Obs. 5–6; also 6 almoys(e, almoise, almos. [A literary variant of ALMS, affected by many writers, chiefly ecclesiastical, in 16th c.; apparently a partial refashioning of a·lmesse, a·lmes, after med.L. elimosina, perhaps owing something to the contemporary northern ALMOUS, and (especially Sir T. More’s almoise, almoyse) to the late Anglo-Fr. almosne, almoisne of the law-books.]

1

  1.  = ALMS 1.

2

1528.  More, Heresyes, IV. Wks. 1557, 263/2. Good workes, almoyse, fastyng.

3

1535.  Joye, Apol. Tindale, 43. Releifed by their dayly almose.

4

c. 1550.  Cheke, Matt. vi. 2. When yow givest ýin almos.

5

1559.  Bk. Comm. Prayer, Pr. for Ch. Mil. We humbly beseche the most mercifully to accepte our almose [1604 alms].

6

1562.  Turner, Baths, 14 b. Clenge thyne herte from al synne and deal almoys.

7

1578.  Florio, 1st Frutes, 73 b. To doo almose unto the poore.

8

  b.  sing. with pl. almoses = ALMS 1 b.

9

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 431/1. He … gafe for god largelye almoses to ye blynde.

10

1553–87.  Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 1075/2. All the praiers, suffragies, almoses, fastinges.

11

  2.  fig. = ALMS 2.

12

1513.  More, Rich. III., Wks. 1557, 44/2. It wer almoise to hange them. Ibid. (1532), Confut. Tindale, Wks. 1557, 446/1. [They] be burned vp & fal as flatte to ashen as it were almoyse all obstinate heretiques dyd.

13

  3.  Comb.: see ALMS 4.

14