【Liberal】 , 【generous】 , 【bountiful】 , 【bounteous】 , 【openhanded】 , 【munificent】 , 【handsome】 are applied to a person or to his deeds or utterances and mean showing or revealing a spirit of giving freely and without stint.
【Liberal】 suggests openhandedness or lack of closeness or meanness in the giver and largeness in the thing that is given.
【Generous】 usually emphasizes some positive quality of heart and mind (as warmhearted readiness to give, forgetfulness of self, or magnanimity) that prompts the giver or the gift more than the size or importance of the gift.
【Bountiful】 suggests lavish or unremitting generosity in providing or giving.
【Bounteous】 carries much the same suggestions as 【bountiful】 but is less often applied to a person.
【Openhanded】 emphasizes generosity in giving and may further suggest freedom from all taint of self-interest and sometimes of forethought in the giving (compare closefisted at STINGY ).
【Munificent】 stresses splendid or princely liberality.
【Handsome】 ((for application to a person see BEAUTIFUL )) is often a close synonym of 【liberal】 and may carry a suggestion of astonishing largeness when applied to a gift, an offer, or a salary or it may be a close synonym of 【generous】 especially when applied to an act or deed that evokes admiration for its unexpected magnanimity or graciousness.
