From Middle English granten, graunten, grantien, grauntien, from Anglo-Norman granter, graunter, from Old French granter, graunter, graanter, greanter (“to promise, assure, guarantee, confirm, ratify”), from a merger of Old French garantir, guarantir (“to guarantee, assure, vouch for”) (see English guarantee) and earlier cranter, craanter, creanter (“to allow, permit”), from an assumed Medieval Latin *credentāre, from Latin credere (“to believe, trust”). Alternatively, a regular reflex of Medieval Latin *credentāre with regular voicing of /k/ before a liquid plus low vowel. More at guarantee, credit.
1
To give (permission or wish).
He was granted permission to attend the meeting.
The genie granted him three wishes
2
To give (bestow upon or confer, particularly in answer to prayer or request).
He Suſpends on theſe Reaſons, that Thomas Rue had granted a general Diſcharge to Adam Muſhet, who was his Conjunct, and correus debendi, after the alleadged Service, which Diſcharged Muſhet, and conſequently Houstoun his Partner.1668 July 3, James Dalrymple, “Thomas Rue contra Andrew Houſtoun” in The Deciſions of the Lords of Council & Seſſion I (Edinburgh, 1683), page 548
c. 1930, Serenity Prayer God, grant me the serenity[…]
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In order to grant the rich these pleasures, the social contract is reconfigured. The welfare state is dismantled. […]2013 May 17, George Monbiot, “Money just makes the rich suffer”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 23, page 19:
3
To agree with (someone) on (something); to accept (something) for the sake of argument; to admit to (someone) that (something) is true.
The universe exists, said the father: somebody must have made it. If that somebody exists, said I, somebody must have made him. I grant that for the sake of argument, said the Oratorian.a. 1921, George Bernard Shaw, Back to Methuselah, Preface ("The Infidel Half Century"), section "In Quest of the First Cause"
"They are tall, certainly," said Sir Chetwynd... "I grant you they are tall. That is, the majority of them are. But I have seen short men among them. The Khedive is not taller than I am. And the Egyptian face is very deceptive. The features are often fine,—occasionally classic,—but intelligent expression is totally lacking."1897, Marie Corelli, “Chapter I”, in Ziska: The Problem of a Wicked Soul, New York: Stone & Kimball, pages 23–24:
4
To assent; to consent.
Before I would have granted to that act. But thou preferr'st thy life before thine honor.c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
From Middle English granten, graunten, grantien, grauntien, from Anglo-Norman granter, graunter, from Old French granter, graunter, graanter, greanter (“to promise, assure, guarantee, confirm, ratify”), from a merger of Old French garantir, guarantir (“to guarantee, assure, vouch for”) (see English guarantee) and earlier cranter, craanter, creanter (“to allow, permit”), from an assumed Medieval Latin *credentāre, from Latin credere (“to believe, trust”). Alternatively, a regular reflex of Medieval Latin *credentāre with regular voicing of /k/ before a liquid plus low vowel. More at guarantee, credit.
1
The act of granting or giving
the grant of permission for a project
2
The yielding or admission of something in dispute.
3
The thing or property granted; a gift; a boon.
I got a grant from the government to study archeology in Egypt.
4
Law A transfer of property by deed or writing; especially, an appropriation or conveyance made by the government.
a grant of land or of money
5
The deed or writing by which such a transfer is made.
6
Informal An application for a grant (monetary boon to aid research or the like).
Etymology From Scottish Gaelic Grannd, from Anglo-Norman graunt (“big, large”), from Old French grant, from Latin grandis. Doublet of grand. The dollar-bill sense is from the portrait of Ulysses S. Grant featured on it.
He could open that footlocker once in awhile^([sic]) and look at actual cash, loads of bills, tens, twenties, eagles, Grants, Lincolns, Washingtons.1968, Earl Conrad, Billy Rose, Manhattan Primitive, Cleveland, Oh.: The World Publishing Company, →LCCN, page 181:
How much money would you have if you had […] 7 Grants? […] 20 Jeffersons and 3 Grants?1985, David W. Lowry, Earl G. Ockenga, Walter E. Rucker, Heath General Mathematics, Lexington, Mass.: D. C. Heath and Company, →ISBN, page 55:
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Presidents: Cash money, folding bills, the green stuff, cabbage, lettuce, bucks, dough, i.e., Washingtons ($1), Jeffersons ($2), Lincolns ($5), Jacksons ($20), Grants ($50), McKinleys ($500), Clevelands ($1,000), Madisons ($5,000), and Wilsons ($100,000).1990, Stewart Wolpin, The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle®, New York, N.Y.: New Chapter Press, →ISBN, page 339:
How much money would you have if you had 2 Grants, 4 Washingtons, and 1 Lincoln?1992, Mary Ann Haubner, Edward Rathmell, The Mathematics Experience, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Company, published 1994, →ISBN, page 95:
Write an equation for each relevant clue. Solve by substitution. […] h. 10 Grants make a McKinley (M_c). i. 2 Grants make a Franklin.1996, Alice Kaseberg, Introductory Algebra: A Just-in-Time Approach, Pacific Grove, Calif.: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 237:
Linus is afraid of money. Not the smaller bills, the Washingtons and Lincolns, the Jacksons and Grants, but the larger sums, the cashier’s checks with multiple zeros, the stock portfolios and escrow accounts, afraid too of what they buy, the new cars with their leather stink, the first-class seats on airplanes, the cellular phones and fax modems.1998, Noah Hawley, A Conspiracy of Tall Men, New York, N.Y.: Harmony Books, →ISBN, page 3: