Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BEN'E-DICT, a. [L. benedictus.]

Having mild and salubrious qualities. [Not in use.] Bacon.

BE-NE-DIC'TINE, a.

Pertaining to the order or monks of St. Benedict, or St. Benet.

BEN-E-DIC'TINES, n.

An order of monks, who profess to follow the rules of St. Benedict; an order of great celebrity. They wear a loose black gown, with large wide sleeves, and a cowl on the head, ending in a point. In the canon law, they are called Black friars.

BEN-E-DIC'TION, n. [L. benedictio, from bene, well, and dictio, speaking. See Boon and Diction.]

1. The act of blessing; a giving praise to God or rendering thanks for his favors; a blessing pronounced; hence, grace before and after meals.
2. Blessing, prayer, or kind wishes, uttered in favor of any person or thing; a solemn or affectionate invocation of happiness; thanks; expression of gratitude.
3. The advantage conferred by blessing. Bacon.
4. The loan of instituting an abbot, answering to the consecration of a bishop. Ayliffe.
5. The external ceremony performed by a priest in the office of matrimony is called the nuptial benediction. Encyc.
6. In the Romish Church, an ecclesiastical ceremony by which a thing is rendered sacred or venerable. Encyc.

BEN-E-DIC'TIVE, a.

Tending to bless; giving a blessing. Gauden.

BEN-E-FAC'TION, n. [L. benefacio, of bene, well, and facio, to make or do.]

1. The act of conferring a benefit. More generally,
2. A benefit conferred, especially a charitable donation. Atterbury.

BEN-E-FAC'TOR, n.

He who confers a benefit, especially one who makes charitable contributions either for public institutions or for private use.

BEN-E-FAC'TRESS, n.

A female who confers a benefit. Delany.

BEN'E-FICE, n. [L. beneficium; Fr. benefice. See Benefaction.]

1. Literally, a benefit, advantage or kindness. But in present usage, an ecclesiastical living; a church endowed with a revenue, for the maintenance of divine service, or the revenue itself. All church preferments are called benefices, except bishoprics, which are called dignities. But ordinarily, the term dignity is applied to bishoprics, deaneries, arch-deaconries, and prebendaries; and benefice, to parsonages, vicarages, and donatives. Encyc.
2. In the middle ages, benefice was used for a fee, or an estate in lands, granted at first for life only, and held ex mero beneficio of the donor. The estate afterward becoming hereditary, took the appellation of feud, and benefice became appropriated to church livings. Encyc.

BEN'E-FIC-ED, a.

Possessed of a benefice or church preferment. Ayliffe.

BEN'E-FICE-LESS, a.

Having no benefice. [Not used.] Sheldon.

BE-NEF'I-CENCE, n. [L. beneficentia, from the participle of benefacio.]

The practice of doing good; active goodness, kindness, or charity.

BE-NEF'I-CENT, a.

Doing good; performing acts of kindness and charity. It differs from benign, as the act from the disposition; beneficence being benignity or kindness exerted in action. Johnson.

BE-NEF'I-CENT-LY, adv.

In a beneficent manner.

BEN-E-FI'CIAL, a.

1. Advantageous; conferring benefits; useful; profitable; helpful; contributing to a valuable end; followed by to; as, industry is beneficial to the body, as well as to the property.
2. Receiving or entitled to have or receive advantage, use or benefit; as, the beneficial owner of an estate. Kent.

BEN-E-FI'CIAL-LY, adv.

Advantageously; profitably; helpfully.

BEN-E-FI'CIAL-NESS, n.

Usefulness; profitableness. Hale.

BEN-E-FI'CIA-RY, a. [L. beneficiarius. See Benefaction.]

Holding some office or valuable possession, in subordination to another; having a dependent and secondary possession. Bacon.

BEN-E-FI'CIA-RY, n.

1. One who holds a benefice. A beneficiary is not the proprietor of the revenues of his church; but he has the administration of them, without being accountable to any person. The word was used, in the middle ages, for a feudatory, or vassal. Encyc.
2. One who receives any thing as a gift, or is maintained by charity. Blackstone.

BEN-E-FI'CIEN-CY, n.

Kindness or favor bestowed. Brown.

BEN-E-FI'CIENT, a.

Doing good. Adam Smith.

BEN'E-FIT, n. [Primarily from L. beneficium, or benefactum; but perhaps directly from the Fr. bienfait, by corruption.]

1. An act of kindness; a favor conferred. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Ps. ciii.
2. Advantage; profit; a word of extensive use, and expressing whatever contributes to promote prosperity and personal happiness, or add value to property. Men have no right to what is not for their benefit. Burke.
3. In law, benefit of clergy. [See Clergy.]

BEN'E-FIT, n.

A play, the proceeds of which are for a particular person.

BEN'E-FIT, v.i.

To gain advantage; to make improvement; as, he has benefited by good advice; that is, he has been benefited.

BEN'E-FIT, v.t.

To do good to; to advantage; to advance in health, or prosperity; applied either to persons or thing, as, exercise benefits health; trade benefits a nation.