on the dole

phrase

: receiving money that a government (especially the British government) gives to people who do not have jobs or who are very poor
They've been on the dole for a year.
They're going on the dole.

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Cite this Entry

“On the dole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20dole. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.

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