— offerable , adj. — offerer, offeror , n.
/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.
13. to render (homage, thanks, etc.).
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 offerre, equiv. to of- OF- + ferre to bring, BEAR 1 ]
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.