a. and sb.; also 6 benyfycyal(l, bunfycyal, beneficiall. [a. F. bénéficial, ad. L. beneficiāl-em, f. beneficium: see -AL.]
A. adj. † 1. = BENEFICENT. Obs.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 244. Whome … thou hast founde moost … redy helper, and moost beneficiall lorde.
1552. Robinson, trans. More’s Utop. (Arb.), 129. Other to whome they haue bene beneficiall, they call their frendes.
1593. Bilson, Govt. Christ’s Ch., 301. You are so liberall and beneficiall.
1658. A. Fox, Würtz’ Surg., I. ii. 3. we ought to be beneficial to our neighbours.
2. Of benefit; advantageous, serviceable, profitable.
1494. Fabyan, Hen. III., an. 1262 (R.). To deuise suche thynges as might be benyfycyall for the cytie.
1593. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., I. ii. § 4. Not that anything is made to be beneficial unto Him.
1604. Shaks., Oth., II. ii. 7. Besides these beneficiall Newes, it is the Celebration of his Nuptiall.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. I. 76. He was so entirely devoted to what would be Beneficial to the King.
1732. Arbuthnot, Rules of Diet, 346. Diluents with nitrous Salts are beneficial.
1876. Green, Short Hist., ii. 83. No measures could have been more beneficial to the kingdom at large.
† b. Profitable in a pecuniary sense, lucrative.
1526. Tindale, Acts xix. 19. Not a litell beneficiall vnto the craftes men.
1647. R. Stapylton, Juvenal, 48. Officers, that make use of their authority to monopolise all beneficiall places and good bargaines.
1830. Galt, Lawrie T. (1849), II. iii. 50. Finding me a beneficial customer.
3. Law. † a. Of or pertaining to a benefice; having a benefice, beneficed. Obs.
1592. Act James VI. (1814), 573 (Jam.). The occasion thairof is the directioun of lettrez of horning in beneficiall materis generallie.
1660. R. Coke, Power & Subj., 230. Any person … not being beneficiall, or having any spirituall promotion.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist. (1876), II. x. 236 (in Ogilvie). An engagement was tendered to all civil officers and beneficial clergy.
b. Of or pertaining to the usufruct of property: enjoying the usufruct.
1844. J. Williams, Real Prop. Law (1877), 162. He is the beneficial owner of the property.
1863. Keble, Bp. Wilson, v. 168. Such a formal surrender as should secure … the lord’s beneficial interest in them.
1868. Rogers, Pol. Econ., ix. 87. The beneficial lessees of the various monastic corporations.
B. sb. ? A letter presenting to a benefice; a presentation. (Johnson says ‘A benefice.’)
1591. Spenser, M. Hubberd, 486. How to a Benefice he might aspire. ‘Marie, there (said the Priest) is arte indeed … For that the grourd-worke is, and end of all, How to obtain a Beneficiall.
