welfare

Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Financial, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

wel·fare

(wĕl′fâr′)

1. Health, happiness, and good fortune; well-being: workers concerned with the welfare of their families.

a. Financial or other aid provided, especially by the government, to people in need.

b. See welfare work.

c. See corporate welfare.

Idiom:

on welfare

Receiving regular assistance from the government or private agencies because of need.

[Middle English, from wel faren, to fare well, from Old English wel faran : wel, well; see well² + faran, to get along; see fare.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

welfare

(ˈwɛlˌfɛə)

1. health, happiness, prosperity, and well-being in general

2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy)

a. financial and other assistance given to people in need

b. (as modifier): welfare services.

3. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) Also called: welfare work plans or work to better the social or economic conditions of various underprivileged groups

4. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the welfare informal chiefly Brit the public agencies involved with giving such assistance

5. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) on welfare chiefly US and Canadian in receipt of financial aid from a government agency or other source

[C14: from the phrase wel fare; related to Old Norse velferth, German Wohlfahrt; see well¹, fare]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

wel•fare

(ˈwɛlˌfɛər)

n.

1. the good fortune, health, happiness, prosperity, etc., of a person, group, or organization; well-being.

2. welfare work.

3. financial or other assistance given to those in poverty or need; public relief.

Idioms:

on welfare, receiving financial or other assistance from the government because of poverty or need.

[1275–1325; Middle English, from phrase wel fare. See well¹, fare]

welfare

- Originally the phrase wel fare—first meaning "happiness" or "prosperity."

welfare

Money or other forms of aid provided to the needy by government.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	welfare - governmental provision of economic assistance to persons in need; "she lives on welfare" public assistance, social welfare social insurance - government provision for unemployed, injured, or aged people; financed by contributions from employers and employees as well as by government revenue relief - aid for the aged or indigent or handicapped; "he has been on relief for many years" pogey, pogy, dole - money received from the state economic aid, financial aid, aid - money to support a worthy person or cause
	2.	welfare - something that aids or promotes well-being; "for the benefit of all" benefit goodness, good - that which is pleasing or valuable or useful; "weigh the good against the bad"; "among the highest goods of all are happiness and self-realization" advantage, reward - benefit resulting from some event or action; "it turned out to my advantage"; "reaping the rewards of generosity" sake, interest - a reason for wanting something done; "for your sake"; "died for the sake of his country"; "in the interest of safety"; "in the common interest"
	3.	welfare - a contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous; "the town was finally on the upbeat after our recent troubles" eudaemonia, eudaimonia, upbeat, wellbeing, well-being fool's paradise - an illusory state of wellbeing health, wellness - a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease; "physicians should be held responsible for the health of their patients" successfulness, prosperity - the condition of prospering; having good fortune

welfare

noun

1. wellbeing, good, interest, health, security, benefit, success, profit, safety, protection, fortune, comfort, happiness, prosperity, prosperousness Above all we must consider the welfare of the children.

2. state benefit, support, benefits, pensions, dole (slang), social security, unemployment benefit, state benefits, Jobseeker's Allowance, JSA proposed cuts in welfare

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

welfare

noun

1. A state of health, happiness, and prospering:

prosperity, weal, well-being.

2. Assistance, especially money, food, and other necessities, given to the needy or dispossessed:

aid, dole, handout, public assistance, relief.

Translations

إِعَانَةٌ لـِمُتَعَطِّليـنرفاهِيَّه، صالِحضَمَانٌ اجْتِمَاعِيّمُساعَدَة إجْتِماعِيَّه

blahopodporasociální zabezpečení

arbejdsløshedsunderstøttelsebistandshjælpsocialhjælpvelvelfærd

Sozialhilfe Wohlergehen Wohlfahrt Wohl Arbeitslosenunterstützung

επίδομα ανεργίας κοινωνική ασφάλιση πρόνοια

asistencia social bienestar seguridad social social subsidio de desempleo

hyvinvointisosiaaliturvatyöttömyyskorvaus

bien-être chômage salut sécurité sociale social

novčana potporasocijalno osiguranje

állami támogatásjóllét

velferî, velmegun

benessere previdenza sociale stato assistenziale sussidio di disoccupazione assistenza infantile

