proffer

noun

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

   “[T]heir ovvn eies vvilbe perhaps more curious iudges, out of heareſay they may have builded many conceites, vvhich I can not perchaunce vvil not performe, then vvil vndeſerued repentance be a greater ſhame and iniurie vnto me, then their vndeſerued proffer, is honour.”

   “Her lips, man, her lips! and that's a proffer I would not make to every one who crosses my threshold. But, by good St Valentine, (whose holiday will dawn to-morrow,) I am so glad to see thee in the bonny city of Perth again, that it would be hard to tell the thing I could refuse thee.”

   “[H]ow, if you tell him this, will you make him understand that I say so as an act of justice, and not in the least as a proffer of affection?”

   “"Oh no," she refused demurely at their proffer of coffee. "I can't do that now. I-I — I don't know if Jo's told you our good news! Perhaps a glass of milk."”

   “He said a reversionary proffer – saying the property would revert to its prior zoning if certain benchmarks were not met by the developers – was brought up in a conceptual discussion in a pre-application meeting in May 2014 with the developers, but did not progress beyond that.”

2. (obsolete)An attempt, an essay.

   “[A]fter ſome reſiſtance with ſhotte and arrowes, and profer of onſet made by their horſemen, they were put to flight, [...]”

   “It is a Thing ſtrange in Nature, when it is attentiuely conſidered, How Children and ſome Birds, learne to imitate Speech. [...] It is true, that it is done with time, and by little and little, and with many Eſſayes and Proffers: But all this diſchargeth not the VVonder.”

verb

1. (reflexive, transitive)To offer for acceptance; to propose to give; to make a tender of.

   “to proffer friendship, a gift, or services”

   “Cæſar in this hath offered like himſelfe, / He proffereth to preſerue your tovvne vntouch'd: / Your goods, your vviues, your liues, your liberties: […]”

   “Thou proffers me of thy wages to have: / I thee defy, power, and all the leave, / That helps thee here of thy ſtout nation.”

   “If a Man, proffering to ſell Grain for Seed, ſhould ſell Grain which is not fit for Seed, the Magiſtrate ſhall chaſtiſe him, and take a Fine according to the Offence.”

   “Thou proud knight, what profferest thou me so boldly? here gettest thou no prey; thou mayest prove when thou wilt, for thou shalt be my prisoner, or thou depart.”

2. (obsolete, transitive)To attempt or essay of one's own accord; to undertake or propose to undertake.

   “[N]one among the choice and prime / Of thoſe Heav'n-warring Champions could be found / So hardie as to proffer or accept / Alone the dreadful voyage; [...]”

name

1. A surname.