endow

1. (transitive) To give property to (someone) as a gift; specifically, to provide (a person or institution) with support in the form of a permanent fund of money or other benefits.Examples: "His [John, King of England's] Acts and Orders for the VVeale-publike vvere beyond moſt: hee being either the firſt, or the chiefeſt, vvho appointed thoſe noble Formes of Ciuill gouernement in London, and moſt Cities, and Incorporate Tovvnes of England, endovving them alſo vvith their greateſt Franchiſes; […]"; "Men began to build Churches on their own Grounds, at their own Charges, and to endow theſe; and they were naturally the Maſters, and in the true Signification of the Roman word, the Patrons of them."; "Finding her quite incorrigible in this respect, Emma suffered her to depart; but not before she had confided to her that important and never-sufficiently-to-be-taken-care-of answer, and endowed her moreover with a pretty little bracelet as a keepsake."transitive

2. (transitive, followed by with, or rarely by of) To enrich or furnish with some faculty or quality.Examples: "Wherby we bith lerned þat it shalnot only be goode to owre prince, but also to vs selff, that he be well indowed; ffor ellis the patriarke wolde not haue made such a trety."; "Vpon her eyelids many Graces ſate, / Vnder the ſhadow of her euen browes, / VVorking belgardes [beautiful looks], and amorous retrate [portrait], / And euerie one her with a grace endowes: […]"; "Father Omnipotent, our Lord and only Redeemer, / […] with thy grace my ſpirit endow: […]"Synonyms: begift, endue, clothetransitive

3. (transitive, usually in the passive voice) To naturally furnish (with something).Examples: "She was endowed with a beautiful voice."; "And thus shal the aged Courtier, although he exercise not the qualities that he is indowed withal, comebye his ende at length, to instructe well hys Prince."; "[T]he late Monſ. Du Faye [i.e., Charles François de Cisternay du Fay] obſerv'd, that there were two Sorts of Electricity, and that Bodies which are endow'd with one Sort of Electricity attract thoſe which are endow'd with the other Sort of Electricity, whilſt they repel thoſe which have the ſame Electricity."Synonyms: bless, gifttransitive

4. (transitive, archaic or obsolete) To provide with a dower (“the portion that a widow receives from her deceased husband's property”) or a dowry (“property given to a bride”).Examples: "And if a man entice a maide that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he ſhall ſurely endow her to be his wife. If her father utterly refuſe to giue her vnto him, he ſhall pay money according to the dowrie of virgins."; "Also if a man ſeiſed in Fee Simple beeing within age endoweth his wife at the Monaſterie or Church doore, and dieth, and his wife enter, in this caſe the heire of the huſband may out her. But otherwiſe it is, (as it ſeemeth) where the father is ſeiſed in fee, and the ſonne within age endoweth his wife ex aſſenſu patris, the Father being then of full age."; "[T]he reaſon, which our law gives for adopting it [i.e., dower], is a very plain and a ſenſible one; for the ſuſtenance of the wife, and the nurture and education of the younger children. […] 1. Who may be endowed. She muſt be the actual wife of the party at the time of the deceaſe. If ſhe be divorced a vinculo matrimonii, ſhe ſhall not be endowed; […]"archaicobsoletetransitive