dole
UK: dəʊl | US: doʊl
n. 1. A portion or share of money, food, or other resources distributed as charity or relief.
n. 2. (Archaic) Sorrow or grief.
vt. 1. To distribute sparingly or in small portions.
dole = dol<sorrow> + e (silent)
- dol<sorrow>: From Old French dol (grief), derived from Latin dolor (pain, sorrow).
- e: A silent vowel, often added in Middle English for spelling conventions.
Etymology Origin:
The word dole traces back to Latin dolor (pain), reflecting its original sense of "sorrow." Over time, it evolved in Old French as dol, retaining the meaning of grief. In Middle English, it took on the additional sense of "distribution," likely from the idea of sharing burdens or relief during hardship. The modern usage of "dole" as a charitable distribution emerged from this dual association with sorrow and aid.
The government provides a weekly dole to unemployed citizens.
In medieval times, alms were given as a dole to the poor.
She accepted her fate with quiet dole.
The church doled out food to the hungry during the famine.
(Archaic) "He bore his dole with stoic resignation."