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Webster 1913 Edition

Charity

Char′i-ty

,
Noun.
;
pl.
Charities
(#)
.
[F.
charité
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
.]
1.
Love; universal benevolence; good will.
Now abideth faith, hope,
charity
, three; but the greatest of these is
charity
.
1. Cor. xiii. 13.
They, at least, are little to be envied, in whose hearts the great
charities
. . . lie dead.
Ruskin.
With malice towards none, with
charity
for all.
Lincoln.
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.
The highest exercise of
charity
is
charity
towards the uncharitable.
Buckminster.
3.
Liberality to the poor and the suffering, to benevolent institutions, or to worthy causes; generosity.
The heathen poet, in commending the
charity
of Dido to the Trojans, spake like a Christian.
Dryden.
4.
Whatever is bestowed gratuitously on the needy or suffering for their relief; alms; any act of kindness.
She did ill then to refuse her a
charity
.
L’Estrange.
5.
A charitable institution, or a gift to create and support such an institution;
as, Lady Margaret's
charity
.
6.
pl.
(Law)
Eleemosynary appointments [grants or devises] including relief of the poor or friendless, education, religious culture, and public institutions.
The
charities
that soothe, and heal, and bless,
Are scattered at the feet of man like flowers.
Wordsworth.
Syn. – Love; benevolence; good will; affection; tenderness; beneficence; liberality; almsgiving.

Webster 1828 Edition

Charity

CHARITY

,
Noun.
1.
In a general sense, love, benevolence, good will; that disposition of heart which inclines men to think favorably of their fellow men to think favorably of their fellow men, and to do them good. In a theological sense, it includes supreme love to God, and universal good will to men.
1 Cor. 8. Col. 3. 1 Tim 1.
2.
In a more particular sense, love, kindness, affection, tenderness, springing from natural relations; as the charities of father, son and brother.
3.
Liberality to the poor, consisting in almsgiving or benefactions, or in gratuitous services to relieve them in distress.
4.
Alms; whatever is bestowed gratuitously on the poor for their relief.
5.
Liberality in gifts and services to promote public objects of utility, as to found and support bible societies, missionary societies, and others.
6.
Candor; liberality in judging of men and their actions; a disposition which inclines men to think and judge favorably, and to put the best construction on words and actions which the case will admit. The highest exercise of charity, is charity towards the uncharitable.
7.
Any act of kindness, or benevolence; as the charities of life.
8.
A charitable institution. Charity-school, is a school maintained by voluntary contributions for educating poor children.

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