Pension

PE'NSION n. s. [pension, Fr.] An allowance made to any one without an equivalent. In England it is generally understood to mean pay given to a state hireling for treason to his country.

A charity bestowed on the education of her young subjects has more merit than a thousand pensions to those of a higher fortune.
--- Addison's Guardian No 105.

He has liv'd with the great without flattery, and been a friend to men in power without pensions
--- Pope.

One might expect to see medals of France in the highest perfection, when there is a society pensioned and set apart for the designing of them.
--- Addison on Ancient Medals.

The hero William and the martyr Charles,
One knighted Blackmore, one pension'd Quarles.
--- Pope

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.

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.

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.