1.  charity(n = noun.group) - a foundation created to promote the public good (not for assistance to any particular individuals);
is a kind of foundation
has particulars: philanthropic foundation, private foundation, public charity

2.  charity(n = noun.attribute) brotherly love - a kindly and lenient attitude toward people;
is a kind of benevolence, supernatural virtue, theological virtue

3.  charity(n = noun.act) - an activity or gift that benefits the public at large;
is a kind of gift, giving
has particulars: handout, zakat

4.  charity(n = noun.plant) greek valerian, jacob's ladder, polemonium caeruleum, polemonium van-bruntiae, polymonium caeruleum van-bruntiae - pinnate-leaved European perennial having bright blue or white flowers;
is a kind of polemonium

5.  charity(n = noun.group) - an institution set up to provide help to the needy;
is a kind of establishment, institution
has particulars: community chest, soup kitchen

1.  Love; universal benevolence; good will. [1913 Webster]
"Now abideth faith, hope, charity, three; but the greatest of these is charity." [1913 Webster]
"They, at least, are little to be envied, in whose hearts the great charities . . . lie dead." [1913 Webster]
"With malice towards none, with charity for all." [1913 Webster]

2.  Liberality in judging of men and their actions; a disposition which inclines men to put the best construction on the words and actions of others. [1913 Webster]
"The highest exercise of charity is charity towards the uncharitable." [1913 Webster]

3.  Liberality to the poor and the suffering, to benevolent institutions, or to worthy causes; generosity. [1913 Webster]
"The heathen poet, in commending the charity of Dido to the Trojans, spake like a Christian." [1913 Webster]

4.  Whatever is bestowed gratuitously on the needy or suffering for their relief; alms; any act of kindness. [1913 Webster]
"She did ill then to refuse her a charity." [1913 Webster]

5.  A charitable institution, or a gift to create and support such an institution; as, Lady Margaret's charity. [1913 Webster]

6.  Eleemosynary appointments [grants or devises] including relief of the poor or friendless, education, religious culture, and public institutions. [1913 Webster]
"The charities that soothe, and heal, and bless,
Are scattered at the feet of man like flowers." [1913 Webster]

charity, n. (pl. -ies)
1 a giving voluntarily to those in need; alms-giving. b the help, esp. money, so given.
2 an institution or organization for helping those in need.
3 a kindness, benevolence. b tolerance in judging others. c love of one's fellow men.

Idiom:
Charity Commission (in the UK) a board established to control charitable trusts.

Etymology:
OE f. OF charit{eacute} f. L caritas -tatis f. carus dear

N  giving, bestowal, bestowment, donation, presentation, presentment, accordance, concession, delivery, consignment, dispensation, communication, endowment, investment, investiture, award, almsgiving, charity, liberality, generosity, gift, donation, present, cadeau, fairing, free gift, boon, favor, benefaction, grant, offering, oblation, sacrifice, immolation, lagniappe, pilon, grace, act of grace, bonus, allowance, contribution, subscription, subsidy, tribute, subvention, bequest, legacy, devise, will, dotation, dot, appanage, voluntary settlement, voluntary conveyance, amortization, alms, largess, bounty, dole, sportule, donative, help, oblation, offertory, honorarium, gratuity, Peter pence, sportula, Christmas box, Easter offering, vail, douceur, drink money, pourboire, trinkgeld, bakshish, fee, consideration, bribe, bait, ground bait, peace offering, handsel, boodle, graft, grease, blat, giver, grantor, donor, feoffer, settlor, giving, given, allowed, allowable, concessional, communicable, charitable, eleemosynary, sportulary, tributary, gratis, donative, auctor pretiosa facit, ex dono, res est ingeniosa dare.

N  liberality, generosity, munificence, bounty, bounteousness, bountifulness, hospitality, charity, liberal, free, generous, charitable, hospitable, bountiful, bounteous, handsome, unsparing, ungrudging, unselfish, open handed, free handed, full handed, open hearted, large hearted, free hearted, munificent, princely, overpaid, handsome is that handsome does.

N  benevolence, Christian charity, God's love, God's grace, good will, philanthropy, unselfishness, good nature, good feeling, good wishes, kindness, kindliness, loving-kindness, benignity, brotherly love, charity, humanity, fellow-feeling, sympathy, goodness of heart, warmth of heart, bonhomie, kind-heartedness, amiability, milk of human kindness, tenderness, love, friendship, toleration, consideration, generosity, mercy, charitableness, bounty, almsgiving, good works, beneficence, the luxury of doing good, acts of kindness, a good turn, good offices, kind offices good treatment, kind treatment, good Samaritan, sympathizer, bon enfant, altruist, benevolent, kind, kindly, well-meaning, amiable, obliging, accommodating, indulgent, gracious, complacent, good-humored, warm-hearted, kind-hearted, tender-hearted, large-hearted, broad- hearted, merciful, charitable, beneficent, humane, benignant, bounteous, bountiful, good-natured, well-natured, spleenless, sympathizing, sympathetic, complaisant, well-meant, well-intentioned, fatherly, motherly, brotherly, sisterly, paternal, maternal, fraternal, sororal, friendly, with a good intention, with the best intentions, Int, Godspeed!, much good may it do!, act a charity sometimes, a tender heart, a will inflexible, de mortuis nil nisi bonum, say only good things about the dead, don't speak ill of the dead, kind words are more than coronets, quando amigo pide no hay manana, the social smile, the sympathetic tear.

N  pity, compassion, commiseration, bowels, of compassion, sympathy, fellow-feeling, tenderness, yearning, forbearance, humanity, mercy, clemency, leniency, charity, ruth, long- suffering, melting mood, argumentum ad misericordiam, quarter, grace, locus paenitentiae, sympathizer, advocate, friend, partisan, patron, wellwisher, pitying, pitiful, compassionate, sympathetic, touched, merciful, clement, ruthful, humane, humanitarian, tender, tender hearted, tender as a chicken, soft, soft hearted, unhardened, lenient, exorable, forbearing, melting, weak, Int, for pity's sake!, mercy!, have mercy!, cry you mercy!, God help you!, poor thing!, poor dear!, poor fellow!, woe betide!, quis talia fando temperet a lachrymiss!, one's heart bleeding for, haud ignara mali miseris succurrere disco, a fellow feeling makes one wondrous kind, onor di bocca assai giova e poco costa.

charity case, charity shot, charity throw, charity toss, public charity