expend (money, goods, etc.).
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 31 Nabbe ic nawiht þer-of, ic hit habbe al ispened. Ibid. 79 A þe marȝen [he] bitahte him twa peneȝes to spenen on him. a 1250 Owl & Night. 1525 Þat were gulte, Þat leof is oþer wymmon to pulte & speneþ on þare al þat he haueþ. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 147 He nadde him-sulf nouȝt to spene. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xviii. 71 Of þat þat holychurche of þe olde lawe cleymeþ, Priestes on aparail and on purnele spenen. 1400 in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. I. 6 Rather then I schuld fael he wold spene of his own godde xx. marke. |
| absol. c 1205 Lay. 3302 Andd nowher heo ne spedet and auere heo spened. |
b. To exact contributions from (tenants). Cf. spend v.1 1 d.
| 1538 St. Papers Hen. VIII, III. 48 His servauntes and his kerne dothe spene my tenauntes and fermoris in the barrony of Dunnbrathie. |
2. To spend, in other senses; to employ, expend, make use of, use.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 179 Ðe underlinges þenchen oðe dai hu hie muȝen mest swinken and spenen here flesh and here blod on iuele swinche. a 1225 Ancr. R. 322 Euerich tide & euerich time schal beon þer irikened, hwu hit was her ispened. a 1300 Sarmun xlvii. in E.E.P. (1862) 6 What is þe ioi þat man sal hab if his lif he speniþ wel. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 876 But ȝe han dainte in dul ȝoure daies to spene. a 1400 Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. l. 555 Loke wel in þi mood Þi wit to spene wysliche. |
Hence † ˈspening vbl. n., spending, expenditure.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 8001 In speninge he was fol large In herte þoru out prout. |