Bounty, n.; pl. Bounties.
Etymology: [OE. bounte goodness, kindness, F. bonté, fr. L. bonitas, fr. bonus good, for older duonus; cf. Skr. duvas honor, respect.]
1. Goodness, kindness; virtue; worth. [Obs.] Nature set in her at once beauty with bounty. Gower.
2. Liberality in bestowing gifts or favors; gracious or liberal giving; generosity; munificence. My bounty is as boundless as the sea. Shak.
3. That which is given generously or liberally. "Thy morning bounties." Cowper.
4. A premium offered or given to induce men to enlist into the public service; or to encourage any branch of industry, as husbandry or manufactures. Bounty jumper, one who, during the latter part of the Civil War, enlisted in the United States service, and deserted as soon as possible after receiving the bounty. [Collog.] -- Queen Anne's bounty (Eng. Hist.), a provision made in Queen Anne's reign for augmenting poor clerical livings.
1 more senses
Syn. -- Munificence; generosity; beneficence.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for bounty; he lists it under benevolence, gift, subsidy.
Where he writes about it:
Bounty applies to ample giving, which on a larger scale is expressed by munificence. — from benevolence
We speak of the bounty of a generous host, the liberality or munificence of the founder of a college, or of the liberality of a theologian toward the holders of conflicting beliefs. — from benevolence
Governmental aid to a commercial or industrial enterprise other than a transportation company is more frequently called a bounty than a subsidy; as, the sugar bounty. — from subsidy
The word bounty may be applied to almost any regular or stipulated allowance by a government to a citizen or citizens; as, a bounty for enlisting in the army; a bounty for killing wolves. — from subsidy
A bounty is offered for something to be done; a pension is granted for something that has been done. — from subsidy