[grant] vt [ME, fr. OF creanter, graanter, fr. (assumed) VL credentare, fr. L credent-, credens, prp. of credere to believe--more at creed] (13c) 1 a: to consent to carry out for a person: allow fulfillment of "~ a request" b: to permit as a right, privilege, or favor "luggage allowances ~ed to passengers"
2: to bestow or transfer formally "~ a scholarship to a student"; specif: to give the possession or title of by a deed 3 a: to be willing to concede b: to assume to be true "~ing that you are correct, you may find it hard to prove your point" -- grant.able adj -- grant.er n -- grant.or n syn grant, concede, vouchsafe, accord, award mean to give as a favor or a right. grant implies giving to a claimant or petitioner something that could be withheld "granted them a new hearing". concede implies yielding something reluctantly in response to a rightful or compelling claim "even her critics concede she can be charming". vouchsafe implies granting something as a courtesy or an act of gracious condescension "vouchsafed the secret to only a few chosen disciples". accord implies giving to another what is due or proper "accorded all the honors befitting a head of state". award implies giving what is deserved or merited usu. after a careful weighing of pertinent factors "awarded the company a huge defense contract".
[2]grant n (13c) 1: the act of granting
2: something granted; esp: a gift (as of land or money) for a particular purpose 3 a: a transfer of property by deed or writing b: the instrument by which such a transfer is made; also: the property so transferred
4: a minor territorial division of Maine, New Hampshire, or Vermont orig. granted by the state to an individual or institution