From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgive somebody/something away phrasal verb1 GIVEto give something to someone because you do not want or need it for yourself I gave most of my books away when I left college. to Give your old clothes away to a thrift shop.2 GIVEto give something to someone without asking for any money, rather than selling it to them We’re giving away a free diary with tomorrow’s newspaper. to We have 1,000 CDs to give away to our readers.3 SHOW/BE A SIGN OFto show where someone is or what they are doing or thinking when they are trying to keep this a secret Don’t worry, I won’t give you away. Sue tried to smile, but her voice gave her away.give yourself away I knew that if I moved I would give myself away. The look on his face gave the game away (=showed something that he was trying to keep secret).4 TELL A SECRETto tell someone something that you should keep secret He gave away as little information as possible. I don’t want to give away exactly how the system works. I don’t want to give the game away (=give information that should be secret) by saying too much.5 LOSE A GAME, COMPETITION, OR WARto lose in a game or competition by doing something badly or making mistakes We gave away two goals in the first half. The Democrats are now in danger of giving the whole election away.6 MARRYto give formal permission for a woman to marry a man as part of a traditional wedding ceremony → give→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
give away• And if you fail to spot these, a quick glance at the contents of his bookshelf gives it away.• Evil is devious, it is trying to turn Good against Good by making Frodo try to give the Ring away.• I responded slowly, for I guessed who it was: his thumb gave him away.• So I gave the Scout away.• We take power, use it, then give it away.• Cats merely have the instinct not to give the game away by revealing all that they are aware of.• Why do golf clubs not give pitch repairers away free?• Elaine didn't want to give me away - Miss Rose said so.give to• I gave the boots away to a relative, who had them cut to the ankles.• The Cubs won't give him away to achieve tranquility.• My mama gave me away to Mrs Johnson.• Why give our power away to others?• Don't give this copy away to Oxfam or when they collect for the hospital.• I did not go - I could not give Charlotte away to that man.• The Bombecks were season-ticket holders for Phoenix Suns games but more often than not gave their tickets away to various charities.• What this means is that when you buy music in a2b format you can't give it away to your friends.give to• I gave the boots away to a relative, who had them cut to the ankles.• The Cubs won't give him away to achieve tranquility.• My mama gave me away to Mrs Johnson.• Why give our power away to others?• Don't give this copy away to Oxfam or when they collect for the hospital.• I did not go - I could not give Charlotte away to that man.• The Bombecks were season-ticket holders for Phoenix Suns games but more often than not gave their tickets away to various charities.• What this means is that when you buy music in a2b format you can't give it away to your friends.give yourself away• A smile available at any moment, but half-scared to exist, to give itself away.• Is it Friend? thought Chesarynth, sure that something about him would give himself away.• They were not going to give each other away.• To move would be to give myself away and frighten him as much as I was frightened.• But Chauntecleer slips and gives himself away: and the Miller does not.• They gave themselves away by their distinctive styles.• They want to give themselves away, in whispers, to some one standing in the shadows.• You give yourself away when you kiss like that.give the game away• Anyway, the number plate gives the game away.• But Mr Penrice had given the game away.• Certain anatomical shapes such as legs, arms, necks, feet or wings tend to give the game away.• Not, of course, that there is much to give the game away.• They saw the mistake-prone Cavs almost give the game away.• Unfortunately, Godwin's illustrative examples give the game away.• Cats merely have the instinct not to give the game away by revealing all that they are aware of.• She had nearly given the game away there. 