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