Pen"sion (?), n. [F., fr. L. pensio a paying, payment, fr. pendere, pensum, to weight, to pay; akin to pend&?;re to hang. See Pendant, and cf. Spend.] 1. A payment; a tribute; something paid or given. [Obs.]

The stomach's pension, and the time's expense.

2. A stated allowance to a person in consideration of past services; payment made to one retired from service, on account of age, disability, or other cause; especially, a regular stipend paid by a government to retired public officers, disabled soldiers, the families of soldiers killed in service, or to meritorious authors, or the like.

To all that kept the city pensions and wages.

3. A certain sum of money paid to a clergyman in lieu of tithes. [Eng.] Mozley & W.

4. [F., pronounced &?;.] A boarding house or boarding school in France, Belgium, Switzerland, etc.

Pen"sion, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pensioned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pensioning.] To grant a pension to; to pay a regular stipend to; in consideration of service already performed; -- sometimes followed by off; as, to pension off a servant.

One knighted Blackmore, and one pensioned Quarles.

• A boarding house or small hotel in Europe: “A pension had somewhat less to offer than a hotel; it was always smaller, and never elegant; it sometimes offered breakfast, and sometimes not” (John Irving).
  
• Accommodations or the payment for accommodations, especially at a boarding house or small hotel in Europe.
  
• A sum of money paid regularly as a retirement benefit or by way of patronage.
  
• A stated allowance to a person in consideration of past services; payment made to one retired from service, on account of age, disability, or other cause; especially, a regular stipend paid by a government to retired public officers, disabled soldiers, the families of soldiers killed in service, or to meritorious authors, or the like.