husbanding

Verb

husband (third-person singular simple present husbands, present participle husbanding, simple past and past participle husbanded)

1. (transitive) To manage or administer carefully and frugally; use to the best advantage; economise.
   • And for my meanes, I'll husband them so well,
     They shall go farre with little.c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...
2. (transitive) To conserve.
   • ...I found pens, ink, and paper, and I husbanded them to the utmost; and I shall show that while my ink lasted, I kept things very exact, but after that was gone I could not, for I could not make any ink by any means that I could devise.1719, Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe
3. (obsolete, transitive) To till; cultivate; farm; nurture.
   • Land so trim and rarely husbanded.1672 May 28 (Gregorian calendar), John Evelyn, “[Diary entry for 19 May 1672]”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume I...
4. (archaic, transitive) To provide with a husband.
   • Thinke you, I am no ſtronger then my Sex
     Being ſo Father'd, and ſo Husbanded?1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
5. (transitive) To engage or act as a husband to; assume the care of or responsibility for; accept as one's own.

See all 15 meanings of husband