mense1
/mɛns/(also mence, mens, ments) Now English regional (northern ), Scottish, and Irish English (northern )
noun
1Propriety, decorum, kindness, tact; discretion, intelligence, common sense.
2 to have both one's meat and mense and variants: to have the credit of being considered generous (in regard to food, etc.) without the expense (as by giving an invitation which is not accepted). Similarly to lose both one's meat and mense, etc.
3 English regional. Neatness, tidiness; newness, gloss.
Origin
Early 16th century; earliest use found in Prestis of Peblis. Variant of mensk, with northern loss of -k from final -sk.
mense2
/mɛns/(also minse) Chiefly English regional (northern ) and Scottish
noun
A large amount or quantity. Usually with of.
Origin
Mid 19th century; earliest use found in Richard Winter Hamilton (1794–1848), Congregational minister. Origin uncertain. Perhaps aphetic from immense, or perhaps a specifically sense of mense, showing a development of sense from ‘profuse hospitality, liberality’ to ‘a liberal amount, a great deal’.
mense3
/ˈmɛnsə/(also menser) South African informal
noun
Treated as plural. People; (frequently) specifically. Afrikaners. Often as a form of address.
Origin
Late 19th century. From Afrikaans mense, plural of mens person from Dutch †mensch.