Benefit

ben′e-fit, n. a kindne : a favour: any advantage, natural or other: a performance at a theatre, the proceeds of which go to one of the company.— v.t. to do good to.— v.i. to gain advantage (with from ),— ns. Ben′efit-of-cler′gy , in old English law, the exemption of the persons of ecclesiastics from criminal proce before a secular judge, they being responsible only to their ordinary. This privilege, at first limited to those in actual orders, was in 1350 extended to all manner of clerks, and in later practice to all who could read, whether of clergy or laity; Ben′efit-of-in′ventory ( Scots law ), a legal privilege whereby an heir secured himself against unlimited liability for his ancestor, by giving up within the ann us deli be rand i an inventory of his heritage or real estate, to the extent of which alone was the heir liable.— Benefit societies , a ociations for mutual benefit chiefly among the labouring cla es, better known as Friendly societies . [M. E. benfet , through Fr. from L. bene factum .]