poor law

American  

noun

1. a law or system of laws providing for the relief or support of poor people at public expense.

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poor law British  

noun

1. English history a law providing for the relief or support of the poor from public, esp parish, funds

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Etymology

Origin of poor law

First recorded in 1745–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

poor law

She was elected to the Nantwich Board of Guardians, who administered the poor law, and also travelled around the country speaking for the ILP.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2023

Corruption, poor law enforcement and armed conflict have left West and Central Africa vulnerable to international criminals and made the region a hotbed of ivory and pangolin scale trafficking to Asia in recent years.

From Reuters ● Dec. 13, 2021

The poor law, established in 1601, at the end of Elizabeth I’s reign, made Britain’s guarantee of help for the destitute unique among European nations.

From The Guardian ● Sep. 21, 2017

“This was not a case of the Wetterlings saying that that they wanted this looked into because of poor law enforcement – they just wanted to find their son,” Baran said.

From The Guardian ● Sep. 15, 2016

Reform began with the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, grouping the parishes into Unions, making the boards of guardians mainly elective, and creating a central poor law board in London.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 4 "England" to "English Finance" by Various