(northern dialect beadus Welsh Bettws), originally a house of prayer, hence an alms-house, the inmates of which were to pray for the soul of the…

A house or place for the reception of the indigent or diseased; a charitable foundation for this purpose, esp. one chiefly occupied by persons of…

= sense 1.

A hospital, a hospice; a home for the poor.

Originally: a house for the accommodation or support of the poor or needy; esp. a house (often one of a group) established for this purpose in a…

A charitable institution for the housing and maintenance of the needy; an asylum for the destitute, infirm, or aged. Obsolete except in English…

An almshouse. Now historical.

A hospitable institution or foundation; a hospital (sense 2). In quot. 1571, ? Hospitable institutions generally. Obsolete. rare.

Usually as two words or with hyphen. A building for housing the poor; an almshouse; a workhouse. Now historical and rare (U.S. regional (Connecticut)…

A hospital, a poorhouse. Obsolete.

plural. Applied to almshouses founded by a specified person. Obsolete.

A charitable foundation of the collegiate type; a hospital, asylum, or almshouse founded to provide residence and maintenance for poor or decayed…

A benevolent institution affording shelter and support to some class of the afflicted, the unfortunate, or destitute; e.g. an asylum for the…

A house of rest and entertainment for pilgrims, travellers, or strangers, esp. one belonging to a religious order, as those of the monks of St…

any of various types of communal residences; (now) spec. a supervised, communal residence for a small number of individuals who cannot live…

A hostel for the needy or disabled; a poorhouse; a local relief centre or welfare office. Now chiefly historical.