deed

Meaning

Noun

1. An action or act; something that is done.
2. A brave or noteworthy action; a feat or exploit.
3. Action or fact, as opposed to rhetoric or deliberation.
4. A legal instrument that is executed under seal or before a witness; sometimes required for certain legal activities, such as the transfer of certain kinds of property.
5. (broadly) A legal instrument that is executed under seal or before a witness; sometimes required for certain legal activities, such as the transfer of certain kinds of property.
6. (slang) To have sex.

Verb

To transfer real property by deed.

Synonyms

act

action

work

doing

feat

document

exploit

performance

behaviour

achievement

conduct

bond

certificate

contract

behavior

activity

movement

ways

title

bill

record

works

actions

title deed

task

step

writing

paper

move

effort

doings

movements

accomplishment

human action

deeds

habits

deed of conveyance

habit

human activity

thing

way

occurrence

agreement

effect

done

matter

do

deportment

manner of life

karma

Translations

Tat

acte

azione

action

daad

Handlung

acto

Urkunde

acción

atto

acte

hecho

document

fait

Akt

Pronounced as (IPA)

/diːd/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: dede

Inherited from Old English: dēd

Cognate with Western Frisian: died

Cognate with Dutch: daad

Cognate with German: Tat

Cognate with Danish: dåd

Cognate with Ancient Greek: θέσις

In summary

From Middle English dede, from Old English dēd, dǣd (“deed, act”), from Proto-West Germanic *dādi, from Proto-Germanic *dēdiz (“deed”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰéh₁tis (“deed, action”). Analyzable through Proto-Germanic as do + -th. Doublet of thesis.
The real estate sense derives from the fact that property deeds are traditionally used to demonstrate proof of ownership of a legal title in common law jurisdictions, such as England & Wales and most of the United States.
Cognates
Cognate with West Frisian died, Dutch daad (“deed, act”), German Low German Daad, German Tat (“deed, action”), Swedish, Norwegian and Danish dåd (“act, action”). The Proto-Indo-European root is also the source of Ancient Greek θέσις (thésis, “setting, arrangement”).