Middle English Dictionary Entry

wā̆st(e n.(1)
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Entry Info

Forms wā̆st(e n.(1) Also waist, waest, vaste & (errors) waf, wafte.
Etymology AF/ONF wast, AF vast, vars. of OF gast; cp. ML vastum, wastum. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish the noun from wā̆st(e adj. in predicative uses.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

Note: Cp. weste n.
1.
Uncultivated or uninhabited land; wilderness, desert; also, a tract of uncultivated, barren, or desolate land; ?also, a parcel of land left fallow or untended [quot. a1467].
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2.
Consumption, use; the using up, depletion, or wearing out of some concrete thing; also, the consumption of candles, torches, etc. by their burning; also, expense, outlay; soden to the ~ of half, boiled until reduced by half.
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3a.
(a) Improvident, excessive, or unnecessary consumption or use, squandering; extravagant expense, prodigality; also in fig. context, with punning ref. to sense 5.(b) [quot. c1450]; (b) pointless, misdirected, or improper effort, action, thought etc.; don (werken) ~; (c) inanity, foolishness; that which is pointless; wordes of ~.
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3b.
In phrase in ~ [cp. vein n. 2a. & 2b.]: (a) used adjectivally: futile, ineffectual; worthless, useless; (b) used adverbially: vainly, futilely, ineffectually; improperly, wastefully; also, idly, emptily [quot. c1450].
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4.
Enfeeblement, emaciation.
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5.
(a) Destruction, ruin; maken ~; (b) refuse, trash; a useless or worthless residue or by-product; also in fig. context; waxen (to) ~, to be spoiled.
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6.
Law Damage to or destruction of real property; spoliation or some other action that decreases the value of property; strepe and (or) ~, stroppe and ~; ~ taxe, a fine assessed for damage to property; accioun ~, a lawsuit seeking compensation for damage done to real property; empechement (pechement) of ~, liability for damage to property held by a tenant; permissive ~, consensual damage or devaluation; ple of ~, a lawsuit charging a tenant with damaging or failing to maintain property; quite from (of) ~, ?exempt from liability for damage to a tenement; ~ voluntarie, damage or devaluation caused by some deliberate action; yer dai and waste, the royal prerogative by which the king enjoyed the profits of property owned by a felon for a year, following which he was entitled to despoil the property.
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7.
That which is left over, the remnant; ?also, that which remains after a process, the product [2nd quot.].
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8.
In surname and place names.
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Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. waste.

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