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BENEVOLENCE
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I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
An act intending or showing kindness and good will
Synonyms:
benefaction; benevolence
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("benevolence" is a kind of...):
benignity; kindness (a kind act)
Derivation:
benevolent (intending or showing kindness)
Sense 2
Meaning:
An inclination to do kind or charitable acts
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("benevolence" is a kind of...):
kindness (the quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "benevolence"):
brotherly love; charity (a kindly and lenient attitude toward people)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Disposition to do good
Classified under:
Nouns denoting feelings and emotions
Hypernyms ("benevolence" is a kind of...):
love (a strong positive emotion of regard and affection)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "benevolence"):
beneficence (doing good; feeling beneficent)
Antonym:
malevolence (wishing evil to others)
Context examples:
You judged from your knowledge of the Colonel's general benevolence; but at least you could not foresee that the opportunity would so very soon occur.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
But, instead of proposals for conquering that magnanimous nation, I rather wish they were in a capacity, or disposition, to send a sufficient number of their inhabitants for civilizing Europe, by teaching us the first principles of honour, justice, truth, temperance, public spirit, fortitude, chastity, friendship, benevolence, and fidelity.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
I was not sure of the existence of one virtue in her nature: I had marked neither modesty, nor benevolence, nor candour, nor refinement in her mind or manners—and, I married her:—gross, grovelling, mole-eyed blockhead that I was!
(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)
Far from comprehending him or his sister in their father's misconduct, Mrs. Morland had been always kindly disposed towards each, and instantly, pleased by his appearance, received him with the simple professions of unaffected benevolence; thanking him for such an attention to her daughter, assuring him that the friends of her children were always welcome there, and entreating him to say not another word of the past.
(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)
Miss Mills, with an air of superior wisdom and benevolence, smiled upon us.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
If any being felt emotions of benevolence towards me, I should return them a hundred and a hundredfold; for that one creature’s sake I would make peace with the whole kind!
(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)
The trouble and expense of it to them would be nothing, compared with the benevolence of the action.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
They were alike too, in a general benevolence of temper, and a strong habit of regard for every old acquaintance.
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
Personally, I was with Challenger, who was in a beatific humor, moving about as one in a silent ecstasy and beaming benevolence from every feature.
(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
It was quite out of the benevolence of her heart, that she had asked these young women to her house; merely because she thought they deserved some attention, were harmless, well-behaved girls, and would be pleasant companions; for otherwise we both wished very much to have invited you and Marianne to be with us, while your kind friend there, was attending her daughter.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
