octroyer

to grant, to bestow

verb ok-trwah-YEH Rare

Origin: Old French otroier, from medieval Latin auctorizare

Usage Note

Octroyer is a formal verb meaning to grant something officially, often used with rights, permits, or privileges. S'octroyer (reflexive) means to help oneself to something or grant oneself a benefit, sometimes with a hint of presumption: il s'est octroyé une longue pause ('he gave himself a long break').

Examples

"Le roi a octroyé une grâce au prisonnier."

Natural Translation

The king granted a pardon to the prisoner.

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