offer
offer — verb
1. to tell someone they can take a thing from you, or that you are ready to do a ta
to tell someone they can take a thing from you, or that you are ready to do a task for them, if they want it.
Mr. Chen offered Lisa a slice of cake when she arrived for tea.
offer + somebody + something (two objects)
Marcus offered to drive his grandmother to the hospital after her fall.
offer + to-infinitive
The young waiter offered a glass of cold water to every customer.
"I can carry your suitcase upstairs," Daniel offered with a friendly smile.
Aunt Maya offered her old bicycle to any of the children who wanted it.
文法句型
offer + somebody + something
offer + to do something
offer + something + to somebody
用法筆記
Frequently appears with two objects (offer her a job) or with a to-infinitive showing the action you are willing to perform (offer to help). Distinct from sense 2 (PROVIDE), which describes what a place, product, or system makes available rather than a personal gesture.
常見錯誤
2. (of a place, company, or system) to make a service, a choice, or a good experien
(of a place, company, or system) to make a service, a choice, or a good experience available for people who want it.
The new café offers free Wi-Fi and quiet desks for students all afternoon.
subject is a business / place
This hiking trail offers stunning views of the mountains and the lake below.
subject = place; object = experience
The library offers parents free reading classes on Saturday mornings.
Our hotel offers a hot breakfast, a small pool, and a shuttle to the airport.
The university offers more than thirty languages to its undergraduate students.
- lack
the place does not have it at all
文法句型
offer + something
offer + somebody + something
用法筆記
Subject is typically an institution, business, place, or product, not a single person. Distinguish from sense 1: in sense 1 a person extends a personal gesture; here, an organization or location simply makes something available as part of what it provides.
常見錯誤
3. to give an animal, food, flowers, or words of prayer to a god as part of a relig
to give an animal, food, flowers, or words of prayer to a god as part of a religious ceremony.
The villagers offered rice and fruit to the temple goddess every spring morning.
offer + gift + to + a god
Father Luca offered a quiet prayer for the families of the missing sailors.
offer + a prayer
Ancient farmers offered their first harvest at the stone altar near the river.
The old monk offered incense to the statue before he began chanting.
文法句型
offer + something + to + a god
offer + a prayer / sacrifice
用法筆記
Strictly religious in this sense. Object is typically a prayer, sacrifice, food, flowers, or incense; recipient is a god, a deity, or a sacred image. If the object is a job or a price, you are in sense 1 or noun-sense territory, not this one.
常見錯誤
offer — noun
1. a statement that you are willing to give someone something or to do something fo
a statement that you are willing to give someone something or to do something for them.
Lina gratefully accepted Marcus's offer of a ride home in the heavy rain.
accept + an offer of + something
Thank you for your kind offer to babysit the twins on Friday evening.
an offer to + do something
The tired student turned down every offer of food after the long flight.
Diego made his neighbour a generous offer to fix the broken garden fence.
- proposal
more formal; usually a plan written down or set out in detail
- invitation
specifically an offer to come somewhere or join in
- refusal
the response that rejects an offer
文法句型
an offer of + something
an offer to + do something
accept / refuse an offer
用法筆記
Typical verbs: accept, refuse, decline, turn down, take up. Often followed by 'of + noun' (an offer of help) or 'to + verb' (an offer to help). Distinct from sense 2, where the offer names a specific price.
常見錯誤
2. the amount of money that someone formally proposes to pay for something they wan
the amount of money that someone formally proposes to pay for something they want to buy, especially a house or company.
The Wang family made an offer of three million dollars on the old farmhouse.
make an offer of + amount
After two weeks of silence, the seller finally accepted Maya's offer.
accept + somebody's offer
The estate agent told us our offer was too low for that quiet street.
Mr. Patel rejected every offer below the asking price for the bookshop.
文法句型
make an offer (on / for something)
an offer of + amount
accept / reject an offer
用法筆記
Common in property and business deals. Typical verbs: make, accept, reject, raise, withdraw. Often combined with prepositions 'on' (an offer on the house) or 'for' (an offer for the company). Different from sense 3, which is a discount you are given by a shop.
常見錯誤
3. a lower price that a shop or company gives on a product for a short time to attr
a lower price that a shop or company gives on a product for a short time to attract customers.
The bakery is running a great offer on birthday cakes throughout October.
an offer on + product category
Mom grabbed two bottles of olive oil because of the special offer this weekend.
special offer (collocation)
This offer ends on Sunday, so hurry to the shop before then.
Our supermarket has an unbeatable offer on coffee for new club members.
文法句型
a special offer
an offer on + something
for a limited time only
用法筆記
Used by shops and advertisers, not by private buyers. Often appears with 'special' or 'limited-time'. Don't confuse with sense 2 — that is the buyer's price proposal; this is the shop's price reduction.
常見錯誤
4. (in the phrase 'on offer') ready for people to buy, choose, or take part in.
(in the phrase 'on offer') ready for people to buy, choose, or take part in.
There are over fifty cheeses on offer at the new market near our school.
on offer (available to buy)
The festival has many free workshops on offer for children under twelve.
on offer (available to take part in)
Sara was amazed at the variety of jobs on offer at the careers fair.
Only three flavours were on offer when Daniel reached the ice-cream truck.
- unavailable
cannot be obtained
文法句型
on offer
have / be on offer
用法筆記
Always in the fixed phrase 'on offer', not standing alone with this meaning. Different from sense 5 ('on (special) offer' = at a reduced price): here the focus is on availability, not price.
常見錯誤
5. (in the phrase 'on (special) offer', mainly British) being sold for less money t
(in the phrase 'on (special) offer', mainly British) being sold for less money than the normal price for a short time.
Strawberries were on special offer at our local supermarket all last week.
on special offer (reduced price)
These running shoes are on offer for half the original price until Sunday.
on offer (price reduction)
Grandma always checks which biscuits are on offer before she fills her basket.
Bottled water is on special offer at every shop in the train station today.
- on sale
American English equivalent for the reduced-price meaning
- discounted
adjective; emphasizes the reduction itself
- full price
the normal, non-reduced price
文法句型
on (special) offer
have / be on (special) offer
用法筆記
Mostly British English. Don't confuse with sense 4: 'on offer' alone often means simply 'available'; 'on (special) offer' specifically means the price has been reduced. Context usually makes the difference clear.
常見錯誤
6. (of a property, mainly British) in a situation where a buyer has already propose
(of a property, mainly British) in a situation where a buyer has already proposed a price that the seller is considering, but the sale is not yet final.
The little cottage near the harbour went under offer two days after the viewing.
go under offer (real-estate)
Most of the flats on this street are already under offer this spring.
be under offer (state)
Carlos was disappointed to hear that his dream house was under offer to another family.
Three of the larger houses on Maple Street went under offer last weekend.
- sale agreed
British property phrase for the same stage
- pending
American real-estate label for sales not yet closed
- on the market
still openly looking for a buyer
文法句型
under offer
be / go under offer
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively in British property listings. The sale is not legally complete yet, so it could still fall through. Distinguish from sense 2 (the offer itself): here we are describing the property's status, not the price proposal.