dole1

[dohl] /doʊl/
noun
1.
a portion or allotment of money, food, etc., especially as given at regular intervals by a charity or for maintenance.
2.
a dealing out or distributing, especially in charity.
3.
a form of payment to the unemployed instituted by the British government in 1918.
4.
any similar payment by a government to an unemployed person.
5.
Archaic. one's fate or destiny.
verb (used with object), doled, doling.
6.
to distribute in charity.
7.
to give out sparingly or in small quantities (usually followed by out):
The last of the water was doled out to the thirsty crew.
Idioms
8.
on the dole, receiving payment from the government, as relief:
They couldn't afford any luxuries while living on the dole.
Origin
before 1000; Middle English dol, Old English gedāl sharing; cf. deal1
Synonyms
1. share, pittance. 7. ration.

dole2

[dohl] /doʊl/
noun, Archaic.
1.
grief or sorrow; lamentation.
Origin
1200-50; Middle English do(e)l < Anglo-French, Old French < Late Latin dolus, for Latin dolor dolor

Dole

[dohl] /doʊl/
noun
1.
Robert J(oseph) born 1923, U.S. politician: senator 1969–96.
2.
Sanford Ballard, 1844–1926, U.S. politician and jurist in Hawaii: president of Republic of Hawaii 1894–98; first territorial governor 1900–03.
Examples from the web for dole
  • Of course, not every family can afford to dole out a weekly allowance.
  • We know the state officials who dole out economic-development money.
  • Scientists on the dole are pressured to produce the benefactor specified line.
  • However, some attendees who paid full price grumbled about having to dole out more cash for some of the experiences.
  • Shell has chosen to dole out the windfall as fat dividends.
  • Since his country struck oil, he has had a lot of cash to dole out.
  • Unfortunately people that pay their own bills are to poor to have insurance and to proud to be on the dole.
  • We are also going to dole out little bits of the mystery over the course of a long period of time.
  • Big pharma knows this and the lobbyists dole out money to politicians to affect laws accordingly.
  • New vending machines at clinics, hospitals, and eventually corner stores will dole out prescription drugs.
British Dictionary definitions for dole

dole1

/dəʊl/
noun
1.
a small portion or share, as of money or food, given to a poor person
2.
the act of giving or distributing such portions
3.
(Brit, informal) the dole, money received from the state while out of work
4.
(Brit, informal) on the dole, receiving such money
5.
(archaic) fate
verb
6.
(transitive) usually foll by out. to distribute, esp in small portions
Word Origin
Old English dāl share; related to Old Saxon dēl, Old Norse deild, Gothic dails, Old High German teil; see deal1

dole2

/dəʊl/
noun
1.
(archaic) grief or mourning
Word Origin
C13: from Old French, from Late Latin dolus, from Latin dolēre to lament
Word Origin and History for dole
n.

Old English dal "state of being divided; sharing, giving out," shortened from gedal "portion," related to dæl "deal," from Proto-Germanic *dailiz (cf. Old Frisian and Old Saxon del, Middle Dutch deil, Dutch deel, Old High German teil, German Teil). On the dole is 1920s.

v.

"hand out charity," mid-15c., from dole (n.). Doled; doling.