bestow | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

28 entries found.

early 14c., bistowen "give, confer" (alms, etc.), from be- + stowen "to place" (see stow). Related: Bestowed; bestowing; bestower.

bestowal (n.)

1773, from bestow + -al (2). Bestowment is from 1730.

gift (v.)

"bestow a gift," 16c., from gift (n.). Related: Gifted; gifting.

attribute (v.)

late 14c., "assign, bestow," from Latin attributus, past participle of attribuere "assign to, allot, commit, entrust;" figuratively "to attribute, ascribe, impute," from assimilated form of ad "to" (see ad-) + tribuere "assign, give, bestow" (see tribute). Related: Attributed; attributing.

lavish (v.)

"spend or bestow profusely," 1540s, from lavish (adj.). Related: Lavished; lavisher; lavishing.

crown (v.)

"bestow a crown or garland upon," late Old English corounen, from Old French coroner, from corone (see crown (n.)). Related: Crowned; crowning. The latter in its sense of "that makes complete" is from 1650s.

allowable (adj.)

late 14c., "worthy of praise;" mid-15c., "permissible, not forbidden," from Old French alloable "permissible, allowable," from alloer "allot, apportion, bestow" (see allow).

caress (v.)

"bestow caresses upon, stroke or pat affectionately;" also "treat with fondness or kindness," 1650s, from French caresser, from Italian carezzare "to cherish," from carezza "endearment" (see caress (n.)). Related: Caressed; caressing.

immortalize (v.)

1560s, "bestow lasting fame upon, exempt from oblivion," from immortal + -ize. Perhaps modeled on French immortaliser. The literal sense "endow with immortality" is from 1630s in English. Related: Immortalized; immortalizing.

Hippocrene

fount on Mount Helicon sacred to the Muses, its waters were held to bestow poetic inspiration, from Greek Hippokrene, earlier hippou krene, literally "horse's fountain," from genitive of hippos "horse" (from PIE root *ekwo- "horse") + krēnē "fountain," which is of uncertain origin.

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