失業手当社会保障

사회 보장실업 수당

vaikų globavaikų rūpybavisuotinės gerovės valstybė

labklājībasocialais pabalsts

uitkering

sosialtrygd trygdesystem utdeling vel

ubezpieczenie społeczne zasiłek dla bezrobotnych

Segurança Social auxílio desemprego bem-estar esmola previdência social

благоденствие благосостояние пособие по безработице социальное страхование

blagor

arbetslöshetsunderstödsocial trygghet

เงินที่รัฐบาลให้กับคนว่างงานทุกเดือนการประกันสังคม

afiyetrefah sağlık sosyal güvenliksosyal yardım

an sinh xã hộitiền trợ cấp thất nghiệp

幸福康乐救济金社会保障福利

welfare

[ˈwelfɛə>ʳ]

A. N

1. (= well-being) → bienestar m
physical/spiritual welfare → bienestar físico/espiritual
you've got to think about the welfare of the children → tienes que pensar en el bienestar de los niños
animal welfare → la protección de los animales
child welfare → la protección a or de la infancia

2. (= social aid) → asistencia f social
to be on welfare → recibir asistencia social
to live on welfare → vivir a cargo de la asistencia social

B. CPD [programme, provision] → de asistencia social
welfare centre, welfare center (US) N → centro m de asistencia social
welfare mother N madre que recibe asistencia social
welfare organization N → organización f de asistencia social
animal welfare organization → una organización para la protección de los animales
welfare services NPL → asistencia fsing social
welfare state N → estado m de bienestar social
welfare work N → trabajos mpl de asistencia social
welfare worker N → asistente mf social

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

welfare

[ˈwɛlfɛə^r]

(= well-being) → bien-être m

(= social security) → aide f sociale
to be on welfare → recevoir l'aide sociale

modif [system, program] → d'aide sociale; [money] → des prestations sociales; [budget, reform, cuts] → de l'aide sociale; [policy, spending] → d'aide socialewelfare check n (US) → chèque m d'allocationswelfare hotel n (US) foyer où sont hébergés temporairement les bénéficiaires de l'aide socialewelfare mother n (US) mère seule qui bénéficie de l'aide socialewelfare officer n → assistant(e) m/f social(e)welfare payments npl → prestations fpl socialeswelfare state n
the welfare state → l'État-providence mwelfare work n → travail m socialwelfare worker n → travailleur/euse m/f social(e)

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

welfare

(= wellbeing) → Wohl nt, → Wohlergehen nt

(= welfare work) → Fürsorge f, → Wohlfahrt f (dated); child welfare → Kinderfürsorge f; social welfare → soziale Fürsorge

(US: = social security) → Sozialhilfe f; to be on welfare → Sozialhilfeempfänger(in) m(f) → sein

welfare

welfare benefits

pl → Sozialleistungen pl

welfare case

n → Sozialfall m

welfare check

n (US) → Sozialhilfeüberweisung f

welfare hotel

n (US) Hotel zur vorübergehenden Unterbringung von Sozialhilfeempfängern

welfare officer

n → Sozialarbeiter(in) m(f), → Mitarbeiter(in) m(f) → des Sozialamts

welfare recipient

n (US) → Sozialhilfeempfänger(in) m(f)

welfare services

pl → soziale Einrichtungen pl

welfare state

n → Wohlfahrtsstaat m

welfare system

n → Sozialsystem nt

welfare work

n → Fürsorgearbeit f, → Wohlfahrtsarbeit f (dated)

welfare worker

n → Fürsorger(in) m(f)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

welfare

[ˈwɛlˌfɛəʳ]

1. n

a. (gen) → bene m; (comfort) → benessere m
the nation's welfare → il bene della nazione
spiritual welfare → benessere spirituale
to look after sb's welfare → preoccuparsi di qn
child welfare → protezione f dell'infanzia

b. (social aid) → assistenza sociale
they were living off welfare → vivevano del sussidio dello stato

2. adj (aid, organization) → di assistenza sociale

welfare

(ˈwelfeə) noun

1. mental and physical health; living conditions. Who is looking after the child's welfare?

