Beneficient
(Ben`e*fi"cient) a. Beneficent. [Obs.]
Benefit
(Ben"e*fit) n. [OE. benefet, benfeet, bienfet, F. bienfait, fr. L. benefactum; bene well (adv. of
bonus good) + factum, p. p. of facere to do. See Bounty, and Fact.]
1. An act of kindness; a favor conferred.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
Ps. ciii. 2.
2. Whatever promotes prosperity and personal happiness, or adds value to property; advantage; profit.
Men have no right to what is not for their benefit.
Burke.
3. A theatrical performance, a concert, or the like, the proceeds of which do not go to the lessee of the
theater or to the company, but to some individual actor, or to some charitable use.
4. Beneficence; liberality. [Obs.] Webster
5. pl. Natural advantages; endowments; accomplishments. [R.] "The benefits of your own country."
Shak.
Benefit of clergy. (Law) See under Clergy.
Syn. — Profit; service; use; avail. See Advantage.
Benefit
(Ben"e*fit), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Benefited; p. pr. & vb. n. Benefitting.] To be beneficial to; to
do good to; to advantage; to advance in health or prosperity; to be useful to; to profit.
I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.
Jer. xviii. 10.
Benefit
(Ben"e*fit), v. i. To gain advantage; to make improvement; to profit; as, he will benefit by the
change.
Benefiter
(Ben"e*fit`er) n. One who confers a benefit; — also, one who receives a benefit.
Beneme
(Be*neme") v. t. [AS. benman. Cf. Benim.] To deprive or take away [Obs.]
Benempt
(Be*nempt") p. p. of Bename.
1. Promised; vowed. [Obs.] Spenser.
2. Named; styled. [Archaic] Sir W. Scott.
Bene placito
(||Be`ne plac"i*to) (be`ne plas"i*to; It. ba`na plä"che*to). [It. beneplacito pleasure, fr. L. bene
well + placitus pleasing.]
1. At or during pleasure.
For our English judges there never was . . . any bene placito as their tenure.
F. Harrison.
2. (Mus.) At pleasure; ad libitum.
Benet
(Be*net") v. t. [imp. & p. p. Benetted.] To catch in a net; to insnare. Shak.
Benevolence
(Be*nev"o*lence) n. [OF. benevolence, L. benevolentia. See Benevolent.]
