give: Meaning and Definition of

give

Pronunciation: (giv), [key]

— v., n. gave, giv•en, giv•ing,

—v.t.

to present voluntarily and without expecting compensation; bestow: to give a birthday present to someone.
to hand to someone: Give me that plate, please.
to place in someone's care: If you give me your coat, I'll put it in the closet.
to grant (permission, opportunity, etc.) to someone: Give me a chance.
to impart or communicate: to give advice; to give a cold to someone.
to set forth or show; present; offer: He gave no reason for his lateness.
to pay or transfer possession to another in exchange for something: They gave five dollars for the picture. He gave me the car for $800.
to furnish, provide, or proffer: to give evidence; Let me give you my umbrella before you go out in this rain.
to provide as an entertainment or social function: to give a New Year's Eve party.
to deal or administer: to give a blow to someone; to give medicine to a patient.
to put forth, emit, or utter; issue: to give a cry; to give a command.
to assign or admit as a basis of calculation or reasoning (usually used passively): These facts being given, the argument makes sense.
to produce, yield, or afford: to give good results; 9 × 8 gives 72; The hen gave six eggs a week.
to make, do, or perform: to give a start; to give a lurch.
to perform or present publicly: to give a play; to give a concert.
to cause; be responsible for (usually fol. by an infinitive): They gave me to understand that you would be there.
to care about something to the value or extent of (something fanciful): I don't give a hoot about his opinion.
to relinquish or sacrifice: to give one's life for a cause.
to convey or transmit: Give Aunt Betty my love.
to assign or allot: Give every man a full ration of biscuits. They gave him the name of “Joseph.”
to bestow (the object of one's choice) upon, as if by providence: Give me the wide open spaces anytime.
to be connected with, as by a telephone operator: Give me 235-7522.
to present to an audience, as an entertainer, speaker, or act: Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the governor of Texas.
to attribute or ascribe: to give the devil his due; After long study the critic gave the unsigned work to a minor impressionist.
to cause or occasion: She gives me a pain in the neck.
to apply fully or freely: He gives his free time to golf.
to award by verdict or after consideration: A decision was given for the defendant.
to inflict as a punishment on another; punish by; impose a sentence of: The judge gave him five years.
to pledge, offer as a pledge, or execute and deliver: He gave her his promise. Can you give bond?
to propose as the subject of a toast (fol. by an indirect object): Ladies and gentlemen, I give you our country.
to bear to a man; deliver (fol. by an indirect object): She gave him a beautiful baby boy.
to sire upon a woman; father (fol. by an indirect object): He gave her two children in the first five years of marriage.
to concede or grant, as a point in an argument.

—v.i.

to make a gift or gifts; contribute: to give to the United Way.
to yield somewhat, as to influence or force; compromise: We can't negotiate until each side is willing to give on some points.
to yield somewhat when subjected to weight, force, pressure, etc.: A horsehair mattress doesn't give much.
to collapse; break down; fall apart; fail: The antique chair gave when I sat on it.
to be warm and open in relationships with other persons: a withdrawn person who doesn't know how to give.
to divulge information: Okay now, give! What happened?
to afford a view or passage; face, open, or lead (usually fol. by on, onto, etc.): The window gives on the sea. This door gives onto the hallway.
A willingness to give and take is important for success in marriage.

to compromise in order to cooperate:A willingness to give and take is important for success in marriage.
to exchange ideas:an informal meeting in which there would be opportunities to give and take.

That remark gave away his real feelings.

to give as a present; bestow.
to present (the bride) to the bridegroom in a marriage ceremony.
to expose or betray (a person).
to reveal (a confidence or secret, hidden motives, true feelings, etc.):That remark gave away his real feelings.

to return (something), as to its owner; restore: You haven't given back the books you borrowed from me.
See (def. 6).
See(def. 8).
to yield before superior force, as of arms or of reasoning.
Please give in your timecards.

to acknowledge defeat; yield.
to hand in; deliver:Please give in your timecards.

to reprimand or punish: His father really gave it to him for coming home so late.
to devote or contribute generously of: to give of oneself; to give of one's abundance.
to put forth; emit: The gardenia gives off a very strong fragrance.
plus or minus a specified amount; more or less: It will cost $20, give or take a dollar or two.
The fuel gave out.

to send out; emit.
to make public; announce.
to distribute; issue.
to become exhausted.
to become used up; fail:The fuel gave out.
to do or express something, esp. unrestrainedly or easily:to give out with a song.

She gave over all her property to her daughter.

to put into the care of; transfer:She gave over all her property to her daughter.
to put an end to; stop:They will never give over their impossible dreams.
to indulge in without restraint:She gave herself over to tears.
to devote to a specified activity:The day was given over to relaxing in the sun.

See(def. 55).
to give up smoking.

to abandon hope; despair.
to desist from; renounce:to give up smoking.
to surrender; relinquish.
to devote (oneself&hasp;) entirely to:She gave herself up to her job and seldom saw her old friends.
South Midland U.S.to consider; deem:She's given up to be the kindest woman around here.