benevolence Definition
be·nevo·lence (bə nev′ə ləns)
noun
- an inclination to do good; kindliness
- a kindly, charitable act or gift; beneficence
- a forced loan formerly levied by some English kings on their subjects
Etymology: ME & OFr < L benevolentia: see benevolent
benevolence Synonyms
benevolence Usage Examples
Preposition: of
- man: The monks cannot have been averse to a custom which gave them a claim upon the benevolence of the deceased man 's descendants.
- creator: It was accepted by Charles Darwin, even tho he came to doubt particular acts of divine providence and the benevolence of the creator.
- market: Such presupposition of the omniscient benevolence of the market God seems undeniably theological in nature.
Preposition: towards
mankind: Benevolence toward mankind excites wishes for their welfare, and such wishes endear the means of fulfilling them.
Converse of object
- suppose: The supposed benevolence of the Persian kings to Judaism depends purely on the bible itself.
- call: What Hobbes is concerned to deny is not that there is something called benevolence.
- show: The adoptee as a commodity has specific meanings, such as fulfilling a desire to have children or to show benevolence and charity.
- express: This inner wisdom activates your capacity to express benevolence for your fellow humans without regard for what is in it for you.
- see: If we look closely, we see that benevolence plays much the same functional role in the Inquiry that sympathy plays in the Treatise.
Adjective modifier
- universal: It knows nothing of universal benevolence or of a humane tolerance.
- Christian: There is a scope at home for Christian benevolence; there are battle-fields in London where ambulances would not be out of place.
- great: She was a lady of great benevolence who spent much of her time uplifting the poor, the funeral was at Beckenham.
- active: A man of rare excellence and simplicity of character, Active benevolence and wide influence.
- private: Page 328 Ringley Chapel appears to have been the first built and endowed in Lancashire by private benevolence after the Reformation.
- general: Their hold, therefore, is rather upon my compassion and general benevolence, rather than upon my esteem.
Modifies a noun
exception: There was no case for generally extending the scope of the benevolence exception to include payments made by tortfeasor to the victims.
Browse dictionary entries near benevolence
- ‹ Beneš
- ‹ benempt
- ‹ Benelux
- ‹ benefit-of-the-bargain rule
- ‹ benefit of clergy
- ‹ benefit
- ‹ beneficiary
- ‹ beneficial owner
- ‹ beneficial
- ‹ beneficent
- benevolent ›
- Bengal ›
- Bengal light ›
- Bengalese ›
- Bengali ›
- bengaline ›
- Benghazi ›
- Benguela Current ›
- Beni ›
- Beni Suef ›

