confer

present singular third person confers · participle present conferring · participle past conferred · past conferred

1. transitiveTo grant as a possession; to bestow.First known use 16th c.

   The college has conferred an honorary degree upon the visiting Prime Minister.

   5 more examples

   Nor shall I count in hainous to enjoy The public marks of honour and reward Conferr'd upon me[…]

   1671, John Milton, Samson Agonistes

   Abel tried to refuse the honor thus unexpectedly conferred upon him, but it was no use. He had been made a deacon, and a deacon he must remain.

   1850, T. S. Arthur, “Deacon Smith and his Violin”, in Sketches of Life and Character, Philadelphia: J. W. Bradley, →OCLC, page 76

   Referring to the "hero of the day," No. 92220, Mr. Hanks acceded that she was not of the Great Western breed, but they had done their best to make up for that by "dollying her up in good old Western colours and conferring upon her the finest honour we can—the halo or crown of Swindon, the copper top to her chimney."

   1960 May 28, “Evening Star”, in Railway Magazine, page 307, referring to a new steam locomotive, the last built for British Railways

   The special immunities that are conferred on MPs were framed with the essential purpose of allowing them to speak freely in parliament.

   2010 February 7, Andrew Rawnsley, The Observer

   The mere existence of a dictionary of a certain variety of English does not automatically confer acceptance of that variety.

   2014, James Lambert, “Diachronic stability in Indian English lexis”, in World Englishes, page 114

   Synonyms: afford

2. intransitiveTo talk together, to consult, discuss; to collogue.First known use 16th c.

   They were in a huddle, conferring about something.

   1 more example

   Local buttons popped when Henry Kissinger visited Little Rock last month to confer with Fulbright on the Middle East oil talks.

   1974 March 25, “A Traveler's Perils”, in Time

   Synonyms: palaver

3. obsoleteTo compare.First known use 16th–18th c.

   The Newe Testament ... Conferred diligently with the Greke, and best approued translations.

   1557 (book title)

   2 more examples

   Confer thine estate with others […]. Be content and rest satisfied, for thou art well in respect to others […].

   1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition II, section 3, member 1, subsection i

   If we confer these observations with others of the like nature, we may find cause to rectify the general opinion.

   1661, Robert Boyle, The Second Essay, of Unsucceeding Experiments

4. obsoletetransitiveTo bring together; to collect, gather.First known use 16th–17th c.
5. obsoleteTo contribute; to conduce.First known use 16th–18th c.

   The closeness and compactness of the parts resting together doth much confer to the strength of the union.

   1665, Joseph Glanvill, Scepsis Scientifica

plural Confers

1. A surname.