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to give

to give

∞ 1.0
To hand something to someone, for example a present
  • verb
  • /ɡɪv/
: dar
  • So all we're asking you to do is give us some time.
  • give advice
  • give information
  • give permission

So all we're asking you to do is give us some time.

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Examples

Synonyms

to provide
vsto give
∞ 1.5

To give something people need or want

is more general and also covers casual passing or offers
to offer
vsto give
∞ 1.0

Make something available for people to use or buy

is more direct and also includes unconditional handing of items
to hand
vsto give
∞ 1.0

To give something to someone

is broader and also covers nonphysical or abstract transfers
to pass
vsto give
∞ 1.0

To give something to another person

is wider, including offering or supplying rather than only transfer
to grant
vsto give
  • Formal
657 3.3

To officially give permission, rights, or money to someone

is broader and not always formal or official in nature
to donate
vsto give
529 2.7

Give money, things, or time to help a charity

is more general and includes noncharitable exchanges or transfers
to turn over
vsto give
392 3.2

Give a person or thing to someone else to look after

is broader and also covers casual passing between individuals
to hand over
vsto give
380 2.8

Give something to someone because you have to

also covers voluntary and informal transfers not made under duty
to pass on
vsto give
264 2.7

To give something to another person, often information or a message

includes that onward action but also original provision to someone
to hand out
vsto give
237 1.8

To give something to people in a group

also covers distribution but can mean single or private transfers
to present
vsto give
  • Formal
225 2.7

Give something to someone in a ceremony

is more general and includes everyday, nonceremonial transfers
to give out
vsto give
217 2.3

To hand things to several people

is wider and also applies to one-to-one or informal passing
to render
vsto give
67 3.9

To give something to another person or authority, often formally

is broader and also includes simple object or information transfer
to deliver
vsto give
  • Formal
42 3.0

To hand someone or something to another person, an authority

is broader and also applies to simple personal transfers
to convey
vsto give
  • Formal
4 5.5

To officially give property or rights to someone

can also mean casual or nonlegal passing between people

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

Accept an offer or person into a group

Idioms

give me a break
  • Informal
100 7.9

Ask someone to stop criticizing or asking too much of you

56 4.0

About an amount that may be a little more or less

43 9.9

To care at all about something

35 8.1

To scold someone very strongly for something they did

34 9.9

To not care at all about something

To make someone stop and think carefully before deciding

31 3.1

A situation where people both accept and give up things to make an agreement

23 8.1

Show no attention or respect to someone

Look at someone in a way that shows romantic or sexual interest

12 7.4

To stop someone from working at their job, usually because of bad work or behavior

to give a hoot
  • Archaic
10 8.1

To not care at all about something

to give 110%
  • Informal
8 6.4

To try as hard as possible and do more than people expect

6 8.5

To tell someone to leave their job or to stop using something

5 8.1

To die or stop working after a long time of problems

5 8.7

Tell someone angrily that they did something wrong

Respond to an attack or criticism with equal force

to give ear
  • Archaic
4 6.2

To listen carefully to someone

Tell someone angrily that they did something wrong

So generous that they would give almost everything to help others

3 7.7

Angrily tell someone they did something wrong

Let someone act freely until they make a mistake

3 8.1

Agree to too much in a deal and lose money

3 9.9

To make someone very annoyed or angry

2 9.5

To not care at all about something

To accept some demands while giving up some of your own

To admit that someone has good points even if you dislike them

Try as hard as possible to do something well

1 7.4

To suddenly end someone's job or a relationship, often without warning

Allowing a small favor makes someone try to take much more than you wanted

1 9.9

To not care at all about something, usually in negative sentences

to give the shits
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To make someone have diarrhoea or a bad stomach

1 9.9

To say in rude language that someone does not care at all

Look at someone to show romantic or sexual interest

1 9.0

A joking way to say someone is not good enough to do something as a job

To make someone very worried or stressed

Speak up for people who cannot be heard

To look at someone with interest to judge or admire them

To end a relationship or stop someone from working for you

Allow someone to act freely and make their own choices

To respond equally strongly when someone attacks or criticizes you

1 9.9

To make someone very angry or upset

to give a hang
  • Archaic
1 9.3

To not care at all about something, used only in negative sentences

To do well in front of others in a difficult situation

Not care at all about something

to give a snook
  • Archaic
9.9

To show you do not respect someone by putting your thumb to your nose and wiggling your fingers

To try as hard as possible using all your energy

To throw something away and stop using it

8.7

Allow someone freedom to show ability or make mistakes that reveal their true character

