Residence (rz-dens), n.
Etymology: [F. résidence. See Resident.]
1. The act or fact of residing, abiding, or dwelling in a place for some continuance of time; as, the residence of an American in France or Italy for a year. The confessor had often made considerable residences in Normandy. Sir M. Hale.
2. The place where one resides; an abode; a dwelling or habitation; esp., a settled or permanent home or domicile. "Near the residence of Posthumus." Shak. Johnson took up his residence in London. Macaulay.
3. (Eng.Eccl.Law)
The residing of an incumbent on his benefice; -- opposed to nonresidence.
4 more senses
4. The place where anything rests permanently. But when a king sets himself to bandy against the highest court and residence of all his regal power, he then, . . . fights against his own majesty and kingship. Milton.
5. Subsidence, as of a sediment. [Obs.] Bacon.
6. That which falls to the bottom of liquors; sediment; also, refuse; residuum. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.
Syn. -- Domiciliation; sojourn; stay; abode; home; dwelling; habitation; domicile; mansion.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for residence; he lists it under home.
Where he writes about it:
Even dwelling is not used in familiar speech; a person says "my house," "my home," or more formally "my residence." Home, from the Anglo-Saxon, denoting originally a dwelling, came to mean an endeared dwelling as the scene of domestic love and happy and cherished family life, a sense to which there is an increasing tendency to restrict the word--desirably so, since we have other words to denote the mere dwelling-place; we say "The wretched tenement could not be called home," or "The humble cabin was dear to him as the home of his childhood." Home's not merely four square walls, Tho with pictures hung and gilded; Home is where affection calls-- Where its shrine the heart has builded. — from home