[f. ALMS + DEED, from the early phrase to do alms.]
1. An act of almsgiving; a deed of charity to the poor, especially as a religious good work.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 107. Ȝif þe ȝunge bið butan hersumnesse, and þe richen butan elmesdedan.
c. 1340. Hampole, Prose Tr. (1866), 11. To helpe þaire sawles with almous dedes and prayers.
c. 1450. Merlin, 94. And dide many faire almesse dedes.
a. 1564. Becon, Art. Chr. Rel. (1844), 468. Thy almose-deeds and thy prayers are come up into heaven.
1611. Bible, Acts ix. 36. This woman was full of good works and almes deeds.
1875. Stubbs, Const. Hist., III. xxi. 600. Almsdeeds were always regarded as a religious duty.
† 2. The practice of almsgiving, charity. Obs.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 207. He haueð ofte forlete almesdede.
c. 1315. Shoreham, 37. Almesdede senne quenketh, Ase water that fer aquencheth.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Man of Law’s T., 1058. In vertu and in holy almes-dede They lyven alle.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, lvi. 50. Mochel almesdede ded he trewly.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., V. v. 79. Murther is thy Almesdeed; Petitioners for Blood thou ne’re put’st back.
† 3. A meritorious action, a good work = ALMS 2.
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, IV. v. (1554), 103/b. They dempte it was an almesse dede To set theyr londe in quiet.
1519. Horman, Vulgaria. It is an almesdede to help the chevalry of Rhodes agaynst the Turkes.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, III. 10. It were an alms deed to leave him there.
