Thou barren ground, whom winter's wrath hath wasted,
Art made a mirror to behold my plight. --Spenser.
The Tiber Insults our walls, and wastes our fruitful
grounds. --Dryden.
2. To wear away by degrees; to impair gradually; to diminish
by constant loss; to use up; to consume; to spend; to wear
out.
Until your carcasses be wasted in the wilderness.
--Num. xiv.
33.
O, were I able To waste it all myself, and leave ye
none! --Milton.
Here condemned To waste eternal days in woe and
pain. --Milton.
Wasted by such a course of life, the infirmities of
age daily grew on him. --Robertson.
3. To spend unnecessarily or carelessly; to employ
prodigally; to expend without valuable result; to apply to
useless purposes; to lavish vainly; to squander; to cause
to be lost; to destroy by scattering or injury.
The younger son gathered all together, and . . .
wasted his substance with riotous living. --Luke xv.
13.
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And
waste its sweetness on the desert air. --Gray.
4. (Law) To damage, impair, or injure, as an estate,
voluntarily, or by suffering the buildings, fences, etc.,
to go to decay.
Syn: To squander; dissipate; lavish; desolate.