ENGLISH
REFERENCE

spence

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈspɛns// UK //spˈɛns// spence Archaic Dialect

n. a small room or cupboard used for storing food. It is an old word for a pantry or larder, often found in older houses or in specific local areas.

n. a room or cupboard used for the storage of provisions; a pantry or larder. Dialectal or archaic in most modern contexts, though still found in regional British English.


SIMPLE

She kept the fresh bread in the spence.

CONTEXTUAL

The old farmhouse featured a cool, dark spence where the family stored their winter vegetables.

COMPLEX

While the modern kitchen was renovated with stainless steel, the original spence remained intact, serving as a historical reminder of how the household once managed its food supplies.

Usage

Primarily used in Northern English and Scots dialects; often replaced by 'pantry' or 'larder' in standard English.

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