confer

confer 1 bestow, present, *give, donate, afford

Analogous words: accord, award, vouchsafe, *grant

2 Confer, commune, consult, advise, parley, treat, negotiate are synonyms when they are used intransitively and bear the meaning to carry on a conversation or discussion especially in order to reach a decision or settlement.

Confer implies comparison of views or opinions and, as a rule, equality in those participating in the discussion

{

the executives confer weekly about important business affairs

}

{

the Dauphin and his train approacheth, to confer about some matter— Shak.

}

Commune, once a close synonym of confer, now is rare in this sense

{

we were communing on important matters— Walpole

}

In current use it usually implies spiritual intercourse (as in prayer or meditation or in a close union of minds and spirits)

{

there, sitting on the ground, the two [mother and child] would commune with each other by the hour— Hudson

}

Consult adds to confer the implication of seeking or taking counsel

{

the president will not make his reply to the ambassador until he has consulted with the cabinet

}

{

the three powers would consult on how to ameliorate the internal political conflict— Vucinich

}

Advise often is not clearly distinguishable from consult except that it is more suitable for use regarding personal matters on which one seeks advice

{

before he makes his decision, he will advise with his friends

}

Parley, treat, and negotiate all imply conference for the sake of settling differences or of coming to an agreement on terms.

Parley stresses the talk involving the discussion of terms

{

they are at hand, to parley or to fight— Shak.

}

{

the . . . government was forced to parley with the rebels— Harrington

}

Treat adds to parley the implication either of a common will to adjust differences or of the need of diplomacy

{

the warring nations were ready to treat for peace

}

{

the commander in chief . . . was to treat for an armistice— Pares

}

Negotiate implies compromise or bargaining

{

after the preliminaries were over, they proceeded to negotiate

}

Analogous words: converse, talk, *speak: *discuss, debate, argue