Dictionary

begift en · VERB

Etymology

From Middle English bigiften (“to entrust”), equivalent to be- + gift. Cognate with Dutch begiften (“to endow”), German begiften (“to endow”), Swedish begåva (“to endow, dower”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To entrust; endow.
   • I suspect, for instance, that Bill Gates might not have wanted to begift such a program with the Microsoft name. 2005, Philip R. Sullivan, The World According To Homo Sapiens:
2. (transitive) To give a gift or gifts to; bestow or present with gifts.
   • They are harangued, bedinnered, begifted,[...] 1838, Thomas Carlyle, The French revolution: a history:
   • Mr. EH Cooper protests against the extravagant manner in which the children of the well-to-do are "amused" and begifted at Christmas: [...] 1905, William Thomas Stead, The Review of reviews:
   • If you are an occasional reader and would like to receive the magazine regularly — or if you are a subscriber and would like to begift a friend, colleague or relative — use the form below. 1974, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists:
3. (transitive) To give as a gift.

Forms

Deriveds

begifting · begifter · begifted

Relateds

begive