Husbanded

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Handled or used resources with care to avoid waste
2. Practiced careful management or conservation of supplies or materials
3. Used something sparingly with attention to preserving it

Etymology: "Husbanded" is the past tense of "husband," and the verb's oldest sense has nothing to do with marriage. It comes from the Old Norse "húsbóndi," meaning "householder" or "master of a house," built from "hús" (house) and "bóndi" (occupier, farmer). In Old English the noun "husbonda" meant a man who managed a household and its land, and the verb "husband" meant to cultivate or manage land carefully. The modern sense of thrift grew out of that stewardship. To husband something was to manage it as a careful head of household would, making supplies last and not squandering what the land or purse could yield. The marital meaning of "husband" developed from the same noun, since the householder was typically the man who headed the family, but the verb kept its focus on prudent management of resources.

Synonyms: managed, conserved, stewarded, administered, supervised