deed

American  

[deed] / did /

noun

1. something that is done, performed, or accomplished; an act.

   Do a good deed every day.

2. an exploit or achievement; feat.

   brave deeds.

3. Often deeds. an act or gesture, especially as illustrative of intentions, one's character, or the like.

   Her deeds speak for themselves.

4. Law. a writing or document executed under seal and delivered to effect a conveyance, especially of real estate.

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verb (used with object)

1. to convey or transfer by deed.

deed British  

/ diːd /

noun

1. something that is done or performed; act

2. a notable achievement; feat; exploit

3. action or performance, as opposed to words

4. law a formal legal document signed, witnessed, and delivered to effect a conveyance or transfer of property or to create a legal obligation or contract

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verb

1. (tr) to convey or transfer (property) by deed

Related Words

See action.

Other Word Forms

• deedless adjective
• redeed verb (used with object)
• undeeded adjective

Etymology

Origin of deed

before 900; Middle English dede, Old English dēd, variant of dǣd; cognate with German Tat, Gothic gadēths; see do ¹

Explanation

A deed is an action that you perform with intent, like turning in a lost wallet you find in a store. Definitely a good deed. The word deed is often used to describe acts of charity but an action doesn’t have to be good to be called a deed — people go to jail for their criminal deeds. Either way, a deed is something done on purpose. It could be difficult, as anyone who after breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend later told friends, "I did the deed," will know. An unrelated meaning of deed is a legal document that shows who owns a building or land.

Example Sentences

Behar purchased the dwelling back in 2016, paying $4.75 million for the picturesque abode, having previously transferred the deed for her other Hamptons property into the name of her daughter, Eve.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

California, Texas, and Ohio use specialized transfer-on-death deeds, while Florida uses a “lady bird” deed, which also bypasses probate.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

To return to the historical evidence, the weakening of political and economic institutions is usually enough for the evil deed to be done.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

"We were there very quickly after the deed had been perpetrated," Robertson says.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

“The deed was done and word of what Prentisstown had done spread like wildfire, starting with the few who’d managed to escape. All men from Prentisstown were declared criminals. We couldn’t leave.”

From "The Knife of Never Letting Go" by Patrick Ness

Related Words

• accomplishment
• act
• action
• adventure
• fact
• feat
• reality
• truth