charity

charity
char‧i‧ty S3 W3 /ˈtʃærəti, ˈtʃærɪti/ noun (plural charities)1. [countable] an organization that gives money, goods, or help to people who are poor, sick etc ⇨ charitable:
    Several charities sent aid to the flood victims.
    charity event/walk/concert etc (=an event organized to collect money for a charity)
2. [uncountable] charity organizations in general:
    All the money raised by the concert will go to charity.
    for charity
    The children raised over £200 for charity.
3. [uncountable] money or gifts given to help people who are poor, sick etc:
    refugees living on charity
    Her pride wouldn’t allow her to accept charity.
4. [uncountable] formal kindness or sympathy that you show towards other people:
    Mother Teresa’s works of charity
    Newspaper reports showed him little charity.
5. charity begins at home a phrase meaning that you should take care of your own family, country etc before you help other people
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meanings 1 & 2)

■ verbs
   ▪ give something to charity I like to give a small amount of what I earn to charity.
   ▪ donate something to charity (=give something to charity) She sold all her jewellery and donated the money to charity.
   ▪ go to charity Any profit that she makes from her writing goes to charity.
   ▪ raise money/funds for charity A huge amount is raised for charity by the festival.
   ▪ support a charity (=give money to one) Do you support any charities?
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + charity
   ▪ a local charity (=one that operates near the place where you live) All the money raised goes to local charities.
   ▪ an international charity (=one that operates all over the world) The Red Cross is a well-known international charity.
   ▪ a national charity (=one that operates throughout a country) Help the Aged is a national charity representing older people.
   ▪ a cancer charity (=one that raises money to treat or cure cancer) The event raised thousands of pounds for a cancer charity.
■ charity + NOUN
   ▪ a charity shop (=one that gives the money it makes to a charity) Give your old clothes to a charity shop.
   ▪ a charity event (=one organized to collect money for a charity) She spoke at a charity event in aid of famine relief.
   ▪ a charity match/concert/show etc The band appeared at a charity concert for free.
   ▪ a charity worker (=someone who works for a charity, often without pay) Charity workers say these reforms will not help the poor.
   ▪ a charity appeal (=an act of asking people to give money to a charity) The organization is launching a charity appeal for a new air ambulance.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ organization a group of people, companies, or countries, which is set up for a particular purpose: Greenpeace is an international organization that protects the environment. | the World Health Organization
   ▪ institution a large important organization such as a bank, church, or university: The University is an important academic institution. | financial institutions such as banks
   ▪ association an organization for people in a particular profession, sport, or activity, which officially represents its members – often used in names: I met a representative of the National Association of Teachers. | the Football Association
   ▪ party an organization of people with the same political aims which you can vote for in elections: Which political party do you support? | He voted for the Republican Party’s candidate.
   ▪ body an important group of people who make the rules and advise people about what should be allowed: the sport’s governing body | The government has set up an advisory body.
   ▪ club/society an organization for people who share an interest, for example a sport: We belong to a tennis club. | I joined the university film society.
   ▪ union an organization formed by workers in order to protect their rights: The union ordered its members out on strike.
   ▪ charity an organization which collects money to help people who are poor, sick etc and does not make any profit for itself: She has raised a lot of money for local charities.
   ▪ quango British English disapproving an organization set up by the government, which has official power but whose members have not been elected: the amount of money that is wasted on government quangos