v.
(past gave; past part. given)
(
usu. give something to or give someone something)
- freely transfer the possession of; cause to receive or have.
▸communicate or impart (a message).
▸commit, consign, or entrust.
▸cause to experience or suffer:
you gave me a fright.
▸allot (a score) to.
- yield as a product or result.
▸
(give something off/out)
emit odour, vapour, etc.
- carry out (an action).
▸produce (a sound).
▸provide (a party or meal) as host or hostess.
- state or put forward (information or argument).
▸pledge or assign as a guarantee.
▸deliver (a judgement) authoritatively.
- present (an appearance or impression):
he gave no sign of life.
- alter in shape under pressure rather than resist or break.
▸yield or give way to pressure.
▸N. Amer. informal concede defeat; surrender.
- (of an umpire or referee) declare whether or not (a player) is out or offside.
▸adjudicate that (a goal) has been legitimately scored.
- concede or yield (something) as valid or deserved in respect of (someone).
n.
capacity to bend or alter in shape under pressure.
Phrase
- give oneself airs
act pretentiously or snobbishly. - give and take
mutual concessions and compromises. - give the game
(or show)
away
inadvertently reveal something secret. - give or take ——
informal - to within a specified amount.
- apart from.
- give rise to
cause to happen. - give someone to understand
inform someone in a rather indirect way. - give someone what for
informal, chiefly Brit. punish or scold someone severely. - not give a damn
(or hoot etc.)
informal not care at all.
- what gives?
informal what's the news?
Phrase verbal
- give someone away
- inadvertently reveal incriminating information about someone.
- hand over a bride ceremonially to her bridegroom.
- give something away
- reveal something secret.
- (in sport) concede a goal or advantage to the opposition.
- give in
cease fighting or arguing. - give on to
(or into)
Brit. overlook or lead into. - give out
be completely used up. ▸stop functioning.
- give over
Brit. informal stop doing something. - give up
cease making an effort; admit defeat. - give someone up
deliver a wanted person to authority. - give something up
- part with something that one would prefer to keep.
- stop doing something.
- give up on
stop having faith or belief in.
Derivative
Etymology
OE giefan, gefan, of Gmc origin.