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Webster 1913 Edition


Alms

Alms

(a̤mz)
,
Noun.
s
ing.
&
pl.
[OE.
almes
,
almesse
, AS.
ælmysse
, fr. L.
eleemosyna
, Gr.
ἐλεημοσύνη
mercy, charity, alms, fr.
ἐλεεῖν
to pity. Cf.
Almonry
,
Eleemosynary
.]
Anything given gratuitously to relieve the poor, as money, food, or clothing; a gift of charity.
A devout man . . . which gave much
alms
to the people.
Acts x. 2.
Alms
are but the vehicles of prayer.
Dryden.
Tenure by free alms
.
Blackstone.
☞ This word
alms
is singular in its form (almesse), and is sometimes so used; as, “asked an
alms
.”
Acts iii. 3.
“Received an
alms
.”
Shak.
It is now, however, commonly a collective or plural noun. It is much used in composition, as
alms
giver,
alms
giving,
alms
bag,
alms
chest, etc.

Webster 1828 Edition


Alms

'ALMS

, 'amz. [Eng. almesse; L. eleemosyna; Gr. to pity.]
Any thing given gratuitously to relieve the poor, as money, food, or clothing, otherwise called charity.
A lame man was laid daily to ask an alms. Acts. 3.
Cornelius gave much alms to the people. Acts. 10.
Tenure by free alms, or frank-almoign, in England, is that by which the possessor is bound to pray for the soul of the donor, whether dead or alive; a tenure by which most of the ancient monasteries and religious houses in England held their lands, as do the parochial clergy, and many ecclesiastical and eleemosynary establishments at this day. Land thus held was free from all rent or other service.

Definition 2024


alms

alms

English

Noun

alms (plural alms)

  1. Something given to the poor as charity, such as money, clothing or food.
    She gave $10 weekly to the poor as alms.
    Alms are distributed from the weekly collection for the purpose.

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Swedish

Noun

alms

  1. indefinite genitive singular of alm