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dole 1 (dōl)
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n.
1. The distribution by the government of relief payments to the unemployed.
2. A share of money, food, or clothing that has been charitably given: increasing the monthly dole given to poor families.
3. Archaic One's fate.
tr.v. doled, dol·ing, doles
To give out, especially in portions or shares; allot or distribute. Often used with out: The mayor doled out jobs to those who had supported him in the election. See Synonyms at distribute.
Idiom:
on the dole
Receiving regular relief payments from or as if from the government.

[Middle English dol, part, share, from Old English dāl; see dail- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
dole 2 (dōl)
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n.
Archaic
Sorrow; grief; dolor.

[Middle English dol, from Old French dol, deul, from Late Latin dolus, from Latin dolēre, to feel pain, grieve.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
Dole (dōl), Robert Joseph Known as "Bob." Born 1923.
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American politician who served as a US representative (1961-1969) and senator (1969-1996) from Kansas. He ran as vice president in Gerald Ford's unsuccessful presidential campaign (1976) and was the Republican presidential nominee in the 1996 election.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.