mense

noun /mɛns/

1. Property, owndom; possessions.

   countable, uncountable

2. Decency; propriety; civility.

   countable, uncountable

   ... But never a soul had the mense to come near them,[…]

3. A large amount.

   countable, uncountable

   There is not a mense of snow in "smoky Leeds,"

Where it comes from

From earlier mensk, from Middle English menske (“courtesy, honour”), from Old English mennisċu (“the human condition, humanity”) and/or Old Norse menska (“humanity”). More at mennish, mensch.

Adapted from the Wiktionary entry mense (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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