charity

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Provision of help or relief to the poor; almsgiving.
2. n. Something given to help the needy; alms.
3. n. An institution, organization, or fund established to help the needy.
4. n. Benevolence or generosity toward others or toward humanity.
5. n. Indulgence or forbearance in judging others. See Synonyms at mercy.
6. n. Christianity The theological virtue defined as love directed first toward God but also toward oneself and one's neighbors as objects of God's love.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. In New Testament usage, love, in its highest and broadest manifestation.
2. n. In a general sense, the good affections men ought to feel toward one another; good will.
3. n. Specifically Benevolence; liberality in relieving the wants of others; philanthropy.
4. n. Any act of kindness or benevolence; a good deed in behalf of another: as, it would be a charity to refrain from criticizing him.
5. n. Specifically Alms; anything bestowed gratuitously on a person or persons in need.
6. n. Liberality or allowance in judging others and their actions; a disposition inclined to favorable judgments.
7. n. A charitable institution; a foundation for the relief of a certain class of persons by alms, education, or care; especially, a hospital.
8. n. In law, a gift in trust for promoting the welfare of the community or of mankind at large, or some indefinite part of it, as an endowment for a public hospital, school, church, or library, as distinguished from a gift which, being for the benefit of particular persons, gives them a right to its enjoyment. Early in the history of English law, the chancellors established the rule that informalities and illegalities which by the common law would invalidate a private trust should not be allowed to defeat a public charity, and that therefore chancery should intervene to prevent the heirs or next of kin from defeating such a gift, should appoint a trustee if none existed, and, if any of the directions of the founder were impracticable, should supply others approximate thereto. The most familiar application of the rule is in the doctrine that the prohibition against perpetuities does not affect a charity. (See perpetuity.) The question what constitutes a charity within this rule has been the subject of much litigation.
9. n. Synonyms Liberality, Generosity, etc. (see beneficence), indulgence, forbearance.

Wiktionary

1. n. archaic Christian love; representing God's love of man, man's love of God, or man's love of his fellow-men.
2. n. In general, an attitude of kindness and understanding towards others, now especially suggesting generosity.
3. n. uncountable Benevolence to others less fortunate than ourselves; the providing of goods or money to those in need.
4. n. countable The goods or money given to those in need.
5. n. countable An organization, the objective of which is to carry out a charitable purpose.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. Love; universal benevolence; good will.
2. n. 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.
3. n. Liberality to the poor and the suffering, to benevolent institutions, or to worthy causes; generosity.
4. n. Whatever is bestowed gratuitously on the needy or suffering for their relief; alms; any act of kindness.
5. n. A charitable institution, or a gift to create and support such an institution.
6. n. (Law) Eleemosynary appointments [grants or devises] including relief of the poor or friendless, education, religious culture, and public institutions.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. an institution set up to provide help to the needy
2. n. an activity or gift that benefits the public at large
3. n. a foundation created to promote the public good (not for assistance to any particular individuals)
4. n. pinnate-leaved European perennial having bright blue or white flowers
5. n. a kindly and lenient attitude toward people