| to run away hurriedly; flee. |
| to swindle, cheat, hoodwink, or hoax. |
1125–75; Middle English < Old Norse gift; cognate with Old English gift (Middle English yift) marriage gift; akin to give
Related forms
1. donation, contribution, offering, benefaction, endowment, bounty, boon, largess, alms, gratuity, tip, premium, allowance, subsidy, bequest, legacy, inheritance, dowry. See present2. 4. faculty, aptitude, capability, bent, forte, genius, turn, knack.
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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gift (ɡɪft) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | something given; a present |
| 2. | a special aptitude, ability, or power; talent |
| 3. | the power or right to give or bestow (esp in the phrases in the gift of, in (someone's) gift) |
| 4. | the act or process of giving |
| 5. | (usually negative) look a gift-horse in the mouth to find fault with a free gift or chance benefit |
| —vb | |
| 6. | to present (something) as a gift to (a person) |
| 7. | ( |
| 8. | rare to endow with; bestow |
| [Old English gift payment for a wife, dowry; related to Old Norse gipt, Old High German gift, Gothic fragifts endowment, engagement; see | |
| 'giftless | |
| —adj | |
| GIFT (ɡɪft) | |
| —n acronym for | |
| gamete intrafallopian transfer: a technique, similar to in vitro fertilization, that enables some women who are unable to conceive to bear children. Egg cells are removed from the woman's ovary, mixed with sperm, and introduced into one of her Fallopian tubes | |
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gift
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| GIFT gamete intrafallopian tube transfer |
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Gift definition
(1.) An gratuity (Prov. 19:6) to secure favour (18:16; 21:14), a thank-offering (Num. 18:11), or a dowry (Gen. 34:12). (2.) An oblation or proppitatory gift (2Sa 8:2,6; 1Ch 18:2,6; 2Ch 26:8; Ps. 45:12; 72:10). (3.) A bribe to a judge to obtain a favourable verdict (Ex. 23:8; Deut. 16:19). (4.) Simply a thing given (Matt. 7:11; Luke 11:13; Eph. 4:8); sacrifical (Matt. 5:23, 24; 8:4); eleemosynary (Luke 21:1); a gratuity (John 4:10; Acts 8:20). In Acts 2:38 the generic word dorea is rendered "gift." It differs from the charisma (1 Cor. 12:4) as denoting not miraculous powers but the working of a new spirit in men, and that spirit from God. The giving of presents entered largely into the affairs of common life in the East. The nature of the presents was as various as were the occasions: food (1 Sam. 9:7; 16:20), sheep and cattle (Gen. 32:13-15), gold (2 Sam. 18:11), jewels (Gen. 24:53), furniture, and vessels for eating and drinking (2 Sam. 17:28); delicacies, as spices, honey, etc. (1 Kings 10:25; 2 Kings 5: 22). The mode of presentation was with as much parade as possible: the presents were conveyed by the hands of servants (Judg. 3:18), or still better, on the backs of beasts of burden (2 Kings 8:9). The refusal of a present was regarded as a high indignity; and this constituted the aggravated insult noticed in Matt. 22:11, the marriage robe having been offered and refused.
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gift
In addition to the idiom beginning with gift, also see look a gift horse in the mouth.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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gift
in law, a present or thing bestowed gratuitously. The term is generally restricted to mean gratuitous transfers inter vivos (among the living) of real or personal property. A valid gift requires: (1) a competent donor; (2) an eligible donee; (3) an existing identifiable thing or interest; (4) an intention to donate; (5) delivery; i.e., a transfer of possession to or for the donee and a relinquishment by the donor of ownership, control, and power to revoke (except in gifts mortis causa; i.e., those that are made by someone believing himself to be near death and that become final only if the giver dies); and (6) acceptance by the donee. Formal acceptance is necessary under French law, but Anglo-American law acknowledges implied acceptance
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