charity

Everyday

1. A charity is an organisation that collects money and help for people or animals in need. tree →
2. Charity is giving money, food or help to people who need it. tree →
3. Charity can mean kindness in judging other people. tree →

In the lessons

In school life pupils raise money for charity with cake sales, fun runs, dressing-up days and sponsored events. In PSHE lessons charity means caring for others. In maths pupils total money raised for charity. Phrases: for charity, give to charity, charity shop, charity event, raise money for charity.

Examples

• We raised fifty pounds for charity. tree →
• Our school held a fun run for charity. tree →
• She gives old toys to the charity shop. tree →
• The charity helps homeless dogs. tree →
• Lots of charities help after floods. tree →
• He did a sponsored walk for a children's charity. tree →
• Charity begins at home. tree →
• It's pure charity that she is here at all. tree →

Note

Plural: charities (y becomes ies). Countable as an organisation (two charities), uncountable as giving (give to charity). «Charity shop» is British; in the USA it is a «thrift store». Safety: real charities are registered — be careful of strangers collecting money.

Early Modern English

Meaning

Goodwill toward others, or a kind act done freely for someone in need. tree →

Then and now

Today charity usually means an organisation that collects money, or giving money to the poor. The old sense is love and kindness toward others, and all three sentences use that old sense, including "charity school" and "of your charity."

Examples

• It's pure charity that she is here at all. (Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen) tree →
• In a charity school, among the children, sat a little Jewish girl. (Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen) tree →
• ‘All hail!’ said the girl. ‘I have come, of your charity, to ask your help!’ (The Pink Fairy Book) tree →

Note

Today: kindness, love.