Английский Этимологический словарь - waste (v.)

- 12c., "devastate, ravage, ruin," from Anglo-Fr. and O.N.Fr. waster "to spoil, ruin," altered (by influence of Frankish *wostjan) from L. vastare "lay waste," from vastus "empty, desolate, waste." The word also existed in O.E. as westan. The sense of "squander, spend or consume uselessly" is first recorded 1340; meaning "to kill" is from 1964. The noun is 12c., replacing O.E. westen, woesten "a desert, wilderness" (from the adj.). Wastrel "spendthrift, idler" is 1847, with pejorative suffix. Waste-paper first recorded 1585. Wasted "intoxicated" is slang from 1950s.