give

1 of 2

verb

ˈgiv 

gave ˈgāv  ; given ˈgi-vən  ; giving

transitive verb

1

: to make a present of

give a doll to a child

2

a

: to grant or bestow by formal action

the law gives citizens the right to vote

b

: to accord or yield to another

gave him her confidence

3

a

: to put into the possession of another for his or her use

gave me his phone number

b(1)

: to administer as a sacrament

(2)

: to administer as a medicine

c

: to commit to another as a trust or responsibility and usually for an expressed reason

d

: to transfer from one's authority or custody

the sheriff gave the prisoner to the warden

e

: to execute and deliver

all employees must give bond

f

: to convey to another

give them my regards

4

a

: to offer to the action of another : proffer

gave her his hand

b

dated, of a woman : to yield (oneself) to a man in sexual intercourse

5

a

: to present in public performance

give a concert

b

: to present to view or observation

gave the signal to start

6

: to provide by way of entertainment

give a party

7

: to propose as a toast

8

a

: to designate as a share or portion : allot

all the earth to thee and to thy race I give

—John Milton

b

: to make assignment of (a name)

c

: to set forth as an actual or hypothetical datum

give the dimensions of the room

d

: to attribute in thought or utterance : ascribe

gave the credit to you

9

a

: to yield as a product, consequence, or effect : produce

cows give milk

84 divided by 12 gives 7

b

: to bring forth : bear

10

a

: to yield possession of by way of exchange : pay

b

: to dispose of for a price : sell

11

a

: to deliver by some bodily action

gave him a push

b

: to carry out (a movement, facial expression, etc.)

gave a cynical smile

c

: to inflict as punishment

d

: to award by formal verdict

judgment was given against the plaintiff

12

: to offer for consideration, acceptance, or use

gives no reason for his absence

13

a

: to suffer the loss of : sacrifice

gallantly gave his life for his country

b

: to offer as appropriate or due especially to something higher or more worthy

gave his spirit to God

c

: to apply freely or fully : devote

gave themselves to their work

d

: to offer as a pledge

I give you my word

14

a

: to cause one to have or receive

mountains always gave him pleasure

b

: to cause a person to catch by contagion, infection, or exposure

15

a

: to allow one to have or take

give me time

b

: to lead or attempt to lead

—used with an infinitive

you gave me to understand you'd be late

16

: to care to the extent of

didn't give a hoot

intransitive verb

1

: to make gifts or presents

gave generously to charities

2

a

: to yield to physical force or strain

b

: to collapse from the application of force or pressure

The canvas chair gave under her weight.

c

: to undergo or submit to change

for the strike to be settled, something has to give

3

: to afford a view or passage : open

the window gives onto the terrace

4

: to enter wholeheartedly into an activity

5

slang : to be happening

wants to know what gives

give

2 of 2

noun

1

: capacity or tendency to yield to force or strain : flexibility

2

: the ability of a material to bend or stretch

The knitted fabric has a lot of give to it.

Phrases

give birth

: to have a baby

gave birth last Thursday

give birth to

1

: to produce as offspring

gave birth to a son

2

: to be the source of

give chase

: to set off in pursuit

give ground

: to withdraw before superior force : retreat

give of

: to make available : provide generously

freely gave of their time

give or take

: as an estimate accurate within (an amount to be added or subtracted)

weighs 150 pounds, give or take a few pounds

give place to

: to be replaced or succeeded by

optimism gave place to worry

give rise to

: to be the cause or source of : produce

give the gun

: to open the throttle of : speed up

give the lie to

1

: to accuse of falsehood

2

: to show to be false, inaccurate, or invalid

give tongue

of hounds : to begin barking on the scent

give way

1

a

: retreat

b

: to yield the right of way

2

: to yield oneself without restraint or control

3

a

: to yield to or as if to physical stress

The roof gave way under heavy snow.

b

: to yield to entreaty or insistence

After several hours of debate, the opposition finally gave way.

4

: to yield place

Farmland has given way to shopping malls.

5

: to begin to row

Synonyms

Verb

• bestow
• contribute
• donate
• give away
• present
• volunteer

Choose the Right Synonym for give

give, present, donate, bestow, confer, afford mean to convey to another as a possession.

give, the general term, is applicable to any passing over of anything by any means.

give alms

gave her a ride on a pony

give my love to your mother

present carries a note of formality and ceremony.

present an award

donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity).

donate a piano to the orphanage

bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver.

bestow unwanted advice

confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor).

confer an honorary degree

afford implies a giving or bestowing usually as a natural or legitimate consequence of the character of the giver.

the trees afford shade

a development that affords us some hope

Examples of give in a Sentence

Verb

She gave him a camera for Christmas.

Are you giving this to me or only lending it?

She has given money to many worthy causes.

They're asking people to give money for a new hospital.

Please give to our charity.

We already gave at the office.

It is better to give than to receive.

He gave me the letter.

He gave her his coat to hold.

