deed

noun \ ˈdēd \

Updated on: 17 Apr 2018

Definition of deed

1 : something that is done

evil deeds

did my good deed for the day

2 : a usually illustrious act or action : feat, exploit

a hero's daring deeds

3 : the act of performing : action

righteous in word and in deed

4 : a signed and usually sealed instrument (see ¹instrument 4) containing some legal transfer, bargain, or contract

gave them the deed to the house

—

deedless

play \-ləs\ adjective

See deed defined for English-language learners

See deed defined for kids

Examples of deed in a Sentence

They taught their children to be kind and to do good deeds.
News of their heroic deeds spread far and wide.
It's too late now. The deed is done.
The land was transferred by deed.
He gave them the deed to the property.

Recent Examples of deed from the Web

Power in the United States has long been equated with whiteness — in spirit if not always in word or deed.

— taylor crumpton, Teen Vogue, "I Already Knew What the White House Intern Photo Showed Me," 6 Apr. 2018
Though many of these good deeds are planned, Steven Grutman's tribute to Shlomo Ashkenazi was a spontaneous one.

— deborah fineblum, Jewish Journal, "Seventy years of sacrifice: A global salute to Israel's fallen soldiers," 3 Apr. 2018
Trump has repeatedly expressed, in word and deed, his belief that federal law-enforcement power must be personally loyal to him.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "The Final Surrender of Anti-Trump Conservatism," 30 Mar. 2018
He’s issued a general statement of regret about disrespecting women, promised to donate money to anti-abuse charities, and undertaken a campaign encouraging fans to do good deeds.

— spencer kornhaber, The Atlantic, "The Unsettling Familiarity of XXXTentacion," 26 Mar. 2018
Barlow, who filed a deed for ownership of the famous sandbar in August, and planted sea grass to keep it from washing away, believes the mile-long island is still there.

— meghan overdeep, Southern Living, "Virginia Man Still Clings to Ownership of North Carolina’s Sunken Shelly Island," 16 Mar. 2018
Other county-wide elected officials, including clerk, court clerk, treasurer, auditor, coroner, recorder of deeds, state's attorney, each earn $93,000 per year.

— susan demar lafferty, Daily Southtown, "Will County considers fewer meetings," 1 Mar. 2018
People in America have lost faith in the notion that words and deeds are stronger than bullets.

— will bunch, Philly.com, "You can stop the anti-American hate group behind the Florida massacre | Will Bunch," 15 Feb. 2018
Trump said, through acts of generosity and service from teachers, police and others who do good deeds.

— sarah pulliam bailey, Washington Post, "Trump’s National Prayer Breakfast speech infused with God-and-country references," 8 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'deed.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of deed

Middle English dede, from Old English dǣd; akin to Old English dōn to do

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

deed Synonyms

Synonyms

act, action, doing, exploit, feat, thing;

adventure, experience;

emprise, enterprise, initiative, undertaking;

handiwork, performance, work;

stunt, trick;

activity, dealing;

maneuver, measure, move, operation, procedure, proceeding, step, tactic;

coaction;

deed

verb

Definition of deed

transitive verb

law

: to convey or transfer by a signed instrument containing a legal transfer, bargain, or contract : to convey or transfer by deed (see ¹deed 4)

deeded the house to her son

See deed defined for English-language learners

Examples of deed in a Sentence

She deeded the house to her children.
the philanthropist unexpectedly deeded his entire fortune to the animal shelter

Recent Examples of deed from the Web

His family deeded the parkland to Miami-Dade County in the 1940s, but, under the deal, the family maintained control over how the land was used.

— cindy shmerler, New York Times, "Key Biscayne Prepares to Say Goodbye to Pro Tennis," 30 Mar. 2018
As part of the deal, U.S. Steel will deed 24 acres near the site over to the city for the relocation of the Southern Museum of Flight.

— erin edgemon, AL.com, "Proposed Birmingham industrial park, residential community to receive $6 million grant," 28 Mar. 2018
Alamo Beer owner Eugene Simor built the brewery on the south side of the bridge and deeded the land to Meyer.

— scott huddleston, San Antonio Express-News, "Group vows to keep fighting Hays Street project," 26 Mar. 2018
Congress created the permanent land trust at Arizona's 1912 statehood to fund schools, universities and other services, deeding more than 9 million acres (3.2 million hectares) to the state to create the fund.

— bob christie, azcentral, "Judge rules it's illegal to fund Arizona schools with land trust," 26 Mar. 2018
Central Park Baptist Church deeded its campus over to the Birmingham Baptist Foundation for use as a ministry center in 2014.

— greg garrison, AL.com, "Rock City Church will move to Central Park Baptist campus," 5 Mar. 2018
Karen Frame McDonald, whose great-grandfather deeded land to the city, also questioned whether there would be enough land redevelopment around the park to meet the city's goal of $4.3 million worth of improvements over the life of the TIF district.

