alms

/ɑːmz/ (bre, ipa) · /ɑːmz/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈä(l)mz/ (ame, mw)

alms — 名詞

1. items such as money, food, or clothing that are given freely to people who are l

1.名詞C2
釋義

施捨物；救濟品

送給窮人的食物、衣物或金錢

items such as money, food, or clothing that are given freely to people who are living in poverty, often as a religious or charitable act

例句

The temple collected alms from villagers every Sunday morning to distribute to the needy.

這間寺廟每週日上午向村民募捐施捨物，再分發給有需要的窮人。

collocation: collect alms

During the drought, the local church gave alms of rice and fish to nearby villages.

乾旱期間，當地教會將米和魚作為救濟品送給附近的村莊。

collocation: give alms of [food items]

同義詞
  • charity

    broader — can refer to any act of kindness or to an organisation, not limited to material goods given directly to the poor

  • donation

    more general — can be given to any cause or institution, not only for poverty relief

  • handout

    informal — often refers to small amounts of money or food given to someone begging on the street

  • offering

    often religious — can be money or goods given to a church or shrine, not necessarily for the poor

用法筆記

Often used in religious or historical contexts. The word is typically treated as a plural noun (e.g., 'alms are given'), but it can also function as an uncountable noun. In modern everyday speech, 'donations' or 'handouts' are more common.

常見錯誤

❌I gave alms to the Red Cross.
✅I gave a donation to the Red Cross.
💡'alms' refers specifically to giving directly to people in need, not to a charitable organisation.
❌She asked for alms at the train station.' (in modern contexts)
✅She asked for money at the train station.
💡'alms' sounds old-fashioned in present-day settings; use 'money', 'spare change', or 'handouts' instead.