See Also: welfare(1)(dictionary)
welfare(dictionary)
welfare(encyclopedia)
Welfare(finance)
welfare(2)(dictionary)
welfare state(dictionary)
welfare state(encyclopedia)
welfare economics(encyclopedia)
welfare (as used in expressions)(encyclopedia)
Social welfare(medicine)

welfare(2) (iou)



welfare noun. ME.
[Contr. of well fare, from WELL adverb + FARE verb.]
Happiness, well-being, good health or fortune, (of a person, community, etc.); successful progress, prosperity. ME.
D. Jacobson He enquires..after Amnon's welfare..He is fine, he assures David. R. Dawkins Admire those who put the welfare of others first.
A source of well-being or happiness. Only in LME.
b. Good cheer; extravagant living or entertainment. LME-L16.
a. Organized provision for the basic (esp. physical and economic) well-being of needy members of a community; financial support for this. E20.
b. ellipt. (Usu. Welfare.) (The officials of) a welfare department or office. E20.
D. Lessing She asked Welfare if Aurora could go to a council nursery.
c. Benefit paid by the State to people in need. Orig. US. M20.
on welfare, on the welfare receiving financial assistance from the State for basic living needs.
Attrib. & comb.: In the senses 'pertaining to or concerned with the welfare of (workers, the poor, etc.)', 'provided by the State for the needy', as welfare benefit, welfare centre, welfare cheque, welfare clinic, welfare department, welfare office, welfare policy, welfare service, welfare worker, etc. Special combs., as welfare capitalism a capitalist system combining a desire for profits with concern for the welfare of employees; welfare hotel US: providing temporary accommodation for people on welfare; welfare roll N. Amer. a list of people entitled to State welfare benefits; welfare state (a country practising) a system whereby the State provides services, grants, allowances, pensions, etc., to protect the health and well-being of citizens, esp. those in need; welfare statism (orig. US) the social conditions or organization associated with a welfare state; welfare work organized effort for the welfare of the poor, disabled, or disadvantaged.
welfarism noun (orig. US) the principles or policies associated with a welfare state, welfare-statism M20.
welfarist noun (a) a person concerned with welfare, esp. that of animals; (b) (orig. US) a person who supports the principles or policies associated with a welfare state (freq. attrib.): M20.