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Definitions for: Gift
[n] the act of giving
[n] natural qualities or talents
[n] something acquired without compensation
[v] give as a present; make a gift of; "What will you give her for her birthday?"
[v] give qualities or abilities to
Webster (1913) Definition: Gift, n. [OE. gift, yift, yeft, AS. gift, fr. gifan to
give; akin to D. & G. gift, Icel. gift, gipt, Goth. gifts (in
comp.). See Give, v. t.]
1. Anything given; anything voluntarily transferred by one
person to another without compensation; a present; an
offering.
Shall I receive by gift, what of my own, . . . I can
command ? --Milton.
2. The act, right, or power of giving or bestowing; as, the
office is in the gift of the President.
3. A bribe; anything given to corrupt.
Neither take a gift, for a gift doth blind the eyes
of the wise. --Deut. xvi.
19.
4. Some quality or endowment given to man by God; a
pre["e]minent and special talent or aptitude; power;
faculty; as, the gift of wit; a gift for speaking.
5. (Law) A voluntary transfer of real or personal property,
without any consideration. It can be perfected only by
deed, or in case of personal property, by an actual
delivery of possession. --Bouvier. Burrill.
Gift rope (Naut), a rope extended to a boat for towing it;
a guest rope.
Syn: Present; donation; grant; largess; benefaction; boon;
bounty; gratuity; endowment; talent; faculty.
Usage: Gift, Present, Donation. These words, as here
compared, denote something gratuitously imparted to
another out of one's property. A gift is something
given whether by a superior or an inferior, and is
usually designed for the relief or benefit of him who
receives it. A present is ordinarly from an equal or
inferior, and is always intended as a compliment or
expression of kindness. Donation is a word of more
dignity, denoting, properly, a gift of considerable
value, and ordinarly a gift made either to some public
institution, or to an individual on account of his
services to the public; as, a donation to a hospital,
a charitable society, or a minister.
Gift, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gifted; p. pr. & vb. n.
Gifting.]
To endow with some power or faculty.
He was gifted . . . with philosophical sagacity. --I.
Taylor.
Synonyms: empower, endow, endowment, endue, give, giving, indue, invest, natural endowment, present, talent
See Also: accordance, accordance of rights, acquisition, aid, award, bent, bequeath, bequest, bestowal, bestowal, bestowment, bestowment, bride price, bung, cede, charity, conferment, conferral, contribution, contribution, cover, deed over, deliver, devise, distribute, donate, donation, donation, dower, dower, dowery, dowry, economic aid, enable, endow, endowment, enrichment, flair, freebee, freebie, genius, gift horse, give away, give out, give up, giveaway, grant, hand out, hang, knack, lagniappe, largess, largesse, leave, legacy, natural ability, oblation, offering, present, prize, raffle, raffle off, raw talent, render, share-out, sharing, submit, surrender, tender, tip, treat, will
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