out-reliefn.
/ˈaʊtrᵻliːf/, U.S. /ˈaʊtrəˌlif/, /ˈaʊtriˌlif/ Now historical.
1. Aid to the poor that is not tied to residence in a workhouse or similar institution. Cf. outdoor adj. 3. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > social attitudes > philanthropy > [noun] > poor-relief > given outside workhouse, institution, etc.
out-relief1843
the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > types of help > [noun] > aid in want, pain, sickness, etc. > material aid > specific
poor relief1698
out-relief1843
1843 Jrnl. Statist. Soc. 6 70 A Return showing the Amount of Money expended for In-Maintenance and Out-relief in 577 Unions.
1875 R. Hill & F. Hill What we saw in Austral. v. 87 He has under his jurisdiction the whole out-relief of the colony; the Destitute Asylum..; the Industrial School [etc.].
1905 Daily Chron. 1 Sept. 2/5 For every £1 spent on out-relief in 1902–3 no less than £7 12s. 4d. was expended on in-maintenance.
1971 G. Brown In My Way i. 25 We came under the old Poor Law system of out-relief, and every Friday I had to go to the workhouse with a little sack to collect our allotment of bread and treacle.
2000 T. May Victorian Workhouse 4 The workhouse was not an appropriate remedy for short periods of industrial distress. At such times out-relief was resorted to, while charitable responses such as the soup kitchen were common.
2. A person receiving out-relief. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > poverty > [noun] > poor person > poor person in receipt of relief > not in an institution
out-poor1781
out-relief1904
1904 Westm. Gaz. 22 Apr. 3/2 Still worse is the case of the aged ‘out-relief’, with his 3s. a week.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1843