gift that keeps on giving
7
4.0
- idiom
- Informal
:
regalo que sigue dando
- A subscription to the gardening magazine is truly a gift that keeps on giving; each issue brings new ideas and inspiration.
- just a gift that keeps on giving
- give the gift that keeps on giving
And it is the gift that keeps on giving on and on and on.
- And it is the gift that keeps on giving on and on and on.
- You could give your mom the gift that keeps on giving.
Examples
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From a comedy perspective, Turbo Timmy and his madcap schemes are the gift that keeps on giving.
Blog text (21) -
How it can transform itself into a gift that keeps on giving.
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It's the gift that keeps on giving.
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The gift that keeps on giving.
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Our new furniture is the gift that keeps on giving.
Blog text (34) -
Reporting Services is the gift that keeps on giving.
Blog text (33) -
That gift of laughter is the gift that keeps on giving.
Academic text (2009) -
That's the gift that keeps on giving.
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Twilight has been the gift that keeps on giving.
Blog text (29) -
True, but the reason why this promotional item is so popular is that it's the gift that keeps on giving.
Blog text (27)
Synonyms
2
4.2
Something many people like for a long time
Antonyms
How Lasting
- Formal
16
6.1
- Informal
7
4.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
gift + that + keep + on + giving
The meaning is directly compositional: 'gift' combined with the relative clause 'keeps on giving' (i.e. continues to give) yields an item that continues to provide benefits. This follows regular English grammar and is semantically transparent and cross-linguistically plausible, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents should be able to infer the meaning.
Etymology
Gift that keeps on giving uses the picture of a gift that keeps giving again and again, like a fruit tree that keeps producing fruit every year. So, it means 'something that continues to provide benefits or enjoyment over a long time'.