4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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}.] 
  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. 
 
  {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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  charity 
  n  1:  a  foundation  created  to  promote  the  public  good  (not  for 
  assistance  to  any  particular  individuals) 
  2:  a  kindly  and  lenient  attitude  toward  people  [syn:  {brotherly 
  love}] 
  3:  an  activity  or  gift  that  benefits  the  public  at  large 
  4:  pinnate-leaved  European  perennial  having  bright  blue  or 
  white  flowers  [syn:  {Jacob's  ladder},  {Greek  valerian},  {Polemonium 
  caeruleum},  {Polemonium  van-bruntiae},  {Polymonium 
  caeruleum  van-bruntiae}] 
  5:  an  institution  set  up  to  provide  help  to  the  needy 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  CHARITY 
 
    A  {functional  language}  based  purely  on  {category 
  theory}  by  Cockett,  Spencer,  and  Fukushima  1990-1991. 
 
  A  version  for  {Sun-4}  is  available  from  Tom  Fukushima 
  . 
 
  ["About  Charity",  J.R.B.  Cockett,  U.  Calgary,  Canada,  et  al]. 
 
  (2000-10-30) 
 
 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Charity 
  (1  Cor.  13),  the  rendering  in  the  Authorized  Version  of  the  word 
  which  properly  denotes  love,  and  is  frequently  so  rendered 
  (always  so  in  the  Revised  Version).  It  is  spoken  of  as  the 
  greatest  of  the  three  Christian  graces  (1  Cor.  12:31-13:13). 
 

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