'Poor' definitions:

Definition of 'poor'

From: WordNet
adjective
Deserving or inciting pity; "a hapless victim"; "miserable victims of war"; "the shabby room struck her as extraordinarily pathetic"- Galsworthy; "piteous appeals for help"; "pitiable homeless children"; "a pitiful fate"; "Oh, you poor thing"; "his poor distorted limbs"; "a wretched life" [syn: hapless, miserable, misfortunate, pathetic, piteous, pitiable, pitiful, poor, wretched]
adjective
Having little money or few possessions; "deplored the gap between rich and poor countries"; "the proverbial poor artist living in a garret" [ant: rich]
adjective
Characterized by or indicating poverty; "the country had a poor economy"; "they lived in the poor section of town" [ant: rich]
adjective
Lacking in specific resources, qualities or substances; "a poor land"; "the area was poor in timber and coal"; "food poor in nutritive value" [ant: rich]
adjective
Not sufficient to meet a need; "an inadequate income"; "a poor salary"; "money is short"; "on short rations"; "food is in short supply"; "short on experience" [syn: inadequate, poor, short]
adjective
Unsatisfactory; "a poor light for reading"; "poor morale"; "expectations were poor"
noun
People without possessions or wealth (considered as a group); "the urban poor need assistance" [syn: poor people, poor] [ant: rich, rich people]

Definition of 'Poor'

From: GCIDE
  • Poor \Poor\, a. [Compar. Poorer (?; 254); superl. Poorest.] [OE. poure or povre, OF. povre, F. pauvre, L. pauper; the first syllable of which is probably akin to paucus few (see Paucity, Few), and the second to parare to prepare, procure. See Few, and cf. Parade, Pauper, Poverty.]
  • 1. Destitute of property; wanting in material riches or goods; needy; indigent. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: It is often synonymous with indigent and with necessitous denoting extreme want. It is also applied to persons who are not entirely destitute of property, but who are not rich; as, a poor man or woman; poor people. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. (Law) So completely destitute of property as to be entitled to maintenance from the public. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. Hence, in very various applications: Destitute of such qualities as are desirable, or might naturally be expected; as: (a) Wanting in fat, plumpness, or fleshiness; lean; emaciated; meager; as, a poor horse, ox, dog, etc. "Seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill-favored and lean-fleshed." --Gen. xli. 19. (b) Wanting in strength or vigor; feeble; dejected; as, poor health; poor spirits. "His genius . . . poor and cowardly." --Bacon. (c) Of little value or worth; not good; inferior; shabby; mean; as, poor clothes; poor lodgings. "A poor vessel." --Clarendon. (d) Destitute of fertility; exhausted; barren; sterile; -- said of land; as, poor soil. (e) Destitute of beauty, fitness, or merit; as, a poor discourse; a poor picture. (f) Without prosperous conditions or good results; unfavorable; unfortunate; unconformable; as, a poor business; the sick man had a poor night. (g) Inadequate; insufficient; insignificant; as, a poor excuse. [1913 Webster]
  • That I have wronged no man will be a poor plea or apology at the last day. --Calamy. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. Worthy of pity or sympathy; -- used also sometimes as a term of endearment, or as an expression of modesty, and sometimes as a word of contempt. [1913 Webster]
  • And for mine own poor part, Look you, I'll go pray. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • Poor, little, pretty, fluttering thing. --Prior. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. Free from self-assertion; not proud or arrogant; meek. "Blessed are the poor in spirit." --Matt. v. 3. [1913 Webster]
  • Poor law, a law providing for, or regulating, the relief or support of the poor.
  • Poor man's treacle (Bot.), garlic; -- so called because it was thought to be an antidote to animal poison. [Eng] --Dr. Prior.
  • Poor man's weatherglass (Bot.), the red-flowered pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), which opens its blossoms only in fair weather.
  • Poor rate, an assessment or tax, as in an English parish, for the relief or support of the poor.
  • Poor soldier (Zool.), the friar bird.
  • The poor, those who are destitute of property; the indigent; the needy. In a legal sense, those who depend on charity or maintenance by the public. "I have observed the more public provisions are made for the poor, the less they provide for themselves." --Franklin. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Poor'

From: GCIDE

Definition of 'Poor'

From: Easton
  • Poor The Mosaic legislation regarding the poor is specially important.
  • They had the right of gleaning the fields (Lev. 19:9, 10; Deut. 24:19,21).
  • In the sabbatical year they were to have their share of the produce of the fields and the vineyards (Ex. 23:11; Lev. 25:6).
  • In the year of jubilee they recovered their property (Lev. 25:25-30).
  • Usury was forbidden, and the pledged raiment was to be returned before the sun went down (Ex. 22:25-27; Deut. 24:10-13). The rich were to be generous to the poor (Deut. 15:7-11).
  • In the sabbatical and jubilee years the bond-servant was to go free (Deut. 15:12-15; Lev. 25:39-42, 47-54).
  • Certain portions from the tithes were assigned to the poor (Deut. 14:28, 29; 26:12, 13).
  • They shared in the feasts (Deut. 16:11, 14; Neh. 8:10).
  • Wages were to be paid at the close of each day (Lev. 19:13).
  • In the New Testament (Luke 3:11; 14:13; Acts 6:1; Gal. 2:10; James 2:15, 16) we have similar injunctions given with reference to the poor. Begging was not common under the Old Testament, while it was so in the New Testament times (Luke 16:20, 21, etc.). But begging in the case of those who are able to work is forbidden, and all such are enjoined to "work with their own hands" as a Christian duty (1 Thess. 4:11; 2 Thess. 3:7-13; Eph. 4:28). This word is used figuratively in Matt. 5:3; Luke 6:20; 2 Cor. 8:9; Rev. 3:17.

Words containing 'Poor'