different between propose vs proffer

English

Etymology

From Middle English proposen, from Anglo-Norman proposer (verb), propos (noun), Middle French proposer (verb) , propos (noun), from Latin pr?p?n?, pr?p?n?re, with conjugation altered based on poser. Doublet of propound.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /p???p??z/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /p???po?z/
• Rhymes: -??z

Verb

propose (third-person singular simple present proposes, present participle proposing, simple past and past participle proposed)

1. (transitive) To suggest a plan, course of action, etc.

   Synonyms: put forth, suggest, (rare) forthput

   • 2019, VOA Learning English (public domain)

     President Moon Jae-in proposed the plan this week during a meeting with government officials, his spokesman said.

2. (intransitive, sometimes followed by to) To ask for a person's hand in marriage.

3. (transitive) To intend.
   • 1859, John Gorham Palfrey, History of New England, Preface (Google preview):

     I propose to relate, in several volumes, the history of the people of New England.
4. (obsolete) To talk; to converse.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing, Act 3 Scene 1:

     HERO. Good Margaret, run thee to the parlour;

     There shalt thou find my cousin Beatrice

     Proposing with the prince and Claudio

5. (obsolete) To set forth.
   • 1616, George Chapman (translator), Homer's Iliad, book 11:

     . . . so weighty was the cup,

     That being propos'd brimful of wine, one scarce could lift it up.

Usage notes

• In use 1, this is sometimes a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing).
• In use 3, this is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive.
• For more information, see Appendix:English catenative verbs
• Compared to to suggest, to propose is more deliberate and definite. To suggest is merely to mention, while to propose is to have a definite plan and intention.

Derived terms

• proposal
• proposement

Related terms

• proponent
• proposition

Translations

Noun

propose (plural proposes)

1. (obsolete) An objective or aim.

Anagrams

• opposer, poopers

French

Verb

propose

1. inflection of proposer:
   1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
   2. second-person singular imperative

Anagrams

• opposer

Italian

Verb

propose

1. third-person indicative past historic of proporre

Anagrams

• propeso

English

Etymology

The noun is derived from Middle English profre (“act of offering or presenting a gift; offer of something; challenge; sacrifice; act of petitioning or requesting; petition, request; proposal, suggestion; idea, thought; attempt, effort; appearance; (law) payment to the Exchequer by a sheriff or other officer of estimated revenue due to the monarch”) [and other forms], and then:

• partly from Late Latin profrum, proferum (“payment to the Exchequer of estimated revenue due to the monarch (also puruoffrus), offer to convict a criminal”), and from its likely etymon Anglo-Norman profre, proffre, porofre (“payment to the Exchequer of estimated revenue due to the monarch; offer, proposal”), and
• partly from the verb.

The verb is derived from Late Middle English prouffer, prouffre, Middle English profren, profer, proffere (“to offer, propose; to deliver, hand over, present; to take up; to volunteer; to dedicate; to attempt, try; to risk; to challenge; to provide; to ask, invite; to proceed, start; to grant; to argue”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman profrer, proferer, profferer, proffrir, propherer, proufrir, and Old French proferir, proffrir, profrir (“to offer, propose; to present; to volunteer”), variants of Anglo-Norman puroffrir and Middle French poroffrir, paroffrir, Old French poroffrir, paroffrir, porofrir, from por-, pur- (prefix meaning ‘to go through’ or having an intensifying effect) + offrir, ofrir (“to offer”) (modern French offrir (“to offer; to give as a gift; to open oneself up to (someone)”)). Offrir is derived from Vulgar Latin *offer?re, from Latin offerre, present active infinitive of offer? (“to offer, present; to exhibit, show; to expose; to cause, inflict; to consecrate, dedicate; to sacrifice”) (from ob- (prefix meaning ‘against; towards’) + fer? (“to bear, carry; to support; to endure; to bring forth; to put in motion; to move forward”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *b?er- (“to bear, carry”))).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?p??f?(?)/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?p??f?/
• Rhymes: -?f?(r)
• Hyphenation: prof?fer

Noun

proffer (plural proffers)

1. An offer made; something proposed for acceptance by another; a tender.

   Synonym: proposition
2. (obsolete) An attempt, an essay.

Alternative forms

• profre, proffre (obsolete)

Translations

Verb

proffer (third-person singular simple present proffers, present participle proffering, simple past and past participle proffered)

1. (transitive, reflexive) To offer for acceptance; to propose to give; to make a tender of.
2. (transitive, obsolete) To attempt or essay of one's own accord; to undertake or propose to undertake.

Conjugation

Alternative forms

• profre, proffre (obsolete)

Derived terms

• profferable (rare)
• profferer

Related terms

• prolate

Translations

See also

• profer

References

Further reading

• proffer in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• proffer in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• proffer at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• proffre

Norwegian Bokmål

Noun

proffer m

1. indefinite plural of proff