A Deed Is an Action and a Legal Document
A deed is something done. Law uses the same word for the document that records an act.
A deed is something done, and in law a signed document transferring property or rights. The legal sense follows directly: a deed records an act, and in English law a deed is distinguished from an ordinary contract by being formally executed rather than merely agreed. Doing, not just promising, is the point. *Deed* and *do* are the same root, and the noun follows the same pattern as *seed* from *sow* and *breed* from *brood*.
- An action. *A good deed.*
- A legal document. *The deeds to the house.*
- A feat. *Heroic deeds.*
- Indeed — in deed, in fact. *Indeed.*
- Old English — *dæd*, from *do*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | deed | A deed. |
| Plural | deeds | Deeds. |
| Related | do | To do. |
| Related | indeed | Indeed. |
| Old English | dæd | A deed. |
- One good deed a day.Action.
- The deeds are with the bank.Law.
- Deed comes from do.Etymology.
Nouns built from verbs
- Deed — from *do*
- Seed — from *sow*
- Breed — from *brood*
- Weft — from *weave*
- Gift — from *give*
Old English *dæd*, from the root of *do*, of Germanic origin.
Why is a property document called a deed?
Because it records an act. In English law a deed is formally executed rather than merely agreed, which distinguishes it from a contract.
Are deed and do related?
Yes. Deed is the noun built from do, following the same pattern as seed from sow.