poor law
- a law or system of laws providing for the relief or support of the poor at public expense.
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Origin of poor law
First recorded in 1745–55
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for poor law
Historical Examples
The evil of a poor-law can be no longer averted from Scotland.
Leading Articles on Various SubjectsHugh Miller
The general history of the poor-law is sufficiently familiar.
The English Utilitarians, Volume I.Leslie Stephen
Thence to the English poor-law and the workhouse is but a step.
The Conquest of BreadPeter Kropotkin
Under this head also comes women's work as poor-law guardians.
He proposes, therefore, that the poor-law should be abolished.
The English Utilitarians, Volume II (of 3)Leslie Stephen
poor law
- English history a law providing for the relief or support of the poor from public, esp parish, funds
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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