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poor |
4 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Poor \Poor\, a. [Compar. {Poorer} (?; 254); superl. {Poorest}.] [OE. poure or povre, OF povre, F. pauvre L. pauper; the first syllable of which is probably akin to paucus few (see {Paucity}, {Few}), and the second to parare to prepare, procure. See {Few}, and cf {Parade}, {Pauper}, {Poverty}.] 1. Destitute of property; wanting in material riches or goods; needy; indigent. Note: It is often synonymous with indigent and with necessitous denoting extreme want It is also applied to persons who are not entirely destitute of property, but who are not rich; as a poor man or woman; poor people. 2. (Law) So completely destitute of property as to be entitled to maintenance from the public. 3. Hence in very various applications: Destitute of such qualities as are desirable, or might naturally be expected; as: a Wanting in fat, plumpness, or fleshiness; lean; emaciated; meager; as a poor horse, ox dog, etc ``Seven other kine came up after them poor and very ill-favored and lean-fleshed.'' --Gen. xli. 19. b Wanting in strength or vigor; feeble; dejected; as poor health; poor spirits. ``His genius . . . poor and cowardly.'' --Bacon. c Of little value or worth; not good; inferior; shabby; mean as poor clothes; poor lodgings. ``A poor vessel.'' --Clarendon. d Destitute of fertility; exhausted; barren; sterile; -- said of land; as poor soil. e Destitute of beauty, fitness, or merit; as a poor discourse; a poor picture. f Without prosperous conditions or good results; unfavorable; unfortunate; unconformable; as a poor business; the sick man had a poor night. g Inadequate; insufficient; insignificant; as a poor excuse. That I have wronged no man will be a poor plea or apology at the last day --Calamy. 4. Worthy of pity or sympathy; -- used also sometimes as a term of endearment, or as an expression of modesty, and sometimes as a word of contempt. And for mine own poor part Look you I'll go pray. --Shak. Poor, little, pretty, fluttering thing --Prior. 5. Free from self-assertion; not proud or arrogant; meek. ``Blessed are the poor in spirit.'' --Matt. v. 3. {Poor law}, a law providing for or regulating, the relief or support of the poor. {Poor man's treacle} (Bot.), garlic; -- so called because it was thought to be an antidote to animal poison. [Eng] --Dr. Prior. {Poor man's weatherglass} (Bot.), the red-flowered pimpernel ({Anagallis arvensis}), which opens its blossoms only in fair weather. {Poor rate}, an assessment or tax, as in an English parish, for the relief or support of the poor. {Poor soldier} (Zo["o]l.), the friar bird. {The poor}, those who are destitute of property; the indigent; the needy. In a legal sense those who depend on charity or maintenance by the public. ``I have observed the more public provisions are made for the poor, the less they provide for themselves.'' --Franklin. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Poor \Poor\, n. (Zo["o]l.) A small European codfish ({Gadus minutus}); -- called also {power cod}. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: poor adj 1: moderate to inferior in quality; "they improved the quality from mediocre to above average"; "he would make a poor spy" [syn: {mediocre}, {second-rate}] 2: deserving or inciting pity; "a hapless victim"; "miserable victims of war"; "the shabby room struck her as extraordinarily pathetic"- Galsworthy "piteous appeals for help"; "pitiable homeless children"; "a pitiful fate"; "couldn't rescue the poor fellow"; "his poor distorted limbs"; "a wretched life" [syn: {hapless}, {miserable}, {misfortunate}, {pathetic}, {piteous}, {pitiable}, {pitiful}, {wretched}] 3: having little money or few possessions; "deplored the gap between rich and poor countries"; "the proverbial poor artist living in a garret" [ant: {rich}] 4: characterized by or indicating lack of money; "the country had a poor economy" [ant: {rich}] 5: low in degree; "expectations were poor" 6: badly supplied with desirable qualities or substances; "a poor land"; "the area was poor in timber and coal"; "food poor in nutritive value" [ant: {rich}] 7: not sufficient to meet a need "an inadequate income"; "a poor salary"; "money is short"; "on short rations"; "food is in short supply"; "short on experience" [syn: {inadequate}, {short}] 8: unsatisfactory; "a poor light for reading"; "poor morale" 9: yielding little by great labor; "a hardscrabble farm"; "poor soil" [syn: {hardscrabble}] From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]: Poor The Mosaic legislation regarding the poor is specially important. (1.) They had the right of gleaning the fields (Lev. 19:9, 10; Deut. 24:19,21). (2.) In the sabbatical year they were to have their share of the produce of the fields and the vineyards (Ex. 23:11; Lev. 25:6). (3.) In the year of jubilee they recovered their property (Lev. 25:25-30). (4.) Usury was forbidden, and the pledged raiment was to be returned before the sun went down (Ex. 22:25-27; Deut. 24:10-13). The rich were to be generous to the poor (Deut. 15:7-11). (5.) In the sabbatical and jubilee years the bond-servant was to go free (Deut. 15:12-15; Lev. 25:39-42, 47-54). (6.) Certain portions from the tithes were assigned to the poor (Deut. 14:28, 29; 26:12, 13). (7.) They shared in the feasts (Deut. 16:11, 14; Neh. 8:10). (8.) Wages were to be paid at the close of each day (Lev. 19:13). In the New Testament (Luke 3:11; 14:13; Acts 6:1; Gal. 2:10; James 2:15, 16) we have similar injunctions given with reference to the poor. Begging was not common under the Old Testament, while it was so in the New Testament times (Luke 16:20, 21, etc.). But begging in the case of those who are able to work is forbidden, and all such are enjoined to "work with their own hands" as a Christian duty (1 Thess. 4:11; 2 Thess. 3:7-13; Eph. 4:28). This word is used figuratively in Matt. 5:3; Luke 6:20; 2 Cor. 8:9; Rev. 3:17.
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