deed

deed — noun

1. an action that someone does on purpose, especially one that is very good or very

1.nounB1
Definition

an action that someone does on purpose, especially one that is very good or very bad and has a noticeable effect on other people

Example

Christopher earned an award for his heroic deed of saving a child from a burning car.

collocation: heroic deed

The charity asked families to do one good deed every week during the summer.

collocation: do a good deed

Common collocations
  • good deed
  • evil deed
  • heroic deed
  • kind deed
  • brave deed
  • careless deed
  • do a deed
  • perform a deed
Synonyms
  • act

    the most general and neutral word; 'deed' carries stronger moral judgement than 'act'

  • action

    broader than 'deed'; can describe any process of doing, not just a single intentional event

  • feat

    a deed that requires great skill, strength, or courage; always positive

  • exploit

    a bold or daring deed, often in war or adventure; slightly literary

Usage Note

Often appears with an adjective describing the moral quality of the action — good, evil, heroic, kind, or careless. Using 'deed' alone without a modifier sounds old-fashioned.

Common Mistakes

He did a deed to save the cat.
He did a good deed by saving the cat.
In modern English, 'deed' almost always needs an adjective (good, heroic, evil) before it.
I will deed my friend a favor.
I will do my friend a good deed.
'Deed' is not a verb in this sense; use 'do a deed' as a noun phrase.

2. a written legal document that officially records an agreement, especially one pr

2.nounB2
Definition

a written legal document that officially records an agreement, especially one proving who owns a specific house, apartment, or piece of land

Example

The lawyer handed the new owners the deed to their house after the sale.

collocation: deed to [property]

Yuki found the old deed in a drawer while cleaning out her grandmother's desk.

Common collocations
  • property deed
  • land deed
  • house deed
  • deed to [property]
  • sign a deed
  • check a deed
  • hold the deed
Synonyms
  • contract

    a broader legal term for any binding agreement; less specific to property ownership than 'deed'

  • title

    the legal right to own property; 'deed' is the physical document that proves 'title'

  • document

    a general word; 'deed' is a specific type of document with legal force

Usage Note

In everyday speech, 'contract' or 'agreement' is more common for general legal documents; 'deed' is specifically used for ownership of land or buildings.

Common Mistakes

I signed the deed for my new car.
I signed the contract for my new car.
'Deed' is used for property like land and houses, not for vehicles or personal belongings.
She lost the deed to her phone.
She lost the deed to her house.
Only real estate (land, buildings) takes a 'deed'; other items have receipts, warranties, or contracts.
Idioms

in word and deed

idiom

in what someone says and in what they do — used to emphasize that someone's actions match their promises

Tara promised to help, and she proved it in word and deed by showing up every weekend.

(one's) good deed for the day

idiom

a slightly humorous way to describe a helpful action someone has done, as if they have completed their required daily act of kindness

Ryan helped an old man cross the street and joked that it was his good deed for the day.

deed — verb

Word family

  • deeded
    adjectiveC1
  • misdeed
    nounB2
  • indeed
    adverbB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe something that someone does, but they differ in scope and emotional weight. 'Act' is the most neutral and general — you can say 'an act of kindness' or 'an act of violence' without sounding dramatic. 'Action' is broader still: it can describe a process or a series of steps rather than a single event ('the government's actions were criticized'). 'Deed' carries a stronger moral judgement — it implies the action has significance, and it almost always needs an adjective to sound natural ('good deed', 'evil deed', 'heroic deed'). 'Feat' is narrower: it means a deed that requires great skill or courage and is always admiring ('building the bridge was a remarkable feat'). In everyday conversation, 'act' and 'action' are far more common than 'deed', which can sound storybook-like or legal.

act ↗action ↗deed ↗feat ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • by deed (through action or through a legal document)

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'deed' comes from Old English 'dēd' (action, achievement), which traces back to the Proto-Germanic root '*dēdiz' and ultimately to the Proto-Indo-European root '*dʰeh₁-' meaning 'to put, to place, to do'. It has been related to the verb 'do' since the earliest recorded English. The legal sense of a signed document emerged in the 1500s, shifting from the idea of 'a thing done' to 'a written record of an act'.