Part 607

Ben"e*fice*less (&?;), a. Having no benefice. "Beneficeless precisians." Sheldon.

Be*nef"i*cence (&?;), n. [L. beneficentia, fr. beneficus: cf. F. bénéficence. See Benefice.] The practice of doing good; active goodness, kindness, or charity; bounty springing from purity and goodness.

And whose beneficence no charge exhausts. Cowper.

Syn. -- See Benevolence.

Be*nef`i*cent (&?;), a. Doing or producing good; performing acts of kindness and charity; characterized by beneficence.

The beneficent fruits of Christianity. Prescott.

Syn. -- See Benevolent.

Be*nef`i*cen"tial (&?;), a. Relating to beneficence.

<! p. 137 !>

Be*nef"i*cent*ly (b*nf"*sent*l), adv. In a beneficent manner; with beneficence.

Ben`e*fi"cial (&?;), a. [Cf. F. bénéficial, LL. beneficialis.] 1. Conferring benefits; useful; profitable; helpful; advantageous; serviceable; contributing to a valuable end; -- followed by to.

The war which would have been most beneficial to us. Swift.

2. (Law) Receiving, or entitled to have or receive, advantage, use, or benefit; as, the beneficial owner of an estate. Kent.

3. King. [Obs.] "A beneficial foe." B. Jonson.

Syn. -- See Advantage.

Ben`e*fi"cial*ly, adv. In a beneficial or advantageous manner; profitably; helpfully.

Ben`e*fi"cial*ness, n. The quality of being beneficial; profitableness.

Ben`e*fi"ci*a*ry (&?;), a. [Cf. F. bénéficiaire, LL. beneficiarius.] 1. Holding some office or valuable possession, in subordination to another; holding under a feudal or other superior; having a dependent and secondary possession.

A feudatory or beneficiary king of England. Bacon.

2. Bestowed as a gratuity; as, beneficiary gifts.

Ben`e*fi"ci*a*ry, n.; pl. Beneficiaries (&?;). 1. A feudatory or vassal; hence, one who holds a benefice and uses its proceeds. Ayliffe.

2. One who receives anything as a gift; one who receives a benefit or advantage; esp. one who receives help or income from an educational fund or a trust estate.

The rich men will be offering sacrifice to their Deity whose beneficiaries they are. Jer. Taylor.

Ben`e*fi"ci*ate (&?;), v. t. [Sp. beneficiar to benefit, to work mines.] (Mining) To reduce (ores). -- Ben`e*fi`ci*a"tion (&?;), n.

Ben`e*fi"cient (&?;), a. Beneficent. [Obs.]

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.