mense

American  

[mens] / mɛns /

noun

1. propriety; discretion.

---

verb (used with object)

mensed, mensing

1. to adorn; bring honor to; grace.

Other Word Forms

• menseful adjective
• menseless adjective

Etymology

Origin of mense

1490–1500; variant (north) of mensk, Middle English menske courtesy, honor < Old Norse menska humanity, cognate with Old English menniscu literally, the human state; akin to mensch. See man, -ish ¹

Example Sentences

This is one of the sights that the English go to gaze at, it being new to them not only in deed, but in thought; and even "Augusto mense," there was great resort of them.

From Four Years in France or, Narrative of an English Family's Residence there during that Period; Preceded by some Account of the Conversion of the Author to the Catholic Faith by Beste, Henry Digby

In the Acta Sanctorum, mense Septembris, vol. vi.

From A Bibliographical, Antiquarian and Picturesque Tour in France and Germany, Volume Three by Dibdin, Thomas Frognall

Ah, there's nae mense to be had o' you!

From The Shepherd's Calendar Volume I (of II) by Hogg, James

Mensk, mense, sb. proper conduct, more generally honor.

From Scandinavian influence on Southern Lowland Scotch by Flom, George Tobias

Et in eâdem civitate, eodem mense Aprilis, eodem die 6, eâdem horâ primâ, anno autem Domini 1348, ab hac luce lux illa subtracta est, cum ego forte Veronæ essem, heu fati mei nescius!

From Itinerary of Provence and the Rhone Made During the Year 1819 by Hughes, John