Past tense of 'dole'; distributed or handed out in small portions or as charitable assistance.
From Old English 'dāl' (share, portion), related to 'deal,' with the past tense formed regularly with '-ed.' The sense of 'distributing charity' became common in modern usage.
The phrase 'on the dole' (receiving government assistance) comes from this root—in British English it's still the standard way to talk about unemployment benefits!
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