offer: Meaning and Definition of
of•fer
Pronunciation: (ô'fur, of'ur), [key]
— v.t.
- to present for acceptance or rejection; proffer: He offered me a cigarette.
- to propose or put forward for consideration: to offer a suggestion.
- to propose or volunteer (to do something): She offered to accompany me.
- to make a show of intention (to do something): We did not offer to go first.
- to give, make, or promise: She offered no response.
- to present solemnly as an act of worship or devotion, as to God, a deity or a saint; sacrifice.
- to present for sale: He offered the painting to me at a reduced price.
- to tender or bid as a price: to offer ten dollars for a radio.
- to attempt or threaten to do, engage in, or inflict: to offer battle.
- to put forth; exert: to offer resistance.
- to present to sight or notice.
- to introduce or present for exhibition or performance.
- to render (homage, thanks, etc.).
- to present or volunteer (oneself&hasp;) to someone as a spouse.
—v.i.
- to present itself; occur: Whenever an opportunity offered, he slipped off to town.
- to present something as an act of worship or devotion; sacrifice.
- to make a proposal or suggestion.
- to suggest oneself to someone for marriage; propose.
- to make an attempt (fol. by at).
—n.
- an act or instance of offering: an offer of help.
- the condition of being offered: an offer for sale.
- something offered.
- a proposal or bid to give or pay something as the price of something else; bid: an offer of $90,000 for the house.
- a proposal that requires only acceptance in order to create a contract.
- an attempt or endeavor.
- a show of intention.
- a proposal of marriage.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.