Syn: {Benevolent}, {Beneficent}.
Usage: Etymologically considered, benevolent implies wishing
well to others, and beneficent, doing well. But by
degrees the word benevolent has been widened to
include not only feelings, but actions; thus, we speak
of benevolent operations, benevolent labors for the
public good, benevolent societies. In like manner,
beneficent is now often applied to feelings; thus, we
speak of the beneficent intentions of a donor. This
extension of the terms enables us to mark nicer shades
of meaning. Thus, the phrase ``benevolent labors''
turns attention to the source of these labors, viz.,
benevolent feeling; while beneficent would simply mark
them as productive of good. So, ``beneficent
intentions'' point to the feelings of the donor as
bent upon some specific good act; while ``benevolent
intentions'' would only denote a general wish and
design to do good.