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• spence
  spence

  noun

  a pantry.
• Spence
  Spence

  noun

  a male given name, form of Spencer.

spence

¹ American  

[spens] / spɛns /

noun

British Dialect.

1. a pantry.

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Spence ² American  

[spens] / spɛns /

noun

1. a male given name, form of Spencer.

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spence ¹ British  

/ spɛns /

noun

1. dialect

   1. a larder or pantry

   2. any monetary allowance

   3. a parlour, esp in a cottage

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Spence ² British  

/ spɛns /

noun

1. Sir Basil ( Unwin ). 1907–76, Scottish architect, born in India; designed Coventry Cathedral (1951)

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Etymology

Origin of spence

1350–1400; Middle English spense, spence < Middle French despense pantry < Medieval Latin dīspēnsa, noun use of feminine of dīspēnsus, past participle of dīspendere to weigh out; see dispense

Example Sentences

"The thresher's weary flinging-tree The lee-lang day had tired me: And whan the day had closed his e'e, Far i' the west, Ben i' the spence, right pensivelie, I gaed to rest."

From Queechy, Volume I by Warner, Susan

Ere yet in scorn of Peter's pence, And numbered bead and shrift, Bluff Harry broke into the spence, And turned the cowls adrift.

From Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol. 1 A Revised American Edition of the Reader's Handbook by Brewer, Ebenezer Cobham

And now we'll go down to the spence, where ye can meet Mr. Burns.

From Nancy Stair A Novel by Lane, Elinor Macartney

Our bardie, tamely, keeps the spence Sin’ Mailie’s dead.

From The Complete Works of Robert Burns: Containing his Poems, Songs, and Correspondence. With a New Life of the Poet, and Notices, Critical and Biographical by Allan Cunningham by Burns, Robert

Edward," said the Sub-Prior, "you will supply the English Knight here in this spence with suitable food and accommodation for the night, treating him with as much kindness as if nothing had happened between you.

From The Monastery by Scott, Walter, Sir