- offer
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/aw"feuhr, of"euhr/, v.t.1. to present for acceptance or rejection; proffer: He offered me a cigarette.2. to propose or put forward for consideration: to offer a suggestion.3. to propose or volunteer (to do something): She offered to accompany me.4. to make a show of intention (to do something): We did not offer to go first.5. to give, make, or promise: She offered no response.6. to present solemnly as an act of worship or devotion, as to God, a deity or a saint; sacrifice.7. to present for sale: He offered the painting to me at a reduced price.8. to tender or bid as a price: to offer ten dollars for a radio.9. to attempt or threaten to do, engage in, or inflict: to offer battle.10. to put forth; exert: to offer resistance.11. to present to sight or notice.12. to introduce or present for exhibition or performance.14. to present or volunteer (oneself) to someone as a spouse.v.i.15. to present itself; occur: Whenever an opportunity offered, he slipped off to town.16. to present something as an act of worship or devotion; sacrifice.17. to make a proposal or suggestion.18. to suggest oneself to someone for marriage; propose.19. Archaic. to make an attempt (fol. by at).n.20. an act or instance of offering: an offer of help.21. the condition of being offered: an offer for sale.22. something offered.23. a proposal or bid to give or pay something as the price of something else; bid: an offer of $90,000 for the house.24. Law. a proposal that requires only acceptance in order to create a contract.25. an attempt or endeavor.26. a show of intention.27. a proposal of marriage.[bef. 900; ME offren, OE offrian to present in worship < L offerre, equiv. to of- OF- + ferre to bring, BEAR1]Syn. 1. OFFER, PROFFER, TENDER mean to present for acceptance or refusal. OFFER is a common word in general use for presenting something to be accepted or rejected: to offer assistance. PROFFER, with the same meaning, is now chiefly a literary word: to proffer one's services. TENDER (no longer used in reference to concrete objects) is a ceremonious term for a more or less formal or conventional act: to tender one's resignation. 2. give, move, propose.Ant. 1. withdraw, withhold. 20. refusal, denial.
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Universalium. 2010.