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.

1. 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.

Source: Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
 

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.

Source: Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
 

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]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

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]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

197 Moby Thesaurus words for "gift": Christmas present, ability, accomplishment, accord, acquirement, acuity, acuteness, administer, adroitness, afford, allot, allow, alms, an ear for, an eye for, aptitude, aptness, attainment, award, baksheesh, benefaction, benefit, benevolence, bent, bestow, bestow on, bestowal, birthday present, bonus, boon, bounty, box, braininess, brightness, brilliance, bump, cadeau, caliber, capability, capacity, capacity for, charity, chip in, clear thinking, cleverness, communicate, compliment, complimentariness, confer, contribute, contribute to, contribution, costlessness, deal, deal out, dexterity, dish out, dispense, dole, dole out, donate, donate to, donation, dower, dowry, endowment, equipment, esprit, expenselessness, extend, facility, faculty, fairing, favor, felicity, flair, fork out, forte, free ride, freebie, freeness, genius, genius for, gift for, gift with, giftedness, gifts, give, give freely, give out, give to, grant, gratuitousness, gratuity, hand out, hand-out, handsel, head, heap, help to, honorarium, impart, inclination, innate aptitude, instinct, issue, keen-wittedness, keenness, kick in, knack, labor of love, largess, largesse, lavish, leaning, legacy, let have, long suit, makings, mental alertness, mercurial mind, mete, mete out, metier, native cleverness, natural endowment, natural gift, nimble mind, nimble-wittedness, nimbleness, no charge, nose, nous, numen, oblation, offer, offering, parts, peace offering, pledge, potential, pour, pourboire, power, powers, premium, present, presentation, prize, proffer, propensity, qualification, quick parts, quick thinking, quick wit, quick-wittedness, quickness, rain, ready wit, remembrance, render, reward, savvy, serve, set, sharp-wittedness, sharpness, shell out, shower, slip, smartness, smarts, snow, souvenir, speciality, specialty, sprightly wit, strength, strong flair, strong point, subscribe, sweeten the kitty, talent, talents, tendency, tender, the goods, the stuff, tip, token, tribute, turn, turn for, vouchsafe, what it takes, white elephant, yield

Source: Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
 

gift

Source: WordNet (r) 2.0
 

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.

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 pre["e]minent 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.

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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Gift \Gift\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gifted; p. pr. & vb. n. Gifting.]

To endow with some power or faculty.

He was gifted . . . with philosophical sagacity. --I. Taylor.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)