givegive1 /gɪv/ ●●● verb (past tense gave /geɪv/ , past participle given /ˈgɪvən/ ) 
1
PROVIDE [transitive] to provide something for someone: 
Dan gave me a ride to work. She refused to give me any help. They gave the job to that guy from Texas.2PUT something IN somebody’S HAND [transitive] to put something in someone’s hand SYN hand, pass: Give me your coat. He gave the books to Carl.3LET somebody DO something [transitive] to allow or make it possible for someone to do something: I was never given a chance to explain. She gave me some time to finish the report. Who gave you permission to come in here? This bill will give more power to local authorities.4PRESENT [transitive] to let someone have something as a present: She gave Jen a CD for Christmas.THESAURUSdonate – to give money to an organization that uses it to help people: Would you like to donate something to charity?leave/bequeath formal – to give something to people after you die: This house was left to me by my aunt.award – to officially give money or a prize to someone: Heaney was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.present – to formally or officially give something to someone who is with you: The students presented her with a bouquet of flowers.grant formal – to give someone something that s/he has asked for or earned: Ms. Chung was granted American citizenship last year.5TELL somebody something [transitive] to tell someone information or details about something, or tell someone to do something: Would you give Kim a message for me? Let me give you some advice. The police will ask him to give a description of the man. Could you give me directions to the airport (=tell me how to get there)? Harris walked into the room and started giving orders.6PERFORM AN ACTION [transitive] to perform a particular action: The boy gave Lydia a big smile. The theater company gave performances in neighborhood schools. Give me a call (=telephone me) tonight. Come on, give your Grandpa a hug.7give somebody trouble/problems etc. to make someone have problems: The machines in the lab are giving us trouble. Stop giving me a hard time (=stop criticizing me)!8ILLNESS [transitive] to infect someone with the same illness that you have, or make someone feel a particular emotion: The noise is giving me a headache. My husband gave this cold to me.9QUALITY [transitive] to make someone or something have a particular quality: The color of the room gives it a warm cozy feeling.10give (somebody) an idea/feeling etc. to make someone think about something in a particular way: She gave me the impression she wasn’t interested.11MONEY [transitive] to pay a particular amount of money for something: I’ll give you $75 for the oak desk.12BEND/STRETCH [intransitive] to bend, stretch, or break because of weight or pressure: The leather will give slightly when you wear the boots.13give or take a few minutes/a mile/a dollar etc. used in order to show that a number or amount is not exact: The show lasts about an hour, give or take five minutes.14give (something) thought/attention/consideration etc. to spend some time thinking about something carefully15not give something another/a second thought to not think or worry about something16BREAK/FALL [intransitive] also give way to break or fall down suddenly under pressure: The branch suddenly gave way beneath him.SPOKEN PHRASES17somebody would give anything/a lot/your right arm etc. for something said in order to emphasize that you want something very much: I’d give my right arm for his job.18don’t give me that! said when someone has just said something that you know is not true: “I’m too tired.” “Oh, don’t give me that. You just don’t want to come.”[Origin: Old English giefan] → give and take, give somebody a (big) hand at hand1, give/lend somebody a hand at hand1give away phrasal verb1give something ↔ away to give someone something without asking for money: I gave my old clothes away. The store is giving away toasters to the first 50 customers.2give somebody/something ↔ away to do or say something that lets someone know a secret: They said they were English, but their New York accents gave them away (=showed they were lying). → giveawaygive back to return something to its owner: Give him back his toy. I gave her the book back. I’ll give the money back to you next week.give in phrasal verb1to finally agree to do something that you did not want to do: Randy asked her out for months until she finally gave in. The government refused to give in to their demands.2to accept that you have lost a fight, game, etc.: Even when they fell behind by three goals, the team refused to give in.give in to phrasal verb to no longer try to stop yourself from doing something you want to do: If you feel the need for a cigarette, don’t give in to it.give off phrasal verb to produce a smell, light, heat, a sound, etc.: The factory gives off a terrible smell.give out phrasal verb1give something ↔ out to give something to each person in a group: She stood on the corner, giving out flyers. He gave out candy to the kids.THESAURUShand out/pass out – to give something to each of the people in a group: Mr. Goodmanson handed out the test.share – to divide something into equal parts and give a part to each person: She made a cake and shared it with the children.distribute – to give things to a large number of people, especially on the street: Anti-war protesters were distributing leaflets.dispense formal – to give or provide something to people, especially as part of an official activity: Volunteers helped dispense food and blankets.allot formal – to give a particular share of something to someone: Each person was allotted four tickets.2to stop working correctly: My voice gave out half way through the song.give up phrasal verb1give (something ↔) up to stop trying to do something: I looked everywhere for the keys – finally, I just gave up. Vladimir has given up trying to teach her Russian.2give something ↔ up to stop doing something, especially something that you do regularly: I’ve been trying to give up smoking. She gave up her job, and started writing full time.3give yourself/somebody up to allow yourself or someone else to be caught by the police or enemy soldiersgive up on phrasal verb to stop hoping that someone or something will change or improve: His parents finally gave up on him.
