Pen"sion (?), n. [F., fr. L. pensio a paying, payment, fr. pendere, pensum, to weight, to pay; akin to pendre to hang. See Pendant, and cf. Spend.] 1. A payment; a tribute; something paid or given. [Obs.]
The stomach's pension, and the time's expense.
Sylvester.
2. A stated allowance to a person in consideration of past services; payment made to one retired from service, on account of age, disability, or other cause; especially, a regular stipend paid by a government to retired public officers, disabled soldiers, the families of soldiers killed in service, or to meritorious authors, or the like.
To all that kept the city pensions and wages.
1 Esd. iv. 56.
3. A certain sum of money paid to a clergyman in lieu of tithes. [Eng.]
Mozley & W.
4. [F., pronounced .] A boarding house or boarding school in France, Belgium, Switzerland, etc.
© Webster 1913.
Pen"sion, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pensioned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pensioning.] To grant a pension to; to pay a regular stipend to; in consideration of service already performed; -- sometimes followed by off; as, to pension off a servant.
One knighted Blackmore, and one pensioned Quarles.
Pope.
© Webster 1913. |