From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
gift
n 1: something acquired without compensation
2: natural qualities or talents [syn: endowment, talent,
natural endowment]
3: the act of giving [syn: giving]
v 1: give qualities or abilities to [syn: endow, indue,
empower, invest, endue]
2: give as a present; make a gift of; "What will you give her
for her birthday?" [syn: give, present]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Gift \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.
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Shall I receive by gift, what of my own, . . .
I can command ? --Milton.
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2. The act, right, or power of giving or bestowing; as, the
office is in the gift of the President.
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3. A bribe; anything given to corrupt.
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Neither take a gift, for a gift doth blind the eyes
of the wise. --Deut. xvi.
19.
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4. Some exceptional inborn quality or characteristic; a
striking or special talent or aptitude; power; faculty;
as, the gift of wit; a gift for speaking.
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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.
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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.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Gift \Gift\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gifted; p. pr. & vb. n.
Gifting.]
To endow with some power or faculty. See gift[4].
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He was gifted . . . with philosophical sagacity. --I.
Taylor.
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