1. Philanthropie.
2. Compassion.
ETYM French charité from Latin caritas dearness, high regard, love, from carus dear, costly, loved; asin to Skr. kam to wish, love, cf. Irish cara a friend, W. caru to love. Related to Caress.
1. A foundation created to promote the public good (not for assistance to any particular individuals).
2. A kindly and lenient attitude toward people; SYN. brotherly love.
3. An activity or gift that benefits the public at large.
4. An institution set up to provide help to the needy.
Originally a Christian term meaning a selfless, disinterested form of love. This developed to include almsgiving or other actions performed by individuals to help the poor and needy. Today it refers to any independent agency (for example, Oxfam) that organizes such relief on a regular basis.
1. An announcement distributed to members of the press in order to supplement or replace an oral presentation; SYN. press release, release.
2. Giving money or food or clothing to a needy person.
3. Printed material given to students or other people to provide them with important information.
ETYM Latin indulgentia: cf. French indulgence.
1. A disposition to yield to the wishes of someone; SYN. lenience, leniency.
2. An inability to resist the gratification of whims and desires; SYN. self-indulgence.
3. The act of indulging or gratifying a desire; SYN. indulging, pampering, humoring, pleasing.
Former Catholic pardon granted for remission of punishment for sins.
In the Roman Catholic Church, the total or partial remission of temporal punishment for sins that remain to be expiated after penitence and confession have secured exemption from eternal punishment. The doctrine of indulgence began as the commutation of church penances in exchange for suitable works of charity or money gifts to the church, and became a great source of church revenue. This trade in indulgences roused Martin Luther in 1517 to initiate the Reformation. The Council of Trent 1563 recommended moderate retention of indulgences, and they continue, notably in “Holy Years”.