dole Hear it!

dole¹ Definition

dole (dōl)

noun

  1. a giving out of money or food to those in great need; relief
  2. that which is thus given out
  3. anything given out sparingly
  4. a form of payment by a government to the unemployed, as in England: usually preceded by the
  5. Archaic one's destiny or lot

Etymology: ME dol < OE dal, a share, parallel to dæl: see deal

transitive verb doled, dol′·ing

to give sparingly or as a dole: usually with out

dole¹ Idioms

on the dole

receiving government relief funds

dole² Definition

dole (dōl)

noun

Archaic sorrow; dolor

Etymology: see doleful

dole Synonyms

dole

n.

charity, relief, allotment; see aid 1, gift 1, share 2, welfare 2.

dole Usage Examples

Object

  • scrounger: Creative forces felt compelled to speak out against the Tory moral panic against " dole scroungers " , or Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative.
  • queue: How would you ensure the dole queues in South Tyneside do not increase?
  • office: Where the parties can be in a quarry in East London, a disused cinema or an old dole office.
  • money: We dole money out to help support ourselves, really.
  • cupboard: We enter through it, past the dole cupboard of John Sayer, 1638.
  • scum: With Robert's status as dole scum apparently assured, the Snells are tightening their belts.

Modifies a noun

  • check: What are you expecting, the government to hand you out a nice flat with your dole check?
  • money: Quentin Crisp, who died last November and who once worked as a map tracer until he could draw his 15s 3d dole money.
  • queue: Defense procurement can not be a short term palliative to the dole queue.

Modifying Another Word

  • not: The United States will not dole out any rewards to convince North Korea to live up to its existing obligations.
  • no: My father, being self employed, had no dole to fall back on, no assistance from the state at all.

Particle object:

  • money: In short, the next generation of the university RAE should dole out money by looking far into the past.
  • punishment: These weapons are some of the most lethal in the game and will allow Bishop or Sheila to dole out some serious punishment.
  • cash: And maybe â just maybe â it would have been worth doling out the cash.
  • advice: DEAR JOHN 28 June 2006 JOHN Husband and his team dole out sound money advice.
  • credit: No problem for the banks and lenders tho, they just dole out some more credit and make a quick buck while they can!
  • pill: If the worst happens, any pharmacy will dole out pills to hurry you back to health.

Used with why or when

when: All of us were only a month away from the dole when the group finished.

Preposition: of

bread: The £ 10 belonging to eight poor persons of this parish is distributed by the churchwardens in weekly doles of bread.

Preposition: for

year: I've been on the dole for a year.