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 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

"Dame Elspeth, it was my fault—I did say to them, that I saw a man in the spence."

From The Monastery by Scott, Walter, Sir

So saying, he escaped from her and went into the spence, where such preparations as haste permitted were making for the noon collation of the Abbot and the English knight.

From The Monastery by Scott, Walter, Sir

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

It consisted of three apartments,—the cow-house at one end, the kitchen or house in the middle, and the spence at the other end. 

From Recollections of a Tour Made in Scotland A.D. 1803 by Shairp, John Campbell