See Also: GIFT(medicine)
gift(dictionary)
gift(2)(dictionary)
gift(1)(dictionary)
GIFT(dictionary)
GIFT(health)
Gift tax(finance)
Gift Tax(law)
Net Gift(law)
Gift tax(money)

gift(1) (iou)



gift noun. ME.

I. Giving.
The action or an act of giving. ME.
in the gift of (of a church living or other appointment) within the power or right of a specified person or institution to bestow.
H. Reed Language always makes gift of its best wealth to a great poet.
Law. The voluntary transference of property without anything in return. L15.
deed of gift a deed by which property is conveyed from the donor to the donee without anything being given in return.
II. Something given.
A thing given; a present, a donation. Also fig., an accidental or unexpected opportunity or benefit. ME.
as a gift, (arch.) at a gift even gratis (freq. in would not have it as a gift etc.). free gift: see FREE adjective. Grecian gift: see GRECIAN adjective. Greek gift: see GREEK adjective.
G. Swift My pet hamster, Sammy, a gift for my tenth birthday. Janet Morgan To the press, the story of Agatha's disappearance was a gift.
An offering to God or to a god. ME.
Bible (AV): Matthew 5:24 Leaue there thy gift before the altar.
A faculty, power, or quality miraculously bestowed; a virtue or endowment looked on as an emanation from heaven. ME.
the gift of tongues: see TONGUE noun.
J. H. Newman To obtain the gift of holiness is the work of a life.
b. A natural endowment, faculty, ability, or talent. ME.
gift of the gab: see GAB noun2.
D. Athill I knew in my bones that I had no gift for nursing.
Something given with the intent to corrupt, a bribe. LME-E17.
Bible (AV): 2 Chronicles 19:7 There is no iniquitie with the Lord our God..nor taking of gifts.
A white speck on the fingernail, supposed to portend a gift. Now dial. E18.
An easy task etc. colloq. M19.
Comb.: gift-book: given or suitable for giving as a present; gift coupon: issued with certain commodities and entitling the holder of a specified number of such coupons to a free gift; gift-horse: given as a present (chiefly in look a gift-horse in the mouth, find fault with a gift); gift shop: dealing in articles suitable for gifts; gift-token, gift voucher: used as a gift and exchangeable for goods esp. at a specified shop etc.; gift-wrap verb trans. wrap (a purchase etc.) attractively as a gift.
giftless adjective LME.