DEED

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does deed mean? 

• DEED (noun)
  The noun DEED has 2 senses:

1. a legal document signed and sealed and delivered to effect a transfer of property and to show the legal right to possess it

2. something that people do or cause to happen

  Familiarity information: DEED used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DEED (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A legal document signed and sealed and delivered to effect a transfer of property and to show the legal right to possess it

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

deed; deed of conveyance; title

Context example:

he kept the title to his car in the glove compartment

Hypernyms ("deed" is a kind of...):

instrument; legal document; legal instrument; official document ((law) a document that states some contractual relationship or grants some right)

Domain category:

jurisprudence; law (the collection of rules imposed by authority)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "deed"):

bill of sale (a deed transferring personal property)

deed poll (a deed made and executed by only one party)

enfeoffment (under the feudal system, the deed by which a person was given land in exchange for a pledge of service)

mortgage deed (deed embodying a mortgage)

title deed (a legal document proving a person's right to property)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Something that people do or cause to happen

Classified under:

Nouns with no superordinates

Synonyms:

act; deed; human action; human activity

Hypernyms ("deed" is a kind of...):

event (something that happens at a given place and time)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "deed"):

inactivity (being inactive; being less active)

forfeit; forfeiture; sacrifice (the act of losing or surrendering something as a penalty for a mistake or fault or failure to perform etc.)

derivation (the act of deriving something or obtaining something from a source or origin)

activity (any specific behavior)

hire (the act of hiring something or someone)

wear; wearing (the act of having on your person as a covering or adornment)

assessment; judgement; judgment (the act of judging or assessing a person or situation or event)

production (the act or process of producing something)

stay (continuing or remaining in a place or state)

abidance; residence; residency (the act of dwelling in a place)

acquiring; getting (the act of acquiring something)

hinderance; hindrance; interference (the act of hindering or obstructing or impeding)

stop; stoppage (the act of stopping something)

group action (action taken by a group of people)

distribution (the act of distributing or spreading or apportioning)

legitimation (the act of rendering a person legitimate)

permissive waste; waste ((law) reduction in the value of an estate caused by act or neglect)

proclamation; promulgation (the formal act of proclaiming; giving public notice)

communicating; communication (the activity of communicating; the activity of conveying information)

speech act (the use of language to perform some act)

assumption (the act of assuming or taking for granted)

action (something done (usually as opposed to something said))

causation; causing (the act of causing something to happen)

delivery; obstetrical delivery (the act of delivering a child)

departure; going; going away; leaving (the act of departing)

discovery; find; uncovering (the act of discovering something)

disposal; disposition (the act or means of getting rid of something)

effectuation; implementation (the act of implementing (providing a practical means for accomplishing something); carrying into effect)

egress; egression; emergence (the act of coming (or going) out; becoming apparent)

equalisation; equalization; leveling (the act of making equal or uniform)

digging up; disinterment; exhumation (the act of digging something up out of the ground (especially a corpse) where it has been buried)

mitsvah; mitzvah ((Judaism) a good deed performed out of religious duty)

actuation; propulsion (the act of propelling)

recovery; retrieval (the act of regaining or saving something lost (or in danger of becoming lost))

running away (the act of leaving (without permission) the place you are expected to be)

touch; touching (the act of putting two things together with no space between them)

nonaccomplishment; nonachievement (an act that does not achieve its intended goal)

leaning (the act of deviating from a vertical position)

motivating; motivation (the act of motivating; providing incentive)

rejection (the act of rejecting something)

 Context examples 

The deeds of black Agnes of Dunbar, of Lady Salisbury and of the Countess of Montfort, were still fresh in the public minds.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

There were allusions to some deeds—possibly the more valuable—which I could not find.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

In the larger and older jewels every facet may stand for a bloody deed.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Hans's taking the law in his own hands was no more justifiable than Dennin's deed.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

If you can perform such deeds as that, you are no gardener’s boy; tell me, who is your father?

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

"No; the science professors should live. They're really great. But it would be a good deed to break the heads of nine-tenths of the English professors—little, microscopic-minded parrots!"

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

"Therefore you have done a great deed, as well as a brave one, in saving my life," added the Queen.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

This picture is gone, and was doubtless the temptation which urged the murderer to the deed.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Then and there they would have plunged their knives into me could they have seen how to escape the consequences of the deed.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It must have been to tell her that the deed was done! or to pain her, perhaps.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)