Word of the Day

grant

 

To grant is to give something of importance or value to another person or to a group.

  • The students were granted more time by their teacher to finish their project.
  • The young artist was granted a stipend to create a mural.
  • The government granted money to a community group to build a recreation center for neighborhood youth.
  • Residents of the United States are granted certain protections under the Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
  • Aladdin was granted any wish by a powerful genie whom Aladdin rescued from a lamp.
  • People are not always happy after their wishes have been granted.
  • The Make a Wish foundation grants wishes to children with terminal illnesses.

The word "grant" is also a noun. In this case a grant is an amount of money provided by the government.

  • The teacher received a grant to do some research.
  • The government provided a block grant to the county for a neighborhood redevelopment project.
  • A community group received a grant to restore an old historic building.

The expression "taken for granted" is extremely common in English. When a person fails to honor or recognize the importance of another person or a thing, than we say that it is taken for granted.

take for granted / took for granted / taken for granted

  • Members of the community took for granted the value of their police department until they could no longer afford to keep it.
  • We all took for granted the 300-year-old church until it was consumed by a fire.
  • Denise is mad at her husband because she says he takes her granted.
  • Not everyone has access to a good education, so you should never take it for granted.
  • Don’t take your health for granted. You should try to take care of yourself.

Note: Ulysses S. Grant was a famous general during the American Civil War. He later become the 18th President of the United States.

U.S. Grant General Ulysses S. Grant (on the left) led the North to victory over the South. General Robert E. Lee (on the right) conceded defeat.

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This page was published on June 7, 2017.