legal aid

American

noun

free legal service to persons unable to pay for a lawyer.

legal aid British

noun

a means-tested benefit in the form of financial assistance for persons to meet the cost of advice and representation in legal proceedings

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of legal aid

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

legal aid

The court heard that Drew was self-employed and the judge said given the serious charges he would grant legal aid.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026

One of the still incomplete recommendations made by the Office of Violence Prevention was to increase legal aid.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

Contact your local legal aid organization or your county or state bar association to ask about pro bono or reduced-fee representation.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026

There's virtually no legal aid for employment tribunals.

From BBC ● May 20, 2026

Barack activated his network of community organizers to connect us with legal aid, advocacy, and teaching opportunities.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023