† almose Obs.
5–6. Also 6 almoys(e, almoise, almos.
[A literary variant of alms, affected by many writers, chiefly ecclesiastical, in 16th c.; apparently a partial refashioning of ˈalmesse, ˈalmes, after med.L. elimosina, perhaps owing something to the contemporary northern almous, and (especially Sir T. More's almoise, almoyse) to the late Anglo-Fr. almosne, almoisne of the lawbooks.]
1. = alms 1.
| 1528 More Heresyes iv. Wks. 1557, 263/2 Good workes, almoyse, fastyng. 1535 Joye Apol. Tindale 43 Releifed by their dayly almose. c 1550 Cheke Matt. vi. 2 When yow givest {yacu}in almos. 1559 Bk. Comm. Prayer, Pr. for Ch. Mil., We humbly beseche the most mercifully to accepte our almose [1604 alms]. 1562 Turner Baths 14 b, Clenge thyne herte from al synne and deal almoys. 1578 Florio 1st Frutes 73 b, To doo almose unto the poore. |
b. sing. with pl. almoses = alms 1 b.
| 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 431/1, He..gafe for god largelye almoses to y⊇ blynde. 1553–87 Foxe A. & M. (1596) 1075/2 All the praiers, suffragies, almoses, fastinges. |
2. fig. = alms 2.
| 1513 More Rich. III, Wks. 1557, 44/2 It wer almoise to hange them. 1532 ― Confut. Tindale Wks. 1557, 446/1 [They] be burned vp & fal as flatte to ashen as it were almoyse all obstinate heretiques dyd. |
3. Comb.: see alms 4.