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Definition of welfare noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

welfare

noun
 
/ˈwelfeə(r)/
 
/ˈwelfer/
[uncountable]
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  1. the general health, happiness and safety of a person, an animal or a group synonym well-being
    • We are concerned about the child's welfare.
    Extra Examples
    • The government's policies will promote the welfare of all citizens.
    • people concerned about child welfare
    • Animal welfare groups want this practice banned altogether.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • animal
    • child
    • community
    verb + welfare
    • improve
    • promote
    See full entry
  2. practical or financial help that is provided, often by the government, for people or animals that need it
    • The state is still the main provider of welfare.
    • child welfare
    • a social welfare programme
    • welfare provision/services/work
    • There must be adequate welfare provision for people who are unable to work.
    see also corporate welfareTopics Social issuesb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • state
    • social
    verb + welfare
    • collect
    • receive
    • leave
    welfare + noun
    • state
    • agency
    • authorities
    preposition
    • on welfare
    See full entry
  3. (especially North American English)
    (British English usually benefit [countable, usually plural, uncountable])
    money that the government pays regularly to people who are poor, unemployed, sick, etc.
    • on welfare They would rather work than live on welfare.
    Collocations UnemploymentUnemploymentLosing your job
    • lose your job
    • (British English) become/​be made redundant
    • be offered/​take voluntary redundancy/​early retirement
    • face/​be threatened with dismissal/(British English) the sack/(British English) compulsory redundancy
    • dismiss/​fire/ (especially British English) sack an employee/​a worker/​a manager
    • lay off staff/​workers/​employees
    • (Australian English, New Zealand English, South African English) retrench workers
    • cut/​reduce/​downsize/​slash the workforce
    • (British English) make staff/​workers/​employees redundant
    Being unemployed
    • be unemployed/​out of work/​out of a job
    • seek/​look for work/​employment
    • be on/​collect/​draw/​get/​receive (both British English) unemployment benefit/​jobseeker’s allowance
    • be/​go/​live/​sign (British English, informal) on the dole
    • claim/​draw/​get (British English, informal) the dole
    • be on/​qualify for (North American English) unemployment (compensation)
    • be/​go/​live/​depend (North American English) on welfare
    • collect/​receive (North American English) welfare
    • combat/​tackle/​cut/​reduce unemployment
    Extra Examples
    • financial incentives to leave welfare
    • The new government promised to clamp down on welfare fraud.
    • The welfare check never went far enough.
    • lone parents living on welfare benefits
    • the number of families on welfare
    Topics Social issuesb2, Moneyb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • state
    • social
    verb + welfare
    • collect
    • receive
    • leave
    welfare + noun
    • state
    • agency
    • authorities
    preposition
    • on welfare
    See full entry
  4. Word OriginMiddle English: from the adverb well + the verb fare.
See welfare in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee welfare in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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