to give
- verb
- /ɡɪv/
- Nobody's holding you back to give yourself the gift of health.
If I'm going to quit YouTube, why don't I give myself four months?
- If I'm going to quit YouTube, why don't I give myself four months?
Examples
-
If it's somebody that I'm not interested in, I don't give them the time of day.
Fiction book (1990) -
Steven Sperling, what gives you the most hope?
-
If I, if I wanted to give myself, I love it.
-
- Give yourself a chance to find out.
-
So let's give this bad boy a try.
-
I told you I'd give you one, I gave you one, right?
-
Before you serve each time, please give yourself a silent self-instruction.
Academic text (2008) -
If I'm going to quit YouTube, why don't I give myself four months?
-
I'd give anything in the world if it hadn't have happened, and that's the truth.
-
I asked him what gives him the motivation to keep working hard.
Idioms
- Informal
To stop someone from working at their job, usually because of bad work or behavior
- Informal
To respond equally strongly when someone attacks or criticizes you
- Informal
So generous that they would give almost everything to help others
- Offensive
A joking way to say someone is not good enough to do something as a job
- Informal
Allowing a small favor makes someone try to take much more than you wanted
- Archaic
To show you do not respect someone by putting your thumb to your nose and wiggling your fingers
- Informal
Allow someone freedom to show ability or make mistakes that reveal their true character
Tell someone angrily that you are upset with them
Phrasal Verbs
- Informal
To stop doing or talking about something because it annoys other people
To cause a sudden feeling of fear or strong excitement that makes someone shiver
- Offensive
To pull up someone's underwear quickly as a joke so it hurts and makes them embarrassed
To make someone leave their job, often as punishment or during job cuts
Compounds
- Jargon
A basketball move where a player passes the ball then runs toward the basket to get the ball back
Surface Forms
Etymology
Give comes from an old verb meaning 'to produce' or 'cause', so the question 'what gives?' is a short way to ask 'what is causing this?' or 'what is happening?'.