grant

Formsgrants, granting, granted

Pluralgrants

1. 1
   let someone haveverb

   To give or allow someone something they have asked for or are entitled to, such as permission, a request, a right, or a wish, often officially.

   The committee voted to grant his request for extra funding.

   She granted the children permission to stay up past their bedtime.

   Usagegrant someone something, or grant something to someone; in the passive, a person is granted permission.

2. 2
   nouncountable

   Something given or conferred on someone, such as property, money, or a favor.

   The royal grant gave the merchants exclusive trading rights.

   The museum used a generous grant from a local foundation to restore its oldest gallery.

   UsageYou apply for, win or get a grant, usually from a body and for a purpose: a grant for research.

   Similargift, award, endowment, allotment, allowance

3. 3
   admit as trueverbtransitive

   To admit that something is true, or to accept a point for the sake of argument.

   I grant that the plan carries some risk, but the rewards are worth it.

   Even his rivals granted that the speech was well written.

   UsageOften I grant you or I grant that …, usually followed by a but that pushes back.

   Similarallow, concede

   Oppositedeny, dispute

   Note

   Here what is given is ground in an argument. The verb can concede a point before a qualification, using forms such as I grant you or I grant that. In Marie Corelli's Ziska (1897), 'I grant you they are tall' comes just before a qualification. Shaw's Back to Methuselah pairs grant with for the sake of argument.

4. 4
   funding applicationnouncolloquialcountable

   A funding application; a written request for money to support research or similar work.

   Three postdocs were stuck polishing their grants instead of running experiments.

   She stayed up all night polishing her grant, since applications for this round of funding closed at noon.

   UsageTo write a grant is to draft the request, not to receive money; in a formal letter, grant application is clearer.

   Similarproposal, application

   Note

   A shortening of grant application: researchers call the application by the name of the money it asks for. The use is informal. To write or polish a grant means drafting the request, not receiving any money, and in a formal letter grant application is the clearer choice.

5. 5
   nouncountable

   A transfer of property by deed or written document, especially a conveyance made by the government.

   The original grant conveyed the mineral rights along with the surface land.

   Settlers held their farms under grants issued by the colonial government.

   UsageUsually a grant of land or rights, often from a government to a person or company.

   Similarconveyance, transfer

   Note

   Law keeps the word close to its root in solemn assurance: the transfer is made in writing, so the giving and its record go together. The classic case is public property conveyed by a government to a private party.

6. 6
   nouncountable

   The act of giving, conferring, or allowing something to someone.

   The grant of new powers to the mayor sparked heated debate.

   The grant of a pardon came only after years of appeals by his family.

   UsageUsually the grant of something, in formal writing: the grant of powers, the grant of a pardon.

   Oppositerefusal, denial

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