What does dole mean?
The word 'dole' has two principal uses. As a noun, it denotes money or food distributed to people in need, whether by a charity, an institution, or the state; in British English it is the standard informal name for unemployment benefit, so that being unemployed is commonly described as being 'on the dole', and looking for work as queuing at the dole office. As a verb — almost always in the phrase 'dole out' — it means to distribute something in portions, frequently with an implication that the giving is measured, grudging, or inadequate: a committee might dole out small grants, or a teacher dole out praise sparingly. The word descends from Old English 'dāl', meaning a share or division, making it a sibling of the common verb 'deal'. Its long history gives it both practical currency and a faintly old-fashioned, institutional flavour.
Money or food given out as charity or state aid, especially to those who are poor or unemployed.
"The parish records list every family that received a weekly dole of bread."
In British English, 'the dole' specifically means unemployment benefit.
To distribute in portions, especially sparingly (usually 'dole out').
"She doled out the sweets one at a time to make them last."
Rarely pluralised; the plural appears mainly when referring to multiple separate distributions or grants.
"The monastery's doles of bread fed hundreds through the winter."
In medieval England, a 'dole' was literally bread handed out at church doors — which is why centuries later Britons still call unemployment benefit 'the dole'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dole
'Dole' comes from Old English 'dāl', meaning a portion or division, derived from the Germanic root behind the verb 'dælan', 'to divide' — the same root that produced the modern word 'deal'. The sense of a charitable distribution arose in the Middle Ages, when churches handed out alms in fixed portions, and by the early twentieth century the term was firmly attached to state unemployment benefit in Britain. Cognates appear across the Germanic languages, including Dutch 'deel' and German 'Teil'.
Related word forms
How dole is actually used
In British English 'the dole' is a well-established informal term for unemployment benefit, neutral in everyday use though sometimes carrying connotations of dependency in political rhetoric. In American English the noun is less common, appearing mainly in historical or formal contexts about relief distributions. The verb is almost always used with the particle 'out' ('dole out'), often implying small or reluctant quantities.
Easily confused with dole
'Dole' is money given as aid or a portion distributed, while 'doll' is a small model of a human figure used as a toy.