A gift carries its origin with it, so passing it on is an offence against the giver rather than a matter between the holder and the object.
The word entered ordinary use from a 1995 episode and named something that had no name. The offence is informative about what a gift is: if the object were merely property, disposing of it would be unremarkable. That it is not shows the object is carrying a relationship, and that the relationship does not transfer with it.
In practice
- An unwanted present sold is unremarkable and the same present given onward is a breach.
- A donation made in someone's name is a gift to them, and it is not clear what they now hold.
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- Sociology & Culture
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- Proverbs that recur across cultures