Gift

A voluntary conveyance; that is, a conveyance not founded on the consideration of money or blood. The word denotes rather the motive of the conveyance, so that a feoffment or grant may be called a gift when gratuitous. A gift is of the same nature as a settlement, — neither denotes a form of assurance, but the nature of the transaction.

Watk. Conv. (Preston Ed.) 199.

The operative words of this conveyance are do, or dedi,

I give

or I have given. The maker of this instrument is called the donor, and he to whom it is made, the donee.

2 Bl. Comm. 316; Litt. 59; Shep. Touch, c. 11.

Gifts inter vivos are gifts made from one or more persons, without any prospect of immediate death, to one or more others. Gifts causa mortis are gifts made in prospect of death, and on the implied condition that they shall be of no effect if the donor shall recover.

49 N. Y. 17.

See "Donatio."

See Donatio.