Middle English Dictionary Entry
expense n.
Entry Info
| Forms | expense n. Also expunse. |
| Etymology | L expēnsa ppl. as noun; OF espense. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
The action of spending or giving away (resources, funds); gret in ~, large of ~, generous in making gifts or donations.
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.2027 : That he mesure in his expence So kepe, that of indigence He mai be sauf.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3766 : Achilles..was..boldist in armys, Godely of giftes, grettist in expense.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)1.27 : A noble man..large of his expens.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)3.214 : Gret expens Of woordly ryches.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.2373 : Who that can..holde hym content with resonable expens.
2.
(a) Charges incurred; sum or sums spent in payment, expenditures, expenses or cost; at expense(s, at the expense (of someone); for (in) expense(s, for the cost (of something); (b) a thing given away, a gift.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425(a1400) Brut-1377 (Corp-C 174)316/6 : Iohn, the King of Fraunce, whose seruise & exequyes King Edwarde lete ordeyne..wiþ his owne costes & expenses.
- (1425) Grocer Lond.in Bk.Lond.E.204 : For diuerz Costes..Also For expenses off a dyner off our Companye.
- (1443) Will York in Sur.Soc.30130 : I bequethe to the expense aboute the bereyng of my bodie C s.
- (?1443) Mem.Bk.York in Sur.Soc.125180 : The lightes and torches..fro nowe furth be made at the costes and expenses of both the said craftes.
- (1449) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 871 : All their receptes and Expenses.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)91 : Eny expensis bifore leid out and mynystrid.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)131/1 : A fals pleyntyf..puttyth þe trewe to trauayll and to gret expensys.
- (1451) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 493 : For dyverse expenses yn mete and drynke.
- (1463) Acc.Howard in RC 57224 : In exspensys in breffast, xj. d.
- (1463) Will Bury in Camd.4942 : A book of papyr to wryte in expensis.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)176/5 : To þe nede of the seyde ladyis for her expenses & harmys þat they sofred.
- (1467) Acc.St.John Peterb.in Antiq.51410 : Payd at iiij tymys in expense qwan the Sayd iiij chyrchrevys recunyd togedyr.
- (1473-4) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum15 : Expenses necessary with the cost of the steple.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)120 : What his..charges and expences bith likely to drawe vnto.
- a1500 Retinue Edw.III Calais (Lamb 306)85 : The sume total of þe saide exspences, as wil for wage, prestis, as for þe exspencis of the Kyngis house.
b
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)16063 : The kyng..ȝaf hit townes, Cytes, and Ek Castel, with wheche expences Fynden Myhte he abowtes hym Ryht Fayr Meyne.
3.
Funds provided for expenses, expense money or allowance.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 370)2 Par.8.16 : In the wardis of the tresoures alle the expensis [WB(2): costis] maad redy hadde Salomon.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)198 : Every month to his expensis a hundred mark.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)108/23 : And make noght many expendours of þin expensys to be maad.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)348 : For his expencez and for his aray..he shall not lakke no thyng that hym nede.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)413 : The kynge..gafe hym not so large expenses as he did be-fore.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)113 : To hem he yaf hors and harneise, and money to their exspencis.
4.
?Expenditure of effort or energy, application.
Associated quotations
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.167 : He þat doth labour oþer diligence Som part to haue of thise [fame or honor]..He lesiþ boþe his labour and expense.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)24/28 : Alle þo arn accursed þat vexin in lay court, wyth grete expunsys in pletyng & in trauayle, men of holy cherch or hare seruauntys.
5.
don (maken) expense(s: (a) to incur expenses, to make outlays of money; (b) to defray costs, meet obligations; (c) to lose strength (through illness).
Associated quotations
a
- (1433) RParl.4.477a : The seid vi Men shall..also oversee well and truly all maner expenses and costages by the Baylyffs don.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)764 : Exspenses of one yere don in Fraunce.
- (1451) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 492 : For expenses doo at Bristow yn tyme of the weyyng of the newe belle.
- -?-(1435) Doc.in Power Craft Surg.308 : Alle maner of costis or expensis doon resonable for the seid craft or felowschip.
b
- (1448) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1400 : For which expenses to be doo ther remaneth of monee in the hands of ye Receyuere of the feffement..D CCCLx li.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)126 : [The king] most than do the expences with money owt of his cofers.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)118 : Yff a kynge be pore, he shall bi nescessite make his expences..by creaunce and borowynge.
c
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)9016 : Eutyce, wych greth expence Doon had þer-on [dysentery]..Ful yerys foure.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1450 Glo.Chron.B (Lond-U 278)3486 : Expensis[A: He nadde noȝt wel war wiþ such menie up to holde, Ac..he þoȝte of þe saxons is spense vp arere.
Note: Supplementary material for sense 3.--per MJW
Note: Provide indication in the gloss for this sense that all examples are plural: "Funds provided for expenses, expense money or allowance;--pl.".--per MLL