Word
spent
US/ˈspɛnt/
UK/spˈɛnt/
Definitions
01past of spend
A2 · Elementary
v. the past form of 'spend', used for money you paid or time you used.
v. the past tense and past participle of 'spend', denoting the disbursement of funds or the passage of time.
“We spent all our money on souvenirs during the summer holiday.”
“The research team spent three years collecting data before they were ready to publish their findings in a peer-reviewed journal.”
02exhausted or used up
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. completely used up, tired, or having no energy left.
adj. depleted of energy, force, or contents; physically or metaphorically exhausted.
“After running the marathon, he felt completely spent and had to sit down.”
“By the end of the final act, the lead actor appeared physically spent, having poured every ounce of emotion into the performance.”
03legal record
C1 · Advanced Law British English · Formal · Technical
adj. used to describe a crime from the past that is no longer on your official record.
adj. referring to a criminal conviction that, after a specified period of time, is removed from a person's record and no longer needs to be disclosed.
“Because his crime happened twenty years ago, it is now a spent conviction.”
“Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, certain minor offences become spent after a period of time, allowing individuals to apply for jobs without disclosing them.”
Usage
Usually used in the phrase 'spent conviction'.
Teaching tip
This is a specific legal term in the UK; in the US, people usually say a record has been 'expunged'.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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