gift (redirected from gifts)

Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.

Prov. Do not trust an opponent who offers to do something nice for you. (A line from the story of the Trojan horse, as told in Vergil's Aeneid.) Jill: I can't believe Melanie brought me cookies today, when we've been fighting for weeks. Jane: Beware of Greeks bearing gifts. She probably has ulterior motives. When the rival company invited all his employees to a Christmas party, Tom's first impulse was to beware of Greeks bearing gifts, but then he upbraided himself for being paranoid.

See also: bearing, beware, Greek

free gift

something extra given to you when you buy something else. When you order your magazine subscription, this book is yours to keep as our free gift. This canvas tote is a free gift for everyone who opens an account at our bank today!

See also: free

God's gift (to women)

Fig. a desirable or perfect man. (Usually sarcastic.) Tom thinks he's God's gift to women, but if the truth were known, they laugh at him behind his back. He acted like he was God's gift and I should be real grateful to be going out with him.

have a gift for (doing) something

Fig. to have a natural talent for doing something. Tony has a gift for writing short stories. Sharon has a gift for dealing with animals.

See also: have

have the gift of gab and have a gift for gab

Fig. to have a great facility with language; to be able to use language very effectively. (See also have a way with words.) My brother really has the gift of gab. He can convince anyone of anything. I don't talk a lot. I just don't have the gift for gab.

See also: gab, have

look a gift horse in the mouth

Fig. to be ungrateful to someone who gives you something; to treat someone who gives you a gift badly. (Usually with a negative.) Never look a gift horse in the mouth. I advise you not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

See also: horse, look, mouth

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not look a gift horse in the mouth

if someone tells you not to look a gift horse in the mouth, they mean that you should not criticize or feel doubt about something good that has been offered to you Okay, it's not the job of your dreams but it pays good money. I'd be inclined not to look a gift horse in the mouth if I were you.

See look a million dollars, have a face like thunder

See also: horse, look, mouth

the gift of the gab  (British, American & Australian) also the gift of gab (American)

an ability to speak easily and confidently and to persuade people to do what you want An Irishman, he had the gift of the gab. You might hate what he said but you had to listen.

See look a gift horse in the mouth

See also: gab

think you are God's gift to women  (humorous)

if a man thinks he is God's gift to women, he thinks he is extremely attractive and that all women love him He's the most arrogant man I've ever met and he thinks he's God's gift to women. Oh for goodness sake, you really think you're God's gift to women, don't you!

See can't think straight

See also: think, women

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look a gift horse in the mouth

to criticize or refuse to take something that has been offered to you I know the car's not in great condition, but you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Usage notes: usually follows never or not, as in the example

Etymology: based on the idea that you can discover a lot about a horse's condition by looking at its teeth

See also: horse, look, mouth