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offer

[aw-fer, of-er]
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verb (used with object)
  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.
  13. to render (homage, thanks, etc.).
  14. to present or volunteer (oneself) to someone as a spouse.
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verb (used without object)
  1. to present itself; occur: Whenever an opportunity offered, he slipped off to town.
  2. to present something as an act of worship or devotion; sacrifice.
  3. to make a proposal or suggestion.
  4. to suggest oneself to someone for marriage; propose.
  5. Archaic. to make an attempt (followed by at).
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noun
  1. an act or instance of offering: an offer of help.
  2. the condition of being offered: an offer for sale.
  3. something offered.
  4. a proposal or bid to give or pay something as the price of something else; bid: an offer of $90,000 for the house.
  5. Law. a proposal that requires only acceptance in order to create a contract.
  6. an attempt or endeavor.
  7. a show of intention.
  8. a proposal of marriage.
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Origin of offer

before 900; Middle English offren, Old English offrian to present in worship < Latin offerre, equivalent to of- of- + ferre to bring, bear1
Related formsof·fer·a·ble, adjectiveof·fer·er, of·fer·or, nounnon·of·fer, nounpre·of·fer, noun, verb (used with object)re·of·fer, verb, nounself-of·fered, adjectiveun·of·fered, adjective

Synonyms

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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.

Antonyms

1. withdraw, withhold. 20. refusal, denial.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

overtureactionbidattemptgiveextendgrantprovidesuggestshowawardaffordsubmitallowdonatedisplaycitepresentseekessay

Examples from the Web for offer

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • He caught but two fish, and they were so small that he decided not to offer them for sale.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

  • It is very honorable in you to make the offer, and I like you the better for having made it.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

  • I told Coplen to offer her a million cash for everything rather'n have any fuss.

    The Spenders

    Harry Leon Wilson

  • The offer was thankfully accepted, and the generous merchant was as good as his word.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

  • "Your escort was accepted because you were the first to offer it," said Halbert.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

British Dictionary definitions for offer

offer

verb
  1. to present or proffer (something, someone, oneself, etc) for acceptance or rejection
  2. (tr) to present as part of a requirementshe offered English as a second subject
  3. (tr) to provide or make accessiblethis stream offers the best fishing
  4. (intr) to present itselfif an opportunity should offer
  5. (tr) to show or express willingness or the intention (to do something)
  6. (tr) to put forward (a proposal, opinion, etc) for consideration
  7. (tr) to present for sale
  8. (tr) to propose as payment; bid or tender
  9. (when tr, often foll by up) to present (a prayer, sacrifice, etc) as or during an act of worship
  10. (tr) to show readiness forto offer battle
  11. (intr) archaic to make a proposal of marriage
  12. (tr; sometimes foll by up or to) engineering to bring (a mechanical piece) near to or in contact with another, and often to proceed to fit the pieces together
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noun
  1. something, such as a proposal or bid, that is offered
  2. the act of offering or the condition of being offered
  3. contract law a proposal made by one person that will create a binding contract if accepted unconditionally by the person to whom it is madeSee also acceptance
  4. a proposal of marriage
  5. short for offer price
  6. on offer for sale at a reduced price
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Derived Formsofferer or offeror, noun

Word Origin

Old English, from Latin offerre to present, from ob- to + ferre to bring

Offer

n acronym for (formerly, in Britain)
  1. Office of Electricity Regulation: merged with Ofgas in 1999 to form Ofgem
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for offer

v.

Old English ofrian "to offer, show, exhibit, sacrifice, bring an oblation," from Latin offerre "to present, bestow, bring before" (in Late Latin "to present in worship"), from ob "to" (see ob-) + ferre "to bring, to carry" (see infer). The Latin word was borrowed elsewhere in Germanic, e.g. Old Frisian offria, Middle Dutch offeren, Old Norse offra. Non-religious sense reinforced by Old French offrir "to offer," from Latin offerre. Related: Offered; offering.

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n.

early 15c., from Old French ofre "act of offering; offer, proposition" (12c.), verbal noun from offrir (see offer (v.)). The native noun formation is offering.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper