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Origin and history of dissipation

dissipation(n.)

early 15c., dissipacioun, "disintegration, dissolution," from Latin dissipationem (nominative dissipatio) "a scattering," noun of action from past-participle stem of dissipare "to spread abroad, scatter, disperse; squander, disintegrate" (see dissipate). Sense of "act of wasting by misuse, wasteful expenditure or consumption" is from 1630s; meaning "intemperate mode of living, undue indulgence in pleasure" is from 1784.

also from early 15c.

Entries linking to dissipation

dissipate(v.)

early 15c., dissipaten, "scatter or drive off in all directions," from Latin dissipatus, past participle of dissipare "to spread abroad, scatter, disperse; squander, disintegrate," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + supare "to throw, scatter," which is apparently from a PIE *supi- "to throw, sling, cast" (source also of Lithuanian supu, supti "to swing, rock," Old Church Slavonic supo "to strew").

Intransitive sense of "become scattered or dispersed, vanish through diffusion" is from 1620s; that of "expend wastefully, scatter by foolish outlay" is from 1680s. Related: Dissipated; dissipates; dissipating.

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    dissolution
    mid-14c., "frivolity, moral laxness, dissolute living;" late 14c., dissolucioun, "separation into parts, dispersal;" from Old French dissolution (12c.) and directly from Latin dissolutionem (nominative dissolutio) "a dissolving, destroying, interruption, dissolution," noun of act
    watch
    Also in Middle English, "the practice of remaining awake at night for purposes of debauchery and dissipation;" hence wacches...
    boondoggle
    "wasteful expenditure," especially by the government under guise of public good, April 1935, American English; earlier it was a name for a kind of braided leather lanyard made by Boy Scouts and worn by them around the neck or hat. In this sense it is attested from 1930, and accor
    intemperance
    early 15c., "lack of restraint, excess," also of weather, "inclemency, severity," from Old French intemperance (14c.) and directly from Latin intemperantia "intemperateness, immoderation, excess" (as in intemperantia vini "immoderate use of wine"), from in- "not, opposite of" (se
    sweat
    Middle English sweten, from Old English swætan "perspire, excrete moisture from the skin," also "toil, labor, work hard," from Proto-Germanic *swaitjan "to sweat," from the source of sweat (n.). Compare Frisian swette, Dutch zweeten, Danish svede, German schwitzen. The meaning "b
    activity
    c. 1400, "active or secular life," from Old French activité, from Medieval Latin activitatem (nominative activitas), a word in Scholastic philosophy, from Latin activus "active" (see active). The meaning "state of being active, briskness, liveliness" is recorded from 1520s; that
    dispersion
    late 14c., dispersioun, "the Jewish diaspora," from Old French dispersion (13c.), from Latin dispersionem (nominative dispersio) "a scattering," noun of action from past-participle stem of dispergere "to scatter," from dis- "apart, in every direction" (see dis-) + spargere "to sc
    regeneration
    mid-14c., regeneracioun, "act of regenerating or producing anew," originally spiritual, also of the Resurrection, from Old French regeneracion (Modern French regénération) and directly from Late Latin regenerationem (nominative regeneratio) "a being born again," noun of action fr
    virgin
    c. 1200, "unmarried or chaste woman noted for religious piety and having a position of reverence in the Church," from Anglo-French and Old French virgine "virgin; Virgin Mary," from Latin virginem (nominative virgo) "maiden, unwedded girl or woman," also an adjective, "fresh, unu
    curry
    late 13c., "to rub down a horse," from Anglo-French curreier "to curry-comb a horse," from Old French correier "put in order, prepare, curry," from con-, intensive prefix (see com-), + reier "arrange," from a Germanic source (see ready). Related: Curried; currying. To curry favor

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