Definition of "charity"

charity

/ˈtʃæɹɪti/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural charities
1. (countable) An organization, the objective of which is to carry out a charitable purpose.
  Quotations
  ‘[…] I remember a lady coming to inspect St. Mary's Home where I was brought up and seeing us all in our lovely Elizabethan uniforms we were so proud of, and bursting into tears all over us because “it was wicked to dress us like charity children”. […]’.
  1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 6, in The China Governess‎
2. (countable) The goods or money given to those in need.
3. (uncountable) Benevolence to others less fortunate than ourselves; the providing of goods or money to those in need.
4. In general, an attitude of kindness and understanding towards others, now especially suggesting generosity.
  Quotations
  Judge thyself with the judgment of sincerity, and thou witl judge others with the judgment of charity.
  July 20, 1677, John Mitchell Mason, letter to a friend
5. (archaic, Christianity) Christian love; representing God's love of man, man's love of God, or man's love of his fellow-men.
  Quotations
  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], 1 Corinthians 13:4-5
6. (US, Philippines, basketball, informal) A free throw.