1. government payments made to unemployed people
Usage: British
2. small portions or amounts given out

1. gives out in small portions

Examples

• Many families rely on the dole during economic downturns.
• He’s been on the dole for six months now.
• The charity doles out food to homeless people every evening.
• She doles out advice to anyone who will listen.
• The government doles out small portions of aid to disaster victims.
• They received their weekly doles from the unemployment office.