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; dispense

Example Sentences

The thresher’s weary flingin’-tree The lee-lang day had tired me; And when the day had closed his e’e Far i’ the west, Ben i’ the spence, right pensivelie, I gaed to rest.

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

They hastened to the spence, and were relieved of a part of their anxiety by meeting Mary at the door of the apartment.

From The Monastery by Scott, Walter, Sir

"John's ben in the spence," replied the woman.

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume I Historical, Traditionary, and Imaginative by Various

Well," said Claverhouse, "we shall have to give Anne the justiciar power and send her lord to the spence and the store chamber.

From The Men of the Moss-Hags Being a history of adventure taken from the papers of William Gordon of Earlstoun in Galloway by Crockett, S. R. (Samuel Rutherford)

"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