alms-deed

English

Noun

alms-deed (plural alms-deeds)

1. Alternative form of almsdeed
   • 1591, William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 3:

     Murder is thy alms-deed; petitioner for blood thou ne'er putt'st back.

   • 1775, Luis (de Granada), An Exhortation to Alms-deeds, page 84:

     Let us put in the same scale the second excellence of alms-deeds, which is, that as it brings men to a nearer resemblance with God, so it renders them dear to him, and familiar with his divine majesty, because like to him:

   • 1885, Sir Richard F. Burton (trans), Arabian Nights, in 16 volumes: Volume IV:

     A certain King once made proclamation to the people of his realm saying, "If any of you give alms of aught, I will verily and assuredly cut off his hand;" wherefore all the people abstained from alms-deed, and none could give anything to any one.