gift

 

The word "gift" is used when someone is given something such as a present, a reward, or an advantage. People receive gifts for birthdays, for holiday events, or when celebrating special occasions:

  • Ted’s grandmother gave him several gifts for his birthday.
  • Emily bought her husband an iPad as a gift for Christmas.
  • That’s a very nice gift!
  • It’s good to receive gifts, but it’s also good to give them!
  • Gift cards are popular gifts.
  • My students gave me a gift card for twenty dollars of food at Subway.
  • The opportunity to spend time with Denise before she died was a real gift.

Sometimes the word "gift" is used to describe a person’s great, natural talents and abilities:

  • The young man’s ability to do math is a genuine gift.
  • He’s gifted. (The word "gifted" in this sentence is an adjective.)
  • Helen has a gift for singing.
  • Her ability to sing is a gift.
  • She’s a very gifted singer.
  • Students who are academically gifted may find regular classes in school to be boring.

You shouldn’t use "gift" as a verb, but some people try anyway; however, the word "regift" has become popular as a verb in recent years. If you regift, you give someone a gift which you have received from another person.

  • Bernie received some candy for her birthday, but she doesn’t eat candy, so she regifted it. She wrapped up the box and gave it to a friend at work.
  • Instead of returning the sausage maker that they received as a wedding present, Bill and Michelle regifted it at a Christmas party.
  • Have you ever regifted something you received as a present?

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November 27, 2013