9.9

Make an angry, unhappy face to show you are annoyed

Tell someone angrily that you are upset with them

3.8

Put in as much effort and energy as possible

Make yourself stop worrying and start thinking clearly

Phrasal Verbs

∞ 1.2

To stop trying to do something or accept defeat

∞ 2.3

To hand a job or control you have to someone else

781 1.0

Return something to the person who owns it after you use or borrow it

490 2.0

Hand something to someone without asking for money

291 1.4

To have a baby or young animal from your body

242 1.8

To help someone with something or to clap to show appreciation

217 3.7

To stop doing something you once did

217 2.3

To hand things to several people

205 8.8

To not care at all about someone or something

187 3.0

To stop resisting and agree to what others want

134 1.6

To do something new to see if you can do it

130 3.4

Tell a secret on purpose or by accident

103 3.0

Support others by offering time or money to say thank you

Try something for the first time to see if you like it

92 3.9

Make someone feel bad by criticizing or teasing them

To show you are grateful, often in words or prayer

67 3.3

Move aside or be replaced by something else

57 2.6

To send out something like a smell, light, or heat

52 3.7

Formally tell someone that you plan to leave a job or move out

to give rise
  • Formal
50 3.5

Make something happen

45 6.9

To stop doing or talking about something because it annoys other people

33 3.0

To cause a new idea or movement to begin

33 4.2

Break or fail because of pressure

32 4.1

To stop working or run out so nothing is left

32 4.3

To put thoughts or feelings into words

Shows what a person, place, or thing is like

27 4.1

To try something, especially something new

to give grief
  • Informal
18 6.9

To cause someone trouble or make them upset

To cause a sudden feeling of fear or strong excitement that makes someone shiver

to give head
  • Offensive
16 9.9

To use your mouth to make a man's penis feel good

To make a place or event feel lively and energetic

14 4.1

Start running after someone or something to catch them

to give a whirl
  • Informal
12 4.9

Try something once to see if you like it or are good at it

to give the slip
  • Informal
11 6.9

To get away from someone who is following you

10 2.9

To send out light, heat, sound or a smell

9 5.8

To try something for the first time to see if it works

9 8.4

Talk back to someone in a rude way

8 4.1

Formally tell an employee that their job will end

to give a shout
  • Informal
6 5.1

Call or message someone to let them know something

To accept less than you want in a discussion to reach an agreement

5 9.6

To pull up someone's underwear quickly as a joke so it hurts and makes them embarrassed

To phone someone

Look at someone to show romantic or sexual interest

4 7.4

To look quickly to check if something is okay

Make something start or move forward more quickly

to give away
  • Formal
2 4.4

Walk a bride to the groom at the start of the wedding

To reject someone quickly and rudely

to give a smooch
  • Informal
2 7.3

To kiss someone quickly and affectionately

Make a short high sound with lips or a small device to get attention

A small gentle smile that shows quiet happiness or approval

To clean and shape someone's fingernails and hands

2 7.3

Decide not to go to an event or activity

2 8.4

To show that something is not true

2 6.5

To express strong feelings such as anger or sadness

to give forth
  • Archaic
1 5.5

To send out a sound, light, or smell

To help someone a lot with a task or project

To tell a secret by accident and spoil a surprise

1 6.4

To pay careful attention to what someone says or does

to give a line
  • Informal
1 8.0

To tell someone a false story to impress or trick them

To make someone hesitate before acting

to give line
  • Informal
1 8.8

Say something untrue to distract people from the truth

1 2.6

To stop working after being used for a long time

To offer a flame to start a cigarette or candle

To make someone leave their job, often as punishment or during job cuts

to give suck
  • Archaic
1 9.8

To feed a baby or young animal from the breast

Encourage someone gently to start doing something

1 8.5

To say feelings or thoughts aloud

1 9.9

To end a relationship or job suddenly and harshly

To tell someone they behaved badly in a serious way

to give a whap
  • Informal
8.8

To hit something quickly with a short, sharp blow

9.8

To try very hard and work quickly to finish something

to give grief
  • Offensive
8.6

To annoy or harm other players on purpose during a game

to give hell
  • Informal
8.1

To scold or punish someone angrily for something they did wrong

Compounds

A friendly exchange of ideas and jokes

give-and-go
  • Jargon
2 5.3

A basketball move where a player passes the ball then runs toward the basket to get the ball back

How Formal

to bestow
  • Formal
74 5.6
to present
  • Formal
225 2.7
to give
∞ 1.0
to hand
∞ 1.0
to pass
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

give infinitive
giving present participle
gives third person singular
gave past
given past participle

Etymology

Give comes from an old Germanic verb related to German geben and English gift that meant 'to hand over'. So to give something is to pass it to someone.