Charity

Charity
Charity Char"i*ty, n.; pl. {Charities}. [F. charit['e] fr. L. caritas dearness, high regard, love, from carus dear, costly, loved; asin to Skr. kam to wish, love, cf. Ir. cara a friend, W. caru to love. Cf. {Caress}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Love; universal benevolence; good will. [1913 Webster]

Now abideth faith, hope, charity, three; but the greatest of these is charity. --1. Cor. xiii. 13. [1913 Webster]

They, at least, are little to be envied, in whose hearts the great charities . . . lie dead. --Ruskin. [1913 Webster]

With malice towards none, with charity for all. --Lincoln. [1913 Webster]

2. Liberality in judging of men and their actions; a disposition which inclines men to put the best construction on the words and actions of others. [1913 Webster]

The highest exercise of charity is charity towards the uncharitable. --Buckminster. [1913 Webster]

3. Liberality to the poor and the suffering, to benevolent institutions, or to worthy causes; generosity. [1913 Webster]

The heathen poet, in commending the charity of Dido to the Trojans, spake like a Christian. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

4. Whatever is bestowed gratuitously on the needy or suffering for their relief; alms; any act of kindness. [1913 Webster]

She did ill then to refuse her a charity. --L'Estrange. [1913 Webster]

5. A charitable institution, or a gift to create and support such an institution; as, Lady Margaret's charity. [1913 Webster]

6. pl. (Law) Eleemosynary appointments [grants or devises] including relief of the poor or friendless, education, religious culture, and public institutions. [1913 Webster]

The charities that soothe, and heal, and bless, Are scattered at the feet of man like flowers. --Wordsworth. [1913 Webster]

{Sisters of Charity} (R. C. Ch.), a sisterhood of religious women engaged in works of mercy, esp. in nursing the sick; -- a popular designation. There are various orders of the Sisters of Charity.

Syn: Love; benevolence; good will; affection; tenderness; beneficence; liberality; almsgiving. [1913 Webster] ||


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • charity — char‧i‧ty [ˈtʆærti] noun charities PLURALFORM 1. [countable] an organization that collects money to help people, for example those who are sick or poor, or to help certain types of activity such as artistic activity ; =NOT FOR PROFIT… …   Financial and business terms

  • charity — char·i·ty n pl ties: a gift for humanitarian, philanthropic, or other purposes beneficial to the public (as maintaining a public building); also: an institution (as a hospital or school) or organization founded by such a gift compare private… …   Law dictionary

  • charity — 1 *mercy, clemency, grace, lenity Analogous words: love, affection, *attachment: benevolence, humaneness, altruism (see corresponding adjectives at CHARITABLE): benignity, benignancy, kindness, kindliness (see corresponding adjectives at KIND):… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Charity — Charity …   Wikipedia Español

  • Charity — f English: from the vocabulary word, denoting originally the Christian s love for his fellow man (Latin caritās, from carus dear). In spite of St Paul s words ‘and now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is… …   First names dictionary

  • charity — (n.) mid 12c., benevolence for the poor, from O.Fr. charité (O.N.Fr. carité), from L. caritatem (nom. caritas) costliness, esteem, affection (in Vulgate often used as translation of Gk. agape love especially Christian love of fellow man perhaps… …   Etymology dictionary

  • charity — ► NOUN (pl. charities) 1) an organization set up to help those in need. 2) the voluntary giving of money or other help to those in need. 3) help or money given in this way. 4) tolerance in judging others. ● charity begins at home Cf. ↑ …   English terms dictionary

  • charity — [n1] generosity, gift alms, alms giving, assistance, benefaction, beneficence, contribution, dole, donation, endowment, fund, gifting, hand*, hand out, helping hand*, largesse, oblation, offering, philanthropy, relief, write off; concepts 337,657 …   New thesaurus

  • Charity — [char′i tē] n. [see CHARITY] a feminine name …   English World dictionary

  • charity — /ˈtʃariti, ingl. ˈtʃærɪtɪ/ [vc. ingl., propr. «carità, beneficenza»] s. f. inv. 1. evento benefico 2. ente benefico, fondazione, onlus …   Sinonimi e Contrari. Terza edizione

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