1PROVIDE [transitive] to provide something for someone: Dan gave me a ride to work. She refused to give me any help. They gave the job to that guy from Texas.2PUT something IN somebody’S HAND [transitive] to put something in someone’s hand SYN hand, pass: Give me your coat. He gave the books to Carl.3LET somebody DO something [transitive] to allow or make it possible for someone to do something: I was never given a chance to explain. She gave me some time to finish the report. Who gave you permission to come in here? This bill will give more power to local authorities.4PRESENT [transitive] to let someone have something as a present: She gave Jen a CD for Christmas.THESAURUSdonate – to give money to an organization that uses it to help people: Would you like to donate something to charity?leave/bequeath formal – to give something to people after you die: This house was left to me by my aunt.award – to officially give money or a prize to someone: Heaney was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.present – to formally or officially give something to someone who is with you: The students presented her with a bouquet of flowers.grant formal – to give someone something that s/he has asked for or earned: Ms. Chung was granted American citizenship last year.5TELL somebody something [transitive] to tell someone information or details about something, or tell someone to do something: Would you give Kim a message for me? Let me give you some advice. The police will ask him to give a description of the man. Could you give me directions to the airport (=tell me how to get there)? Harris walked into the room and started giving orders.6PERFORM AN ACTION [transitive] to perform a particular action: The boy gave Lydia a big smile. The theater company gave performances in neighborhood schools. Give me a call (=telephone me) tonight. Come on, give your Grandpa a hug.7give somebody trouble/problems etc. to make someone have problems: The machines in the lab are giving us trouble. Stop giving me a hard time (=stop criticizing me)!8ILLNESS [transitive] to infect someone with the same illness that you have, or make someone feel a particular emotion: The noise is giving me a headache. My husband gave this cold to me.9QUALITY [transitive] to make someone or something have a particular quality: The color of the room gives it a warm cozy feeling.10give (somebody) an idea/feeling etc. to make someone think about something in a particular way: She gave me the impression she wasn’t interested.11MONEY [transitive] to pay a particular amount of money for something: I’ll give you $75 for the oak desk.12BEND/STRETCH [intransitive] to bend, stretch, or break because of weight or pressure: The leather will give slightly when you wear the boots.13give or take a few minutes/a mile/a dollar etc. used in order to show that a number or amount is not exact: The show lasts about an hour, give or take five minutes.14give (something) thought/attention/consideration etc. to spend some time thinking about something carefully15not give something another/a second thought to not think or worry about something16BREAK/FALL [intransitive] also give way to break or fall down suddenly under pressure: The branch suddenly gave way beneath him.SPOKEN PHRASES17somebody would give anything/a lot/your right arm etc. for something said in order to emphasize that you want something very much: I’d give my right arm for his job.18don’t give me that! said when someone has just said something that you know is not true: “I’m too tired.” “Oh, don’t give me that. You just don’t want to come.”[Origin: Old English giefan] → give and take, give somebody a (big) hand at hand1, give/lend somebody a hand at hand1give away phrasal verb1give something ↔ away to give someone something without asking for money: I gave my old clothes away. The store is giving away toasters to the first 50 customers.2give somebody/something ↔ away to do or say something that lets someone know a secret: They said they were English, but their New York accents gave them away (=showed they were lying). → giveawaygive back to return something to its owner: Give him back his toy. I gave her the book back. I’ll give the money back to you next week.give in phrasal verb1to finally agree to do something that you did not want to do: Randy asked her out for months until she finally gave in. The government refused to give in to their demands.2to accept that you have lost a fight, game, etc.: Even when they fell behind by three goals, the team refused to give in.give in to phrasal verb to no longer try to stop yourself from doing something you want to do: If you feel the need for a cigarette, don’t give in to it.give off phrasal verb to produce a smell, light, heat, a sound, etc.: The factory gives off a terrible smell.give out phrasal verb1give something ↔ out to give something to each person in a group: She stood on the corner, giving out flyers. He gave out candy to the kids.THESAURUShand out/pass out – to give something to each of the people in a group: Mr. Goodmanson handed out the test.share – to divide something into equal parts and give a part to each person: She made a cake and shared it with the children.distribute – to give things to a large number of people, especially on the street: Anti-war protesters were distributing leaflets.dispense formal – to give or provide something to people, especially as part of an official activity: Volunteers helped dispense food and blankets.allot formal – to give a particular share of something to someone: Each person was allotted four tickets.2to stop working correctly: My voice gave out half way through the song.give up phrasal verb1give (something ↔) up to stop trying to do something: I looked everywhere for the keys – finally, I just gave up. Vladimir has given up trying to teach her Russian.2give something ↔ up to stop doing something, especially something that you do regularly: I’ve been trying to give up smoking. She gave up her job, and started writing full time.3give yourself/somebody up to allow yourself or someone else to be caught by the police or enemy soldiersgive up on phrasal verb to stop hoping that someone or something will change or improve: His parents finally gave up on him.
