▪ I. husbanding, vbl. n.
[f. husband v.]
1. Cultivation, culture, tillage (of soil or plants).
| c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 469 Oon good poynt of husbondyng. 1587 Golding De Mornay xii. (1617) 188 Land which for want of tillage and husbanding brought forth briars and thistles. 1616 Surfl. & Markh. Country Farme 153 Describing the manner of husbanding and tilling of the Earth. 1665 Sir. T. Roe's Voy. E. Ind. in G. Havers P. della Valle's Trav. E. India 330 Salads, which the soyl brings forth without husbanding. 1703 Maundrell Journ. Jerus. (1732) 65 For the husbanding of these Mountains, their manner was [etc.]. 1898 Westm. Gaz. 31 Mar. 5/1 Waiting for the produce of their husbanding. |
2. Economical and thrifty use (of anything); the action of saving or storing up.
| c 1420 [see 1]. 1597 1st Pt. Return fr. Parnass. i. i. 205 For the husbanding of my witt I put it out to interest, and make it returne twoo phamphlets a weeke. 1601 R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. (1603) 17 The riches of a prince consist not in the abundance of revenues, but in the thriftie husbanding therof. 1708 Royal Proclam. in Lond. Gaz. No. 4452/1 The Curing, Salting, Drying and Husbanding of their Fish. c 1842 E. J. Lance Cottage Farmer 7 For the husbanding of manures and their increase. 1872 Globe 5 Aug., A careful husbanding of the elements of wealth. |
3. Mating with a husband.
| 1565 Golding Ovid's Met. x. (1593) 251 O Atalanta, thou at all of husband hast no need, Shun husbanding. |
▪ II. husbanding, ppl. a.
[f. as prec. + -ing2.]
That husbands; sparing, economical, parsimonious.
| 1811 Southey in Q. Rev. VI. 275 The husbanding politicians and peace-praters. |