charity

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   An organization that raises money or gives help to people, animals or causes in need, without aiming to make a profit.

   Grammar: Countable in this sense: a charity, many charities.

   Patterns

   • donate to a charity
   • a charity for something

   She volunteers at a charity that feeds homeless families.

   The concert raised money for a children's charity.

   Several charities have launched appeals after the earthquake.

2. 2noununcountable

   Money, food or other help given freely to people who need it.

   Grammar: Uncountable, and often follows live on or rely on: they lived on charity.

   Patterns

   • live on charity
   • give to charity
   • rely on charity

   After the fire, the family depended on charity for months.

   He gives a tenth of his salary to charity.

   She refused charity and insisted on paying her way.

3. 3noununcountableformal

   A kind and generous attitude that leads you to judge other people gently.

   Grammar: Used in a formal or religious style, often in the phrase with charity.

   Patterns

   • act with charity
   • show charity to someone

   Out of charity, she did not mention his mistake.

   He treated his critics with surprising charity.

   The sermon was about faith, hope and charity.

Word forms

Common combinations

donate to charity

They donate to charity every December.

raise money for charity

Students ran a marathon to raise money for charity.

registered charity

The shelter is a registered charity and publishes its accounts.

charity shop

I found a lovely coat in a charity shop.

charity begins at home

Charity begins at home, so check on your neighbors first.

Synonyms and how they differ

foundation

A foundation is usually a charity funded by a single donor or company and often gives grants rather than direct help.

donation

A donation is one gift of money, while charity can be the organization or the habit of giving.

alms

Alms is an old-fashioned word for money given to the poor and sounds out of place in modern talk.

benevolence

Benevolence names the kind attitude behind giving, and is more formal than the third sense of charity.

Opposites

Word family

charitable adjective

generous to those in need, or relating to a charity

charitably adverb

in a kind and forgiving way

uncharitable adjective

unkind or harsh in judging others

Commonly confused: charity or charisma?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “charity”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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