逼自己（也希望大家一起）學完韋氏字根詞典（1）——BENE

註明：非譯文，僅供理解使用，中文中的部分標點也為英文標點。

BENE is Latin for 「well.」 A benefit is a good result or effect. Something beneficial produces good results or effects. The Latin root can be heard in other languages as well: 「Good!」 or 「Fine!」 in Spanish is 「Bueno!」; in French, its 「Bon!」; and in Italian, just say 「Bene!」

BENE在拉丁語中意為「好」。「benefit」意指結果或效果好。「beneficial」的事物會產生好的結果或效果。該拉丁詞根也出現在其他語種：「Good!」 或 「Fine!」 在西班牙語中為「Bueno!」；法語中為「Bon!」; 義大利語中為「Bene!」

benefactor Someone who helps another person or group, especially by giving money.

（幫助其他個人或組織的人，特別是通過給予錢財的辦法）

? An anonymous benefactor had given $15 million to establish an ecological institute at the university.

A benefactor may be involved in almost any field. One may endow a scholarship fund; another may give money to expand a library; still another may leave a generous sum to a hospital in her will. The famous benefactions of John D. Rockefeller included the gifts that established the University of Chicago, the Rockefeller Foundation, and Rockefeller University. Many benefactors have reported that giving away their money turned out to be the most rewarding thing they ever did.

benediction A prayer that asks for Gods blessing, especially a prayer that concludes a worship service.（特別是用於禮拜結束時）

? The moment the bishop had finished his benediction, she squeezed quickly out of her row and darted out the cathedrals side entrance.

In benediction, the bene root is joined by another Latin root, dictio, 「speaking」 (see DICT), （該詞有另一個拉丁詞根「dictio」）so the words meaning becomes something like 「well-wishing.」 Perhaps the best-known benediction is the so-called Aaronic Benediction from the Bible, which begins, 「May the Lord bless you and keep you.」 An important section of the Catholic Mass was traditionally known as the Benedictus, after its first word (meaning 「blessed」). It was St. Benedict who organized the first Christian monasteries; many Christians have been baptized Benedict in his honor, and 16 popes have taken it as their papal name.

beneficiary A person or organization that benefits or is expected to benefit from something, especially one that receives money or property when someone dies.（特別是某人死後，獲得錢或不動產的個人或組織）

? Living in a trailer in near-poverty, she received word in the mail that her father had died, naming her as the sole beneficiary of his life-insurance policy.

Beneficiary is often used in connection with life insurance, but it shows up in many other contexts as well. A college may be the beneficiary of a private donation. Your uncles will may make a church his sole beneficiary, in which case all his money and property will go to it when he dies. A 「third-party beneficiary」 of a contract is a person (often a child) who the people signing the contract (which is usually an insurance policy or an employee-benefit plan) want to benefit from it. In a more general way, a small business may be a beneficiary of changes to the tax code, or a restaurant may be the beneficiary when the one across the street closes down and its whole lunch crowd starts coming in.

benevolence Kindness, generosity.（應注意發音）

? In those financially desperate years, the young couple was saved only by the benevolence of her elderly great-uncle.

Part of benevolence comes from the Latin root meaning 「wish.」 The novels of Charles Dickens often include a benevolent figure who rescues the main characters at some point—Mr. Brownlow in Oliver Twist, Abel Magwitch in David Copperfield, Mr. Jarndyce in Bleak House, Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. To be benevolent, it helps to have money, but its not necessary; kind assistance of a nonfinancial sort may turn out to be lifesaving benevolence as well.
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