benefices

n. [ F. bénéfice, L. beneficium, a kindness , in LL. a grant of an estate, fr. L. beneficus beneficent; bene well + facere to do. See Benefit. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A favor or benefit. [ Obs. ] Baxter. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Feudal Law) An estate in lands; a fief. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Such an estate was granted at first for life only, and held on the mere good pleasure of the donor; but afterward, becoming hereditary, it received the appellation of fief, and the term benefice became appropriated to church livings. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An ecclesiastical living and church preferment, as in the Church of England; a church endowed with a revenue for the maintenance of divine service. See Advowson. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ All church preferments are called benefices, except bishoprics, which are called dignities. But, ordinarily, the term dignity is applied to bishoprics, deaneries, archdeaconries, and prebendaryships; benefice to parsonages, vicarages, and donatives. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Beneficed. ] To endow with a benefice. [ Commonly in the past participle. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Possessed of a benefice or church preferment. “Beneficed clergymen.” Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having no benefice. “Beneficeless precisians.” Sheldon. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

And whose beneficence no charge exhausts. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- See Benevolence. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Doing or producing good; performing acts of kindness and charity; characterized by beneficence. [ 1913 Webster ]

The beneficent fruits of Christianity. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- See Benevolent. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Relating to beneficence. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a beneficent manner; with beneficence. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. bénéficial, LL. beneficialis. ] 1. Conferring benefits; useful; profitable; helpful; advantageous; serviceable; contributing to a valuable end; -- followed by to. [ 1913 Webster ]

The war which would have been most beneficial to us. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) Receiving, or entitled to have or receive, advantage, use, or benefit; as, the beneficial owner of an estate. Kent. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. King. [ Obs. ] “A beneficial foe.” B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- See Advantage. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a beneficial or advantageous manner; profitably; helpfully. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being beneficial; profitableness. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

A feudatory or beneficiary king of England. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Bestowed as a gratuity; as, beneficiary gifts. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Beneficiaries 1. A feudatory or vassal; hence, one who holds a benefice and uses its proceeds. Ayliffe. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

The rich men will be offering sacrifice to their Deity whose beneficiaries they are. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Sp. beneficiar to benefit, to work mines. ] (Mining) To reduce (ores). -- Ben`e*fi`ci*a"tion (&unr_;), n. [1913 Webster]

a. Beneficent. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]