/gɪft; ˇɪft/ n
1 thing given willingly without payment; present 礼物; 赠品
*a kind, generous, small, etc gift 使人感到亲切的、慷慨的、小小的...礼物
* a birthday, Christmas, wedding, etc gift 生日、圣诞、结婚等礼品
* a gift to charity 慈善捐赠
* a gift of chocolates, flowers, etc 巧克力、鲜花等礼物.
2 ~ (for sth/doing sth) natural talent or ability 天赋; 禀赋; 才能
*I've always been able to learn languages easily; it's a gift. 我学习语言一向是轻而易举, 这是天分.
* He has many outstanding gifts. 他多才多艺.
* have a gift for music 有音乐天才
* the gift of making friends easily 善于交友的才能
* (ironic 反语) a gift for doing/saying the wrong thing 天生的做错事[说错话]的本事.
3 (usu sing 通常作单数) (infml 口)
(a) unusually cheap purchase; bargain 便宜货; 合算的交易
*At that price it's an absolute gift! 那个价钱, 纯粹是白给!
(b) (fig 比喻 ) thing that is very easy or too easy to do 轻而易举的事; 过分容易的事
*Their second goal was a real gift. 他们得的第二分真是易如反掌.
* That exam question was an absolute gift! 那道试题纯粹是白送分!
* It was a gift of a question. 解答那一道题不费吹灰之力.
* [attrib 作定语] a gift question 一道白送分的题.
4 (idm 习语) a gift from the `gods advantageous thing that is unearned and unexpected 非劳动所得; 意外所得
*To have such an easy examination paper was a gift from the gods. 碰到这样容易的考卷, 那是老天爷的恩赐. the gift of the `gab (sometimes derog 有时作贬义) the ability to speak fluently and eloquently 口才; 辩才. God's gift to sb/sth => god. in the gift of sb which sb has the right or power to give or grant 由某人授予或准予
*a post in the sovereign's gift, ie one which the sovereign has the right to appoint a person to 君主授予的职位. look a gift horse in the `mouth (usu with negatives 通常与否定词连用) refuse or criticize sth that is given to one for nothing 拒受馈赠; 受礼而加挑剔.

n[C]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old Nors]
something that you give someone, for example to thank them or because you like them, especially on a special occasion
= present
　The earrings were a gift from my aunt.
gift of
　a generous gift of £50
The clock was given as a retirement gift when he left the police.
expensive wedding gifts
Enjoy a free gift with any purchase of $20 or more.
　This excellent cookbook would make an ideal gift for anyone just going away to college.
a) a natural ability
= talentgift for
　a gift for languages
　He was a kind man, with a gift for forming lasting friendships.
gift of
　She has the rare gift of being able to laugh at herself.
b) an ability that is given to you by God
gift of
　He was said to have possessed the gift of prophecy.
　the use of spiritual gifts
→gifted
a gift
BrE informal something that is easier or cheaper than you expected
　The third goal was an absolute gift.
gift (from God)
something good you receive or something good that happens to you, even though you might not deserve it
　This opportunity was a gift from God.
the gift of the gab
BrEthe gift of gabAmE informal an ability to speak confidently and to persuade people to do what you want
　Jo has always had the gift of the gab .
be in sb's gift
BrE formal if something is in your gift, you have the power to decide who it should be given to
　All appointments to military and administrative posts were in the gift of the king.
never/don't look a gift horse in the mouth
spoken used to tell someone to be grateful for something that has been given to them, instead of asking questions about it or finding something wrong with it
→God's gift to sb/sthatgod

---

COLLOCATES for sense 1
give somebody a gift
receive a gift
make somebody a gift of somethingformal (=give someone something as a gift)
birthday/wedding/Christmas etc gift
free gift (=something that a shop or business gives you)
make a good/ideal gift (=be a good gift)
gift ideas (=ideas of things you could give someone)

---