INDEX:
1. when you offer something to someone
2. when you offer to help
3. to offer money for something
4. something that you offer
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ GIVE
↑ HELP
↑ BUY
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1. when you offer something to someone
▷ offer /ˈɒfəʳǁˈɔː-, ˈɑː-/ [transitive verb]
to say that someone can have something if they want it :
offer somebody something
▪ She didn’t even offer me a cup of tea.
▪ I’ve been offered the job!
▪ Can I offer you a ride?
▪ Why don’t you offer them a drink while I finish getting dinner ready?
offer something to somebody
▪ Unfortunately, they offered the contract to someone else.
▷ would you like ...? /wʊd juː ˈlaɪk/ spoken
say this as a polite way of offering something to someone :
▪ We have some maps of the city - would you like one?
▪ Would you like fries with that?
▷ can I get you ...? /kən aɪ ˈget juː/ spoken
say this when you are offering someone a drink or food, for example at a party :
▪ Can I get you some coffee?
▪ What can I get you? There’s beer or wine.
▷ help yourself /ˌhelp jɔːʳˈself/ spoken
say this to tell someone they can take anything they want from the food and drink that is available :
▪ There’s plenty of food, so help yourself.
help yourself to
▪ Help yourself to some salad.
▷ have /hæv/ spoken
say this to persuade someone to take some food or drink that you are offering :
▪ Have some of the pie - my Mom made it.
▪ Go on, have another beer.
2. when you offer to help
▷ offer /ˈɒfəʳǁˈɔː-, ˈɑː-/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to say that you will do something in order to help someone :
▪ She was the kind of teacher who was always ready to offer advice and encouragement.
offer to do something
▪ I offered to help her with the dishes.
thanks for offering
▪ ‘Do you want me to look after the children next week?’ ‘No, but thanks for offering.’
▷ volunteer /ˌvɒlənˈtɪəʳǁˌvɑː-/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to offer to do something, especially something difficult or unpleasant :
volunteer to do something
▪ Jill volunteered to go with me to the hospital.
▪ Will anyone volunteer to help me clean up this mess?
volunteer for
▪ No one volunteered for night duty.
▷ come forward /ˌkʌm ˈfɔːʳwəʳd/ [verb phrase] British
to offer to give help, information, money etc, especially after someone has publicly requested something :
▪ The number of operations may have to be limited unless more blood donors come forward.
come forward to do something
▪ None of the parents came forward to help with the school party.
come forward with
▪ The negotiations will come to an end unless someone comes forward with a new proposal.
▷ let me /ˈlet miː/ spoken
say this when you are offering to help someone, especially when you want to be kind or friendly to them :
▪ Let me drive you to the station.
▪ Let me give you a hand with that, mate.
▪ Why don’t you let me cook dinner tonight?
▷ can Ido something/would you like me to do something also shall I do something British /ˌkæn aɪ ˈduː something, wʊd juː ˌlaɪk miː tə ˈduː something, ˌʃæl aɪ ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
say this when you are offering to do something for someone :
▪ Can I take your bag - it looks heavy.
▪ Would you like me to mail that letter for you? I’m going into town.
▪ Shall I make a copy for you?
▪ ‘Can I get you anything else?’ the waiter asked.
3. to offer money for something
▷ offer /ˈɒfəʳǁˈɔː-, ˈɑː-/ [transitive verb]
to say that you will pay someone a particular amount of money in exchange for something :
offer somebody something
▪ Chaldon was offered a huge salary to become team manager.
offer (somebody) something for something
▪ Police are offering a reward for information about the shooting.
▪ Some guy offered me £2,000 for the car. I just laughed and hung up the phone.
▷ make an offer /ˌmeɪk ən ˈɒfəʳǁ-ˈɔː-/ [verb phrase]
to offer a particular amount of money in order to buy a house, car etc :
make an offer for/on
▪ Has anyone made an offer yet for the house?
make an offer of
▪ Immediately after they were shown the property, they made an offer of $165,000.
make somebody a generous offer
▪ I’m prepared to make you a very generous offer.
▷ bid /bɪd/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to offer to pay a particular amount of money for something you want to buy, in competition with other people :
bid $10/£20 etc for something
▪ At the auction, I bid £50 for a small antique mirror, but it ended up selling for over £200.
▪ Baxley International said on Friday that it bid $11 million in cash and stock to acquire the Los Angeles-based company.
bid for something
▪ Competition between the two companies bidding for the contract is fierce.
bid against somebody
▪ San Diego is asking private companies to bid against city workers to run one of the city’s three water treatment plants.
bidder [countable noun]
▪ The equipment will be auctioned off to the highest bidder the person who bids the highest amount .
4. something that you offer
▷ offer /ˈɒfəʳǁˈɔː-, ˈɑː-/ [countable noun]
something that someone has offered to give you or do for you, such as money, help, or advice :
a good offer
▪ I’ll sell the car if I get a good offer.
offer of
▪ Since the story ran in local papers, the family has received several offers of help.
accept an offer
say yes to it
▪ Pan Am accepted an offer to sell its African and Asian routes.
turn down/refuse/reject an offer
say no to it
▪ How could you refuse such a fantastic offer?
▷ bid /bɪd/ [countable noun]
an offer to pay a particular amount of money for something, when other people are also offering different amounts of money, and hoping to buy it :
bid for
▪ The highest bid for the painting was £400.
put in/submit/make a bid
say how much you will pay
▪ A number of companies have submitted bids to buy the supermarket chain.