— jim riccioli, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "City's second stadium pitch still not to the liking of some, though not all, in Waukesha," 7 Feb. 2018
The property was originally deeded over to the park district through the Jack Pfund estate.

— linda girardi, Aurora Beacon-News, "Oswego Township looks for resolution on cemetery expansion plans," 15 Mar. 2018
The property, which is located three houses from the ocean on 2.4 acres, has deeded access to the beach.

— katherine clarke, WSJ, "Skin-Care Execs List Hamptons Home for $23.5 Million," 14 Mar. 2018

Origin and Etymology of deed

see ¹deed

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1758

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

deed Synonyms

Synonyms

alienate, assign, cede, convey, make over, transfer;

Near Antonyms

expropriate;

bestow, commend, commit, confer, contribute, deliver, donate, grant, hand over, move, pass, present, release, relinquish, surrender, transmit, turn in, turn over, vest, yield;

consign, entrust (also intrust), trust;

lease, lend, loan, rent;

Phrases

dispose of;

Financial Definition of DEED

deed

noun

What It Is

A deed is an ownership document that entitles its holder to specific rights to a property based on a set of explicit conditions.

How It Works

In most cases, a deed establishes proper ownership of a piece of property such as a home or automobile. The deed grants the holder explicit privileges and rights that may only be exercised under duly expressed conditions. In this respect, a deed's conferment of unique rights or privileges brings with it a unique set of responsibilities.

An example would be a deed of ownership to a home. While the freedom inherent in the deed allows the holder to take many actions regarding the home, he is bound by the conditions of home ownership. For instance, though he may build a balcony on the back of his house, he may not be able to install a high-power speaker system as it could disturb the neighbors.

Why It Matters

A deed sets specific privileges and rights that the holder alone may exercise and it sets rules that render the holder responsible for the consequences of exercising those rights.

Source: Investing Answers

DEED Defined for English Language Learners

deed

noun

Definition of deed for English Language Learners

: something that is done : an act or action
: a legal document that shows who owns a building or piece of land

deed

verb

Definition of deed for English Language Learners

: to give someone ownership of (a building or piece of land) by means of a deed

DEED Defined for Kids

deed

noun \ ˈdēd \

Definition of deed for Students

1 : something that is done : act

a brave deed

2 : a legal document by which a person transfers land or buildings to another

deed

verb

Definition of deed for Students

deeded; deeding

: to transfer by a deed

He deeded the house to the new owners.

Law Dictionary

deed

noun

legal Definition of deed

1 : something done : act 1

my free act and deed

2 : a written instrument by which a person transfers ownership of real property to another — see also deliver, grantee, grantor, recording act, registry, title — compare certificate of title

Note: A deed must be properly executed and delivered in order to be effective. Additionally, the grantor must have freely intended to make the transfer at the time of the conveyance. Deeds are recorded at the local registry of deeds to give notice of ownership.

— bargain and sale deed

1 : a contract resulting from a bargain between a buyer and a seller of real property that creates a use in the buyer and therefore transfers title to the buyer by operation of law

2 : a deed in which the grantor makes no warranties of title to the grantee

— deed-in-lieu \-in-ˈlü\

: deed in lieu of foreclosure in this entry

— deed in lieu of foreclosure

: a deed from a mortgagor conveying title to the mortgaged property to the mortgagee in payment of the debt

Note: Deeds in lieu of foreclosure are sometimes used as an alternative to foreclosure.

— deed of trust

: an instrument securing a debt in which a debtor conveys the legal ownership of real property to a trustee to be held in trust for the benefit of the creditor or to be sold upon the debtor's default to pay the debt : a mortgage with a power of sale — called also trust deed

— master deed

: a deed that submits the land described therein to the provisions of a state's law regarding condominiums and sets out various information (as about the units, common areas, bylaws, and rights of the owners) as required under state law — compare declaration of condominium at declaration 4

— quitclaim deed

: a deed that grants only whatever title or interest the grantor had to the property without any warranty as to the title

2 : special warranty deed in this entry — compare warranty deed in this entry

— sheriffʼs deed

: a deed given to a buyer of property purchased at a sheriff's sale

— special warranty deed

: a deed in which the property transferred is warranted to be free of all liens or encumbrances made by, through, or under the grantor but not otherwise

— tax deed

: a deed evidencing the transfer of title acquired by the grantee as purchaser of property at a tax sale — compare tax certificate

— trust deed

: deed of trust in this entry

— unit deed

: a deed conveying a condominium unit

— warranty deed

: a deed warranting that the grantor has a good title free and clear of all encumbrances and will defend the grantee against all claims — compare quitclaim deed and special warranty deed in this entry