¦ verb (past gave; past participle given) (usu. give something to or give someone something)
1. freely transfer the possession of; cause to receive or have.
communicate or impart (a message).
commit, consign, or entrust.
cause to experience or suffer: you gave me a fright.
allot (a score) to.
2. yield as a product or result.
(give something off/out) emit odour, vapour, etc.
3. carry out (an action).
produce (a sound).
provide (a party or meal) as host or hostess.
4. state or put forward (information or argument).
pledge or assign as a guarantee.
deliver (a judgement) authoritatively.
5. present (an appearance or impression): he gave no sign of life.
6. alter in shape under pressure rather than resist or break.
yield or give way to pressure.
N. Amer. informal concede defeat; surrender.
7. (of an umpire or referee) declare whether or not (a player) is out or offside.
adjudicate that (a goal) has been legitimately scored.
8. concede or yield (something) as valid or deserved in respect of (someone).
¦ noun capacity to bend or alter in shape under pressure.
Phrases
give oneself airs act pretentiously or snobbishly.
give and take mutual concessions and compromises.
give the game (or show) away inadvertently reveal something secret.
give or take -- informal
1. to within a specified amount.
2. apart from.
give rise to cause to happen.
give someone to understand inform someone in a rather indirect way.
give someone what for informal, chiefly Brit. punish or scold someone severely.
not give a damn (or hoot etc.) informal not care at all.
what gives? informal what's the news.
Phrasal verbs
give someone away
1. inadvertently reveal incriminating information about someone.
2. hand over a bride ceremonially to her bridegroom.
give something away
1. reveal something secret.
2. (in sport) concede a goal or advantage to the opposition.
give in cease fighting or arguing.
give on to (or into) Brit. overlook or lead into.
give out be completely used up.
?stop functioning.
give over Brit. informal stop doing something.
give up cease making an effort; admit defeat.
give someone up deliver a wanted person to authority.
give something up
1. part with something that one would prefer to keep.
2. stop doing something.
give up on stop having faith or belief in.
Derivatives
giver noun
Origin
OE giefan, gefan, of Gmc origin.