From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgive up the ghostgive up the ghosta) BROKENif a machine gives up the ghost, it does not work anymore and cannot be repaired – used humorously Unfortunately, my car’s just given up the ghost. b) DIEto die → ghost
Examples from the Corpus
give up the ghost• He would ordinarily blow out the candle and give up the ghost.• Finally the engine gave up the ghost completely and nothing could persuade it to start again.• With one last defiant surge of power the jeep finally gave up the ghost.• My old car's finally given up the ghost.• Doctors said that while his heart was fine, his vascular system had given up the ghost.• This is the gentler way: convince the mind the body's dead and it gives up the ghost.• What light struggled through the unwashed front window soon gave up the ghost in the air that seemed almost palpably grey.• They squirmed, shrivelled and after a brief struggle, gave up the ghost.• The spores do germinate, go through a few perfunctory cell divisions, then give up the ghost. 