Definition of the word lavish on

The word "lavish on" is a phrasal verb that is an expanded form of the word "lavish". "Lavish" itself can be traced back to the Middle English word "lafest" which means "to feast" or "to revel". The origins of this word can be traced to the Old French "lafester" which comes from the Latin "libo", meaning "a banquet". Over time, the meaning of "lavish" began to shift towards excess and extravagance, as displayed in Shakespeare's use of the word in his play "Richard III": "The beauteous summer is but a winter cold." Here, "lavish" is used to describe the over-abundance of summer, emphasizing the excess and opulence of nature during that time. As English evolved, the use of "lavish" to describe the excessive and extravagant gave way to a phrasal verb, "lavish on", in which "on" implies the recipient of the abundant action. Thus, "lavish on" presents the meaning of giving something excessively or liberally to someone, as in "She lavished on her children the same love and care she had given to her parents when she was a child." In summary, the origin of the phrase "lavish on" can be traced back to the Old French word "lafester" which itself comes from the Latin word "libo", meaning "a banquet". As the meaning of "lavish" evolved into describing abundance and excess, a phrasal verb, "lavish on", emerged as a means to convey the idea of generously giving something abundantly to someone.