From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgive something over to somebody/something phrasal verb1 be given over to somethingUSE something to be used for a particular purpose The land surrounding the village was given over to vineyards. The whole day was given over to cooking and preparing for the celebrations.2 give yourself over to somethingCONTROL to spend all your time doing something In his youth he had given himself over to pleasure.3 RESPONSIBLEto give responsibility for or control over something to a particular person, organization etc The running of internal affairs was given over to the Chancellor. → give→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
give over to • I envisioned her smile, and the long sigh as we gave ourselves over to an honest conversation.• I gave myself over to her ministrations.• She wasn't good at being silly, but she gave herself over to the moment.• Why not give herself over to the silliness of it, instead of feeling distress?be given over to something• The rest was given over to a bowling green and a large expanse of lawn; the potential for change was enormous.• On the second floor, half the space was given over to a dormitory.• The surrounding countryside is lush and fertile and much is given over to agricultural use.• He feared that within a decade it would be given over to factories.• The upstairs bedroom is given over to her collection of antique dolls.• Less than 1 percent of classroom time is given over to questions that require complex student thought or responses.• Returning from music, the twenty minutes left before lunch are given over to review for a spelling test.• The greater part is given over to the well in which the ice was deposited.• Afternoons were given over to village leave, organised games, set walks, leisure periods and detention.give yourself over to something• I envisioned her smile, and the long sigh as we gave ourselves over to an honest conversation.• The life of the anchoress was hard but she did not necessarily give herself over to excessive penance.• You have to give yourself over to football if you want to be good at it.• I gave myself over to her ministrations.• Drifting, feeling the drug, he closed his eyes and gave himself over to the mirrors in his head.• She wasn't good at being silly, but she gave herself over to the moment.• Why not give herself over to the silliness of it, instead of feeling distress?• He prepared to give himself over to whatever fate Lucifer had in store for him. 