Word
deed
US/ˈdid/
UK/dˈiːd/
Definitions
01an action
n. something that you do, especially something very good or very bad.
n. an intentional act or action, often carrying a moral or noteworthy quality.
“He was rewarded for his many good deeds in the local community.”
“The knight's heroic deeds were celebrated in songs and stories throughout the kingdom for generations.”
Formal · Literary
Usage
Often appears in the fixed phrase 'good deed'.
02property document
n. a legal document that proves you own a building or land.
n. a signed and delivered legal instrument that grants a right or transfers the title of property.
“After paying off the mortgage, they finally received the deed to their house.”
“The solicitor examined the property deed to ensure there were no hidden restrictions on the land use.”
Technical
Usage
Usually used in the plural ('deeds') when referring to the collection of documents for a property.
03to transfer property
v. to officially give or sell land to someone using a legal document.
v. to convey or transfer real estate by means of a deed.
“The land was deeded to the city to be used as a public park.”
“The estate was deeded to the eldest daughter in accordance with the late patriarch's final wishes.”
Formal · Technical
Real-World Examples
“Over the years when I would hear about all her good deeds, I was never surprised, having experienced her generosity first-hand.” “The man who served prison time for his role in what he said was covering up Trump’s “dirty deeds” has submitted an application for a pardon.” Etymology
From Middle English dede, from Old English dēd, dǣd (“deed, act”), from Proto-West Germanic dādi, from Proto-Germanic dēdiz (“deed”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰéh₁tis (“deed, action”). Analyzable through Proto-Germanic as do + -th. Doublet of thesis. The real estate sense derives from the fact that property deeds are traditionally used to demonstrate proof of ownership of a legal title in common law jurisdictions, such as England & Wales and most of the United States. Cognates Cognate with West Frisian died, Dutch daad (“deed, act”), German Low German Daad, German Tat (“deed, action”), Swedish, Norwegian and Danish dåd (“act, action”). The Proto-Indo-European root is also the source of Ancient Greek θέσις (thésis, “setting, arrangement”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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englishreference.com/q/deed