The Collaborative International Dictionary
Benevolent \Be*nev"o*lent\, a. [L. benevolens, -entis; bene well (adv. of bonus good) + volens, p. pr. of volo I will, I wish. See Bounty, and Voluntary.] Having a disposition to do good; possessing or manifesting love to mankind, and a desire to promote their prosperity and happiness; disposed to give to good objects; kind; charitable. -- Be*nev"o*lent*ly, adv.
Syn: Benevolent, Beneficent.
Usage: Etymologically considered, benevolent implies wishing well to others, and beneficent, doing well. But by degrees the word benevolent has been widened to include not only feelings, but actions; thus, we speak of benevolent operations, benevolent labors for the public good, benevolent societies. In like manner, beneficent is now often applied to feelings; thus, we speak of the beneficent intentions of a donor. This extension of the terms enables us to mark nicer shades of meaning. Thus, the phrase ``benevolent labors'' turns attention to the source of these labors, viz., benevolent feeling; while beneficent would simply mark them as productive of good. So, ``beneficent intentions'' point to the feelings of the donor as bent upon some specific good act; while ``benevolent intentions'' would only denote a general wish and design to do good.
Wiktionary
adv. In a benevolent manner.
WordNet
adv. in a benevolent manner; "she looked on benevolently" [ant: malevolently]
Usage examples of "benevolently".
Fenellan eyed benevolently the worthy attorney, whose innermost imp burst out periodically, like a Dutch clocksentry, to trot on his own small grounds for thinking himself of the community of the man of the world.
He seemed to make a conscious effort to relax, and he leaned forward benevolently, giving her a froodlike smile.
The veteran of a million loves, well known and benevolently misprized, hoarse with iniquity and wisdom.
Zachariah watched them go from the front door, purring benevolently, his tail arranged in three neat coils over his back.
The world-community was now a highly organized theocratic hierarchy, strictly but on the whole benevolently ruled by a supreme council of vital priests and biologists.
Bay, sitting next to a fire, holding a royal warrant from King Charles I and waiting for the Assiniboine and Cree to bring in a fresh pile of beaver pelts he could benevolently exchange for a few barrels of flour and sugar.
Both Gregorius and Sara spoke to him at great length, trying to explain his error, and he nodded and grinned benevolently at them but remained completely unshaken in his conviction, and ended by embracing Gareth Swales, making a long rambling speech in Amharic, hailing him as an Englishman and a comrade in arms.
On the contrary, with Armstrong still gazing benevolently at them, he rose, walked round the table, picked up her hand, and kissed it.
Fenellan eyed benevolently the worthy attorney, whose innermost imp burst out periodically, like a Dutch clocksentry, to trot on his own small grounds for thinking himself of the community of the man of the world.
Stubb benevolently towed away at his whale the other way, ostentatiously slacking out a most unusually long tow-line.
Myriads of planets, each, in return for our benevolently despotic control, delegating and contributing power to the Eich.
The 'argument from design' reasons, from the fact that Nature's laws are mathematical, and her parts benevolently adapted to each other, that this cause is both intellectual and benevolent.
The Earl of Emsworth ambled benevolently to the door, leaving Adams with the feeling that his day had been well-spent.
Wafted through the sunlit streets in his taxicab, the Earl of Emsworth smiled benevolently on London's teeming millions.
Viv Ivins smiled benevolently and said, “Why, thank you, Reverend,” which caused all, including Leon, to laugh.