gift
    n 1: something acquired without compensation
    2: natural abilities or qualities [syn: endowment, gift,
       talent, natural endowment]
    3: the act of giving [syn: giving, gift]
    v 1: give qualities or abilities to [syn: endow, indue,
         gift, empower, invest, endue]
    2: give as a present; make a gift of; "What will you give her
       for her birthday?" [syn: give, gift, present]

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.
      [1913 Webster]

            Shall I receive by gift, what of my own, . . .
            I can command ?                       --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The act, right, or power of giving or bestowing; as, the
      office is in the gift of the President.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. A bribe; anything given to corrupt.
      [1913 Webster]

            Neither take a gift, for a gift doth blind the eyes
            of the wise.                          --Deut. xvi.
                                                  19.
      [1913 Webster]

   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.
      [1913 Webster]

   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.
      [1913 Webster]

   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.
          [1913 Webster]

Gift \Gift\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gifted; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Gifting.]
   To endow with some power or faculty. See gift[4].
   [1913 Webster]

         He was gifted . . . with philosophical sagacity. --I.
                                                  Taylor.
   [1913 Webster]

GIFT
       GNU Image Finding Tool (GNU)
       

Gift
   (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.
   

GIFT, contracts. The act by which the owner of a thing, voluntarily 
transfers the title and possession of the same, from himself to another 
person who accepts it, without any consideration. It differs from a grant, 
sale, or barter in this, that in each of these cases there must be a 
consideration, and a gift, as the @definitionstates, must be without 
consideration. 
     2. The manner of making the gift may be in writing, or verbally, and, 
as far as personal chattels are concerned, they are equally binding. Perk. 
Sec. 57; 2 Bl. Com. 441. But real estate must be transferred by deed. 
     3. There must be a transfer made with an intention of passing the 
title, and delivering the possession of the thing given, and it must be 
accepted by the donee. 1 Madd. Ch. R. 176, Am. ed. p. 104; sed vide 2 Barn. 
& Ald. 551; Noy's Rep. 67. 
     4. The transfer must be without consideration, for if there be the 
least consideration, it will change the contract into a sale or barter, if 
possession be delivered; or if not, into an executory contract. 2 Bl. Com. 
440. 
     5. Gifts are divided into gifts inter vivos, and gifts causa mortis; 
and also' into simple or proper gifts; that is, such as are to take 
immediate effect, without any condition; and qualified or improper gifts, or 
such as derive their force upon the happening, of some condition or 
contingency; as, for example, a donatio causa mortis. Vide Donatio causa 
mortis; Gifts inter vivos; and Vin. Ab. h. t.; Com. Dig. Biens, D 2, and 
Grant; Bac. Ab. Grant; 14 Vin. Ab. 19 3 M. & S. 7 5 Taunt. 212 1 Miles, R. 
109. 

GIFT, conveyancing. A voluntary conveyance; that is, a conveyance not 
founded on the consideration of money or blood. The word denotes rather the 
motive of the conveyance; so that a feoffment or grant may be called a gift 
when gratuitous. A gift is of the same nature as a settlement; neither 
denotes a form of assurance, but the nature of the transaction. Watk. Prin. 
199, by Preston. The operative words of this conveyance are do or dedi. The 
maker of this instrument is called the donor, and he to whom it is made, the 
donee. 2 B. Com. 316 Litt. 69; Touchs. ch. 11.