gift Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun something acquired without compensation
  2. noun natural abilities or qualities
    talent; endowment; natural endowment.
  3. noun the act of giving
    giving.
  4. verb give qualities or abilities to
    endue; invest; empower; indue; endow.
  5. verb give as a present; make a gift of
    present; give.
    • What will you give her for her birthday?

WordNet

Gift noun
Etymology
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.
Definitions
  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 preëminent 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. Syn. -- Present; donation; grant; largess; benefaction; boon; bounty; gratuity; endowment; talent; faculty. -- 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 transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Gifted; present participle & verbal noun Gifting
Definitions
  1. To endow with some power or faculty.
    He was gifted . . . with philosophical sagacity. I. Taylor.

Webster 1913