spence

¹ American  

[spens] / spɛns /

noun

British Dialect.

1. a pantry.

---

Spence ² American  

[spens] / spɛns /

noun

1. a male given name, form of Spencer.

---

spence ¹ British  

/ spɛns /

noun

1. dialect

   1. a larder or pantry

   2. any monetary allowance

   3. a parlour, esp in a cottage

---

Spence ² British  

/ spɛns /

noun

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

---

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 spence, aphetic for dispense, is now known only in dialect— "I am gaun to eat my dinner quietly in the spence."

From The Romance of Words (4th ed.) by Weekley, Ernest

Then Johnnie came, a lad o' sense, Although he had na mony pence; And took young Jenny to the spence, Wi' her to crack a wee.

From The Modern Scottish Minstrel, Volume II. The Songs of Scotland of the past half century by Rogers, Charles

"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

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)

My station was what is termed the spence, or the mid-room or closet, betwixt the kitchen and the ben.

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 5 by Various