benefit meaning

• Noun: benefit  benufit
  1. Financial assistance in time of need 
  2. Something that aids or promotes well-being
     "for the benefit of all"
     - welfare 
  3. A performance to raise money for a charitable cause
  Verb: benefit (benefitted,benefitting, also benefited,benefiting)  benufit
  1. Derive a benefit from
     - profit, gain 
  2. Be beneficial for
     - do good

  Derived forms: benefiting, benefited, benefitting, benefits, benefitted

  See also: beneficent, beneficial

  Type of: acquire, aid, get, good, goodness, help, payment, performance, public presentation

  Encyclopedia: Benefit

• 
  [Business]
  noun, verb

  ■ noun

  ACCRUED BENEFITS, CAFETERIA BENEFIT, COST BENEFIT, DEATH BENEFIT, DEFINED BENEFIT, FLEXIBLE BENEFIT, FRINGE BENEFIT, INCAPACITY BENEFIT, SICKNESS BENEFIT, SOFT BENEFIT, STATE BENEFIT, UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT, WELFARE BENEFIT

  1 [C,U]

  a helpful and useful effect that sth has:

  Internet shopping has real benefits for both the consumer and the environment.

  We want our shareholders to derive (= get) full benefit from the deal.

  The new regulations will be of benefit to everyone concerned.

  Consumers in Europe are reaping the benefits (= enjoying the results) of the single currency.

  The long-term benefits far outweigh the short-term risks.

  We need to weigh up (= compare) the costs and benefits of the scheme.

  a potential/real/tangible benefit

  ◆ a big/great/huge/significant benefit

  ◆ an immediate/a long-term/short-term benefit

  ◆ economic/financial/tax benefits

  ◆ to derive/get/receive a benefit

  2 [U,C]

  money that is paid to people who are unemployed, ill, etc., by the government or through a system of insurance

  HELP NOTE In American English the plural benefits is often used in this meaning:

  He receives social security benefits as a result of an accident at work.

  ◆ (BrE) Are you entitled to claim unemployment benefit?

  ◆ (AmE) The number of Americans claiming jobless benefits has risen sharply.

  The insurance plan will pay you substantial cash benefits if you are disabled as the result of an accident. ⇨ WELFARE

  ❖ disability/pension/retirement benefits

  ◆ to apply for/claim/get/qualify for/receive benefits

  3 (HR ) [C, usually pl.]

  the advantages that you get from your company in addition to the money you earn:

  The company offers a competitive benefits package.

  We are finding it difficult to continue to provide the same level of employee benefits

  ■ verb (-t- or -tt-)

  1 [no obj]

  to be in a better position because of sth:

  Small businesses have benefitted from the changes in the law.

  The telecoms sector has benefitted from Vodacom's strong performance.

  2 [+ obj]

  to have a helpful or useful effect on sb/sth:

  The new tax laws will benefit people on low wages.

• 
  [Economics]
  also benefits

  See defined benefit, fringe benefits, housing benefit, marginal benefit, means-tested benefits, sickness benefit, social security benefits, Supplementary Benefit, unemployment benefit, and universal benefit.

• of benefit:    [American idiom]se ...
• benefit album:    Noun: benefit albu ...
• benefit by sth:    [American slang]to ...

Examples

1. the new railway will benefit the district.
2. this is essential for our mutual benefit.
3. everyone will then be able to benefit from it.
4. the flowers were a fringe benefit.
5. such description has many benefits.