What does "bestow" mean?
Bestow: To use; to apply; to devote, as time or strength in some occupation.
Additional senses
- 2.To expend, as money. [Obs.]
- 3.To give or confer; to impart; -- with on or upon. Empire is on us bestowed. Cowper. Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor. 1 Cor. xiii.
- 4.5. To give in marriage. I could have bestowed her upon a fine gentleman. Tatler.
- 5.To demean; to conduct; to behave; -- followed by a reflexive pronoun. [Obs.] How might we see Falstaff bestow himself to-night in his true colors, and not ourselves be seen Shak.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
- Canonical URL: https://worddirectanswers.com/answers/what-does-bestow-mean
- Steward: Jason Burns
- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00