a. Also 5 benvolent, 5–6 benyuolente, 6 beneuolent. [a. OF. benivolent, benvolent, ad. L. bene volent-em, f. bene well + volent-em wishing, willing, pr. pple. of velle to will, wish: see prec.]
1. Of the general frame or habit of mind: Desirous of the good of others, of a kindly disposition, charitable, generous.
1482. Monk of Evesham (Arb.), 75. Redy and benyuolente to alle men whilys he leuyd.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. N. T., Pref. 5. Our beneuolent loue and affeccion.
1725. Pope, Odyss., III. 456. Beloued old man! benevolent as wise.
1781. J. Moore, View Soc. It. (1790), I. xxxix. 424. The mild precepts of a benevolent religion.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 406. A small body of sages had turned away with benevolent disdain from the conflict.
b. transf. of things: Kindly, fostering.
1677. Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., 306. The benevolent Heat of the Sun hath a great influence thereupon.
2. With the literal force of the Latin bene volens: Well-wishing, well-disposed to, unto (another).
1502. Arnold, Chron. (1811), 161. A thinge … for the which wee shal [be] more ben volent unto thy Holynesse.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., XX. v. She [Sapience] is to man ryght benyvolent.
1667. Milton, P. L., VIII. 65. Raphael now … Benevolent and facil thus repli’d.
† 3. quasi-sb. = BENEVOLENCE 3. Obs. (? error.)
a. 1639. Spottiswood, Hist. Ch. Scot., VII. (1677), 541. The Noblemen … made offer to give a benevolent according to their abilities.
