different between confer vs discover

English

Etymology

From Early Modern English conferre, from Middle French conférer, from Old French conferer, from Latin c?nfer?. Compare Dutch confereren (“to confer”), German konferieren (“to confer”), Danish konferere (“to confer”), Swedish konferera (“to confer”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /k?n?f??/, [k?????f?]
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /k?n?f??/
• Rhymes: -??(?)

Verb

confer (third-person singular simple present confers, present participle conferring, simple past and past participle conferred)

1. (transitive) To grant as a possession; to bestow. [from 16th c.]

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

   • 1671, John Milton, Samson Agonistes

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

   • 2010, Andrew Rawnsley, The Observer, 7 Feb 2010:

     The special immunities that are conferred on MPs were framed with the essential purpose of allowing them to speak freely in parliament.
2. (intransitive) To talk together, to consult, discuss; to deliberate. [from 16th c.]

   They were in a huddle, conferring about something.

   • 1974, "A Traveler's Perils", Time, 25 Mar 1974:

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

3. (obsolete) To compare. [16th–18th c.]
   • 1557 (book title):

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

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

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

4. (obsolete, transitive) To bring together; to collect, gather. [16th–17th c.]
5. (obsolete) To contribute; to conduce. [16th–18th c.]
   • 1665, Joseph Glanvill, Scepsis Scientifica

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

Synonyms

• (to grant, bestow, or contribute): afford

Derived terms

• conferment
• conferrable
• conferral
• agreement conferring jurisdiction

Related terms

• cf, cf.
• conference
• collate
• collation

Translations

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /?kon.fer/, [?kõ?f?r]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /?kon.fer/, [?k?nf?r]

Verb

c?nfer

1. second-person singular present active imperative of c?nfer?. Often abbreviated cf and used to mean "compare with".

English

Alternative forms

• discovre (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English discoveren, from Old French descovrir, from Late Latin discoper?re < discooperi?, discooper?re, from Latin dis- + cooperi?.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /d?s?k?v?/
• (Northern England) IPA^(key): /d?s?k?v?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /d?s?k?v?/
• Rhymes: -?v?(?)
• Hyphenation: dis?cov?er

Verb

discover (third-person singular simple present discovers, present participle discovering, simple past and past participle discovered)

1. To find or learn something for the first time.
2. (transitive, obsolete) To remove the cover from; to uncover (a head, building etc.).
3. (transitive, now rare) To expose, uncover.

4. (transitive, chess) To create by moving a piece out of another piece's line of attack.

5. (law, transitive) To question (a person) as part of discovery in a lawsuit.
6. (transitive, archaic) To reveal (information); to divulge, make known.
   • 1625, Francis Bacon, Of Adversity

     Prosperity doth best discover vice; but adversity doth best discover virtue.

7. (transitive, obsolete) To reconnoitre, explore (an area).

   • they seyde the same, and were aggreed that Sir Clegis, Sir Claryon, and Sir Clement the noble, that they sholde dyscover the woodys, bothe the dalys and the downys.

8. (obsolete) To manifest without design; to show; to exhibit.
   • 1871, Charles John Smith}}, Synonyms Discriminated

     The youth discovered a taste for sculpture.

Synonyms

• (expose something previously covered): expose, reveal, uncover
• (find something for the first time): come across, find

Antonyms

• (expose something previously covered): conceal, cover, cover up, hide

Derived terms

• discovery
• discovered attack
• discovered check

Translations

See also

• invent
• detect
• find
• stumble upon

Anagrams

• codrives, discovre, divorces, divorcés