Indian giving

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English

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Etymology

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From Meriwether Lewis' and William Clarke's misunderstanding of how Native Americans traded: a tribe that traded beads for a dog might later trade the dog back to its original owner, expecting something (such as the beads) in return, and taking it if it was not offered.[1]

Noun

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Indian giving (uncountable)

  1. (informal, derogatory, offensive) The act of demanding the return of a gifted item or taking back something that was previously given, or expecting something in return.
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References

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