Dictionary

confer en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /kənˈfɜː(ɹ)/ Lancashire, fair–fur merger
• /kənˈfɜː/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /kənˈfɜɹ/ (Canada, General-American)
• (UK) audio
• /kənˈfɛr/ (Scotland)
• [kʰə̥ɱˈfɝ] (Canada, General-American)
• /kənˈføː/ (New-Zealand)
• /kənˈfeː/ Liverpool, fair–fur merger
• /kənˈfɜː/ (Australia)
• /kənˈfɛː/ Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger
• audio North Carolina

Etymology

From Early Modern English conferre, from Middle French conférer, from Old French conferer, from Latin cōnferō. Compare Dutch confereren, German konferieren, Danish konferere, Swedish konferera. Doublet of collate. See also infer, relate and refer, delate and defer, as well as prelate and prefer among others.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To grant as a possession; to bestow.
   • Nor shall I count in hainous to enjoy The public marks of honour and reward Conferr'd upon me[…] 1671, John Milton, Samson Agonistes:
   • The college has conferred an honorary degree upon the visiting Prime Minister.
   • The special immunities that are conferred on MPs were framed with the essential purpose of allowing them to speak freely in parliament. 2010 February 7, Andrew Rawnsley, The Observer:
   • Referring to the "hero of the day," No. 92220, Mr. Hanks acceded that she was not of the Great Western breed, but they had done their best to make up for that by "dollying her up in good old Western colours and conferring upon her the finest honour we can—the halo or crown of Swindon, the copper top to her chimney." 1960 May 14, “Evening Star”, in Railway Magazine, page 307, referring to a new steam locomotive, the last built for British Railways:
   • Abel tried to refuse the honor thus unexpectedly conferred upon him, but it was no use. He had been made a deacon, and a deacon he must remain. 1850, T. S. Arthur, “Deacon Smith and his Violin”, in Sketches of Life and Character, Philadelphia: J. W. Bradley, →OCLC, page 76:
   • The mere existence of a dictionary of a certain variety of English does not automatically confer acceptance of that variety. 2014, James Lambert, “Diachronic stability in Indian English lexis”, in World Englishes, page 114:
2. (intransitive) To talk together, to consult, discuss; to collogue.
   • Local buttons popped when Henry Kissinger visited Little Rock last month to confer with Fulbright on the Middle East oil talks. 1974 March 25, “A Traveler's Perils”, in Time:
   • They were in a huddle, conferring about something.
3. (obsolete) To compare.
   • If we confer these observations with others of the like nature, we may find cause to rectify the general opinion. 1661, Robert Boyle, The Second Essay, of Unsucceeding Experiments:
   • The Newe Testament ... Conferred diligently with the Greke, and best approued translations. 1557 (book title)
   • Confer thine estate with others […]. Be content and rest satisfied, for thou art well in respect to others […]. 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition II, section 3, member 1, subsection i:
4. (obsolete, transitive) To bring together; to collect, gather.
5. (obsolete) To contribute; to conduce.
   • The closeness and compactness of the parts resting together doth much confer to the strength of the union. 1665, Joseph Glanvill, Scepsis Scientifica:

Forms

Deriveds

unconferred · conferral · reconfer · agreement conferring jurisdiction · conferrable · conferment · conferee · conferrer

Relateds

cf. · collation · conference · cf · collate

Synonyms

afford · palaver

Translations (87)

es debatir (to discuss, consult) · fi antaa (to bestow) · es consultar (to discuss, consult) · fr conférer (to bestow) · bg придавам ((obsolete) to contribute, conduce) · cmn 商談 /商谈 (to discuss, consult) · sv konferera (to discuss, consult) · de beraten (to discuss, consult) · mi whakawhiwhi (to bestow) · cs vést impf diskusi ((obsolete) to contribute, conduce) · fi myöntää (to bestow) · fr décerner (to bestow) · sh véćati (to discuss, consult) · cs propůjčit (to bestow) · bg обсъждам (to discuss, consult) · hu tárgyal (to discuss, consult) · mi wānanga (to discuss, consult) · ca conferir (to bestow) · hu ráruház (to bestow) · es conferir (to discuss, consult) · ru присва́ивать (to bestow) · cmn 授予 (to bestow) · de zusammensammeln ((obsolete) to bring together; to collect, gather) · es conferir (to bestow) · kk марапаттау (to bestow) · hu tanácskozik (to discuss, consult) · bg обсъдя (to discuss, consult) · pt conferir (to bestow) · io grantar (to bestow) · ar تَآمَرَ (to discuss, consult) · cs jednat (to discuss, consult) · de zusammentragen ((obsolete) to bring together; to collect, gather) · bg удостоя (to bestow) · hu átruház (to bestow) · pt conferir (to discuss, consult) · de übertragen (to bestow) · de verleihen (to bestow) · ru обгова́ривать (to discuss, consult) · nl schenken (to bestow) · fi neuvotella (to discuss, consult) · sv tilldela (to bestow) · pl wiecować (to discuss, consult) · bg придада ((obsolete) to contribute, conduce) · hu értekezik (to discuss, consult) · nl verzamelen ((obsolete) to bring together; to collect, gather) · ar مَنَحَ (to bestow) · sv rådlägga (to discuss, consult) · fr accorder (to bestow) · hu ruház (to bestow) · cmn 頒授 /颁授 (to bestow) · ru вечева́ть (to discuss, consult) · bg беседвам (to discuss, consult) · de erteilen (to bestow) · io konferar (to discuss, consult) · bg съвещавам се (to discuss, consult) · cmn 協商 /协商 (to discuss, consult) · de beratschlagen (to discuss, consult) · mi whakawhitiwhiti kōrero (to discuss, consult) · hu adományoz (to bestow) · nl toekennen (to bestow) · bg събирам ((obsolete) to bring together; to collect, gather) · bg давам титла (to bestow) · it conferire (to discuss, consult) · ro conferi (to discuss, consult) · cs udělit (to bestow) · bg удостоявам (to bestow) · bg събера ((obsolete) to bring together; to collect, gather) · ru присужда́ть (to bestow) · bg дада титла (to bestow) · nl overleggen (to discuss, consult) · ru совеща́ться (to discuss, consult) · ru наделя́ть (to bestow) · cs hovořit (to discuss, consult) · mi matapaki (to discuss, consult) · ru придава́ть (to bestow) · nl consulteren (to discuss, consult) · de konferieren (to discuss, consult) · mi kōrerorero (to discuss, consult) · hu eszmecserét folytat (to discuss, consult) · nl bijdragen ((obsolete) to contribute, conduce) · cs radit se (to discuss, consult) · hu felruház (to bestow) · ar أَفْضَلَ (to bestow) · de besprechen (to discuss, consult) · hu részesít (to bestow) · unm achimulsi (to discuss, consult) · ru обсужда́ть (to discuss, consult)