BESTOW

confer, bestow

(verb) present; “The university conferred a degree on its most famous former student, who never graduated”; “bestow an honor on someone”

bestow

(verb) give as a gift

lend, impart, bestow, contribute, add, bring

(verb) bestow a quality on; “Her presence lends a certain cachet to the company”; “The music added a lot to the play”; “She brings a special atmosphere to our meetings”; “This adds a light note to the program”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Verb

bestow (third-person singular simple present bestows, present participle bestowing, simple past and past participle bestowed)

(transitive) To lay up in store; deposit for safe keeping; to stow or place; to put something somewhere.

(transitive) To lodge, or find quarters for; provide with accommodation.

(transitive) To dispose of.

(transitive) To give; confer; impart gratuitously; present something to someone or something, especially as a gift or honour.

(transitive) To give in marriage.

(transitive) To apply; make use of; use; employ.

(transitive, obsolete) To behave or deport.

Anagrams

• betows, bowest

Source: Wiktionary

Be*stow", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bestowed; p. pr. & vb. n. Bestowing.] Etym: [OE. bestowen; pref. be- + stow a place. See Stow.]

1. To lay up in store; to deposit for safe keeping; to stow; to place; to put. "He bestowed it in a pouch." Sir W. Scott. See that the women are bestowed in safety. Byron.

2. To use; to apply; to devote, as time or strength in some occupation.

3. To expend, as money. [Obs.]

4. To give or confer; to impart; -- with on or upon. Empire is on us bestowed. Cowper. Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor. 1 Cor. xiii. 3.

5. To give in marriage. I could have bestowed her upon a fine gentleman. Tatler.

6. To demean; to conduct; to behave; -- followed by a reflexive pronoun. [Obs.] How might we see Falstaff bestow himself to-night in his true colors, and not ourselves be seen Shak.

Syn.

– To give; grant; present; confer; accord.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition