dole1

 
Pronunciation: /dəʊl/

noun

  • 1 [mass noun] (usually the dole) British informal benefit paid by the state to the unemployed: I was on the dole for three years [as modifier]: my next dole cheque
  • [count noun] dated a charitable gift of food, clothes, or money: the customary dole was a tumblerful of rice
  • 2 literary a person’s lot or destiny: death be his dole who worst maintains the strife

verb

[with object] (dole something out)
  • distribute shares of something: the scanty portions of food doled out to them

Origin:

Old English dāl 'division, portion, or share', of Germanic origin; related to deal1. The sense 'distribution of charitable gifts' dates from Middle English; the sense 'unemployment benefit' dates from the early 20th century