give over

verb

gave over; given over; giving over; gives over

transitive verb

1

: cease

2

: entrust

3

a

: to yield without restraint or control : abandon

gave themselves over to laughter

b

: to set apart for a particular purpose or use

4

archaic : to pronounce incurable

intransitive verb

British : to cease an activity : stop

told him to give over and let me alone

—Brendan Behan

Synonyms

• break
• break off
• break up
• can [slang]
• cease
• cut off
• cut out
• desist (from)
• discontinue
• drop
• end
• halt
• knock off
• lay off
• leave off
• pack (up or in)
• quit
• shut off
• stop

Examples of give over in a Sentence

his wife suggested that he give over working such long hours if it was making him so unhappy

gave over his entire savings to an investor

Recent Examples on the Web

Joy’s life was given over almost entirely to Les’s care, as well as to the care of his chaotic mother, Helen. —Scott Sayare Robert Petkoff Anna Diamond Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 14 June 2024

The concept features only four seats, but that’s because the spot where the rear middle seat would go has been given over to a center console that doubles as a wine and spirits bar. —Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 14 June 2024

Fauci was given over $350 million to research this, to come up with drugs — new or repurposed — to handle the AIDS pandemic. —Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2024

The treatment involves a course of pills given over 12 weeks. —Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 10 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1