welfare

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   governmental provision of economic assistance to persons in need

   They are on welfare for the sake of their children.

2. 2
   noun

   Health, safety, happiness and prosperity; well-being in any respect.

   Nothing was too small to receive attention, if a supervising eye could suggest improvements likely to conduce to the common welfare. Mr. Gordon Burnage, for instance, personally visited dust-bins and back premises, accompanied by a sort of village bailiff, going his round like a commanding officer doing billets.

3. 3
   noun

   Shortened form of "welfare spending", "welfare payments", or "welfare assistance".

   Oliveira seems to suggest that the Jews of Kiryas Joel are somehow gaming the welfare system to fund their lifestyles, while simultaneously acknowledging the high poverty rates in the town that qualify residents for programs like Medicaid.

4. 4
   verb

   To provide with welfare or aid.

   welfaring the poor

5. 5
   noun

   something that aids or promotes well-being

6. 6
   noun

   a contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous

Etymology

From Middle English welefare, probably from the Old English phrase wel faran (“to fare well, get along successfully, prosper”) (cognate with Middle Dutch welvare (“welfare”), Middle Low German wolvare (“welfare”), Middle High German wolvar, wolfar (“welfare”)). Equivalent to well + fare. Compare also West Frisian wolfeart, Dutch welvaart, German Wohlfahrt, Old Norse velferð (whence Swedish välfärd (“welfare”)). The first recorded use in the sense of "social concern for the well-being of children, the unemployed, etc." is from 1904 and in the sense of "organized effort to provide for maintenanc…