Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: WELFARE

Date: 1300-1400
Language: Anglo-French
Origin: ben fet, from Latin bene factum, from bene factus; BENEFACTION

benefit

1 noun
     
ben‧e‧fit1 S3 W1
1

advantage

[uncountable and countable] an advantage, improvement, or help that you get from somethingCOLLOCATIONS COLLOCATIONS
be of benefit (to somebody) (=be useful to someone) have the benefit of something get/gain/derive benefit (from something) reap the benefits (of something) (=enjoy the advantages of something) the full benefit (of something) for somebody's benefit be to the benefit of somebody mutual benefit (=useful to two or more people) with/without the benefit (of something) (=using/not using something) economic/financial/social benefits health benefits something outweighs the benefits of something (=something is more important than the benefits)
benefit of
the benefits of contact lenses
The new credit cards will be of great benefit to our customers.
I never had the benefit of a university education.
We want him to get maximum benefit from the course.
We're just beginning to reap the benefits of all our hard work.
You need to spend at least a week there to get the full benefit.
Could you just explain again for Mark's benefit?
I hope that the decision taken today will be to the benefit of the whole nation.
My proposition, I assure you, would be to our mutual benefit.
Most motorists manage without the benefit of four-wheel drive.
the airport's economic benefit to the region
the health benefits of moderate wine consumption
How does one decide whether the economic costs of regulation will outweigh the economic benefits?
2

money from government

[uncountable and countable] British EnglishPEW money provided by the government to people who are sick, unemployed, or have little money [= welfare American English]
unemployment/housing/child etc benefit
You might be entitled to housing benefit.
on benefit
families on benefit
those people eligible to claim benefit
3

extra things

[countable usually plural]BFI extra money or other advantages that you get as part of your job or from insurance that you have:
We offer an excellent benefits package.
medical benefits
 ➔ fringe benefit
4

give somebody the benefit of the doubt

to accept what someone tells you even though you think they may be wrong or lying, but you cannot be sure:
The referee gave him the benefit of the doubt.
5

with the benefit of hindsight/experience

used to say it is easier to know the right thing to do after something has happened or if you have a lot of experience:
He admitted that with the benefit of hindsight the original launch had not been large enough.
6

benefit concert/performance/match

a concert, performance etc arranged to make money for charity:
a benefit concert for famine relief
Definition of benefit from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic WELFARE
Word of the Day
The WELFARE
Word of the Day is:
sickness benefit

Other related topics