He gave me a head start.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The abuse victims’ attorneys, however, suggested that not funding the trust immediately would short-change people who had already been victimized by the church, given how the value of that trust could erode with time and inflation. —Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024

To name just one example: After an opening act filled with lurid cartel violence, Emilia Pérez gives us a comic number about gender-reassignment surgery. —Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2024

Noun

This construction has very little give, yet still offers plenty of pressure relief, thanks to the contouring foams. —Lindsay Boyers, Architectural Digest, 29 Oct. 2024

Chronic illness is a constant struggle of give and take. —Gaylyn Henderson, Mph, Health, 11 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Swedish giva to give; akin to Old English giefan, gifan to give, and perhaps to Latin habēre to have, hold

Noun

derivative of give entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing give

• donate/give blood
• don't give me that
• give a crap
• give a damn
• give a darn
• give a good account of oneself
• give a hang
• give a hoot
• give-and-go
• give-and-take
• give an undertaking
• give a plug for
• give a second thought to
• give as good as one gets
• give a shit
• give a start
• give a tinker's damn
• give away
• give back
• give/budge an inch
• give/care a sod
• give/cause offense
• give chase to
• give credence to
• give/cut (someone) some slack
• give dap(s)
• give every appearance of
• give evidence
• give expression to
• give full vent to
• give/grant/do interviews
• give him a thick ear
• give him shit
• give in
• give it a go
• give it a rest
• give it a stab
• give it the old college try
• give it to someone straight
• give/lend me a hand with
• give/lend one's name to
• give/make a yelp
• give/make no response
• give me a break
• give me any shit
• give me the creeps
• give off
• give of oneself
• give of one's time
• give one's all
• give oneself airs
• give (oneself) up to (something)
• give one the appearance of
• give one the gate
• give on to
• give out
• give over
• give over to
• give precedence to
• give priority
• give/sacrifice one's life
• give some dap
• give (someone) a bell
• give (someone) a break
• give someone a buzz
• give (someone) a call
• give (someone) a drubbing
• give (someone) a hard time
• give someone a leg up
• give (someone) an eyeful
• give someone a nod
• give (someone) a piece of one's mind
• give (someone) a ring
• give someone a roasting
• give (someone) a rollicking
• give (someone) a run for his/her/your/their money
• give (someone) a shout
• give (someone) a spanking
• give someone a tinkle
• give (someone) a wink
• give (someone) a yell
• give (someone) gyp
• give (someone) hell
• give (someone) holy hell
• give someone ideas
• give (someone) one's word
• give (someone or something) a clean bill of health
• give (someone or something) a/the once-over
• give (someone or something) a wide berth
• give (someone) pause
• give (someone) pause for thought
• give (someone) the ax
• give (someone) the bird
• give (someone) the chop
• give (someone) the elbow
• give (someone) the eye
• give (someone) the finger
• give (someone) the hook
• give someone the nod
• give (someone) the pink slip
• give (someone) the push
• give (someone) the runaround
• give (someone) the sack
• give (someone) the shirt off one's back
• give (someone) the shivers
• give (someone) the slip
• give (someone) the time of day
• give (someone) to understand
• give (someone) up for lost
• give (something) a fling
• give (something) a jerk
• give (something) a miss
• give (something) a rest
• give (something) a second look
• give (something) a shot
• give (something) a whirl
• give (something) new life
• give (something) up as a bad job
• give the game away
• give two hoots
• give up
• give up on (someone or something)
• give up the ghost
• give vent to
• give voice to
• (give) witness to
• give you the third degree
• I'll give you that
• not care/give a fig
• not give a monkey's
• not give a toss
• not give (someone) the time of day
• put/give the baby up for adoption
• something has (got) to give

Kids Definition

give

1 of 2 verb

ˈgiv 

gave ˈgāv  ; given ˈgiv-ən  ; giving

1

: to make a present of

gave me a book

2

a

: grant entry 1 sense 2, bestow

b

: to make a donation

give blood

we already gave at the office

c

: to grant or yield to another

gave her trust to her friend

3

a

: to put into the possession or keeping of another

give me the letter to mail

b

: to offer to another : proffer

gave his hand to the visitor

c

: pay entry 1 sense 1

wouldn't give a penny for that bike

4

a

: to present in public performance

give a concert

b

: to present to view

gave the signal to start

5

: to provide by way of entertainment

give a party

6

: to point out or set aside as a share or portion

gave their daughter half of their estate

7

: to indicate the source or cause of

gave all the glory to her mother

8

: to form, make, or yield as a product or result

cows give milk

84 divided by 12 gives 7

9

a

: to deliver by some bodily action

gave me a push

b

: to carry out a movement : perform

gave a sudden leap

c

: pronounce sense 1

give judgment

10

: to offer for consideration or acceptance

gives no reason for his absence

11

: to apply fully : devote

gave herself to the cause

12

: to cause to have

gave pleasure to the reader

13

: to yield or collapse under force or pressure

the box gave under his foot

giver noun

give

2 of 2 noun

1

: tendency to yield to force or strain

2

: the quality or state of being springy

Medical Definition

give

transitive verb

ˈgiv 

gave ˈgāv  ; given ˈgiv-ən  ; giving

1

: to administer as a medicine

2

: to cause a person to catch by contagion, infection, or exposure

Legal Definition

give

transitive verb

gave; given; giving

1

a

: to make a gift of

I give the remainder of my estate to my wife

compare convey, sell

b

: to grant or bestow by formal action

the law gives citizens the right to vote

2

a

: to transfer from one's authority or custody

the sheriff gave the prisoner to the warden

b

: to execute and deliver

all officers must give bond

c

: to communicate or impart to another

failed to give adequate notice

d

: to offer or submit for the consideration of another

give testimony in court

3

: to yield possession of by way of exchange

4

a

: to impose as punishment

b

: to award by formal verdict

judgment was given against the plaintiff

giver noun