2. money or aid given by government to people in need. He is on welfare; She lives on welfare; to get welfare.

ˈchild welfare noun

1. aid provided to dependent children.

2. concern for the living conditions etc of children. She has a job as a child welfare officer.

welfare state

a country which runs insurance schemes for its inhabitants, supplying them with free medical care, pensions etc.

welfare

→ إِعَانَةٌ لـِمُتَعَطِّليـن, ضَمَانٌ اجْتِمَاعِيّ podpora, sociální zabezpečení arbejdsløshedsunderstøttelse, socialhjælp Arbeitslosenunterstützung, Sozialhilfe επίδομα ανεργίας, κοινωνική ασφάλιση seguridad social, subsidio de desempleo sosiaaliturva, työttömyyskorvaus chômage, sécurité sociale novčana potpora, socijalno osiguranje previdenza sociale, sussidio di disoccupazione 失業手当, 社会保障 사회 보장, 실업 수당 uitkering trygdesystem, utdeling ubezpieczenie społeczne, zasiłek dla bezrobotnych auxílio desemprego, esmola, previdência social, segurança social пособие по безработице, социальное страхование arbetslöshetsunderstöd, social trygghet เงินที่รัฐบาลให้กับคนว่างงานทุกเดือน, การประกันสังคม sosyal güvenlik, yoksulluk yardımı an sinh xã hội, tiền trợ cấp thất nghiệp 救济金, 社会保障

welfare

n. bien, bienestar; salud; asistencia;

___ benefits → beneficios de asistencia social;

___ work → trabajo de asistencia social;

___ worker → trabajador-a social.

welfare

n bienestar m; (US, governmental assistance) asistencia social

References in classic literature ?

It has been urged and echoed, that the power "to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, to pay the debts, and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States," amounts to an unlimited commission to exercise every power which may be alleged to be necessary for the common defense or general welfare.

View in context

welfare--a welfare to which all worldly considerations are as

View in context

"Oh, nothing - nothing at all for myself individually," replied the Donkey; "but his country's welfare should be a patriot's supreme care.

View in context

The better he knew his brother, the more he noticed that Sergey Ivanovitch, and many other people who worked for the public welfare, were not led by an impulse of the heart to care for the public good, but reasoned from intellectual considerations that it was a right thing to take interest in public affairs, and consequently took interest in them.

View in context

I have written this without any definite aim in my mind, but solely to assure you of my welfare. Through Theresa I have received your message that you need an embroidered cloak to wear, so I will go and purchase one.

View in context

But I feel too deep an interest in your welfare, and too sincere an admiration of the patience with which you have borne all your trials, to say less.

View in context

He dared not do anything that would imply a stronger interest in a poor man's adopted child than could be expected from the kindliness of the young Squire, when a chance meeting suggested a little present to a simple old fellow whom others noticed with goodwill; but he told himself that the time would come when he might do something towards furthering the welfare of his daughter without incurring suspicion.

View in context

The subject speaks its own importance; comprehending in its consequences nothing less than the existence of the UNION, the safety and welfare of the parts of which it is composed, the fate of an empire in many respects the most interesting in the world.

View in context

The king's request had undoubtedly been acceded to by an affirmative sign, for in firm, sonorous accents, which vibrated in the depths of Athos's heart, the king began his speech, explaining his conduct and counseling the welfare of the kingdom.

View in context

"In the first place, though I cannot doubt your sincere interest in the young lady's welfare, I don't like your mysterious way of showing it.

View in context

The one interest that I have now left in life is my interest in your welfare and your happiness in the time to come.

View in context

Lucille shall go to Dorset House, but I warn you that I hold my life a slight thing where her welfare is concerned.