1. [n]  the act of giving
2. [n]  natural qualities or talents
3. [n]  something acquired without compensation
4. [v]  give as a present; make a gift of; "What will you give her for her birthday?"
5. [v]  give qualities or abilities to

1. \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.
   

2. \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.
   

(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.