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View synonyms for dole

dole

1

[ dohl ]

noun

  1. a portion or allotment of money, food, etc., especially as given at regular intervals by a charity or for maintenance.

    Synonyms: pittance, share, alms

  2. a dealing out or distributing, especially in charity.
  3. a form of payment to the unemployed instituted by the British government in 1918.
  4. any similar payment by a government to an unemployed person.
  5. Archaic. one's fate or destiny.


verb (used with object)

, doled, dol·ing.
  1. to distribute in charity.
  2. to give out sparingly or in small quantities (usually followed by out ):

    The last of the water was doled out to the thirsty crew.

    Synonyms: ration, mete

dole

2

[ dohl ]

noun

, Archaic.
  1. grief or sorrow; lamentation.

Dole

3

[ dohl ]

noun

  1. Robert J(oseph), 1923–2021, U.S. politician: senator 1969–96.
  2. Sanford Ballard, 1844–1926, U.S. politician and jurist in Hawaii: president of Republic of Hawaii 1894–98; first territorial governor 1900–03.

dole

1

/ dəʊl /

noun

  1. archaic.
    grief or mourning


dole

2

/ dəʊl /

noun

  1. a small portion or share, as of money or food, given to a poor person
  2. the act of giving or distributing such portions
  3. the dole informal.
    the dole money received from the state while out of work
  4. on the dole informal.
    on the dole receiving such money
  5. archaic.
    fate

verb

  1. trusually foll byout to distribute, esp in small portions

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Word History and Origins

Origin of dole1

First recorded before 1000; Middle English dol, dal “part, subdivision,” Old English dāl, gedāl “sharing”; deal 1

Origin of dole2

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English dol, dol(e), doll from Old French duel, doel, from Late Latin dolus, for Latin dolor dolor

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Word History and Origins

Origin of dole1

C13: from Old French, from Late Latin dolus, from Latin dolēre to lament

Origin of dole2

Old English dāl share; related to Old Saxon dēl, Old Norse deild, Gothic dails, Old High German teil; see deal 1

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. on the dole, receiving payment from the government, as relief:

    They couldn't afford any luxuries while living on the dole.

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Example Sentences

Dole earned two Purple Hearts and was awarded the Bronze Star for his service, but doctors weren’t sure he’d survive.

Gunderson, in his letter, also noted he had supported Dole’s past presidential efforts and had endorsed him before being asked.

It moved on to the Senate where as the then-minority leader, Dole signed on as a co-sponsor.

While Dole, once a three-sport athlete, was initially left despondent by his injuries, he went on to speak about his disabilities openly over the years.

From Time

In many ways, Dole hoped to make himself a distant part of others survivors’ support networks, as those who came before did for him.

From Time

Sneaker and clothing brands routinely dole out buckets of dough to drape their swag over popular cultural characters.

I was also involved in the origins of the Dole Institute of Politics at Kansas University.

These labels matter, but so does our over-zealous urge to dole them out and endlessly dwell on them.

A month before the Ethics Committee vote that McConnell boasts about today, he and Dole were publicly defending Packwood.

“There can be no question that the trendiest trend of our popular culture is the return of drug use,” Dole said.

Some waited too long—waited to dole out to a frenzied public all available cash and close the doors too late for solvency.

The principle at once sets men thinking on the selfish side, and makes them dole their good deeds with a thrifty hand.

But he fished out a dole, though he was vexed at the injury to the supper.

"Then keep it, and dole it out as you like," said Sadie quickly.

I could dole out secretaryships and lordships, and never a one without getting something in return.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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