give or take
61
4.0
- idiom
:
más o menos
- The distance to the nearest town is about 10 miles, give or take a mile.
- give or take a few
- give or take a year
No, I think over the last four years, give or take, it's become more open.
- No, I think over the last four years, give or take, it's become more open.
- The results will be announced a week from today, give or take a couple of days.
- Dyker will be living in the basement for a year, give or take.
- So that is one full layer, give or take, and I think that that's a really nice amount of coverage.
- So let's get to move in slightly in the future, give or take by a couple days.
- And the fog of war really occurs over give or take what, like a three day.
- So two there few sessions a month, give or take.
Examples
-
The results will be announced a week from today, give or take a couple of days.
-
The ship may dock at 19:50, give or take 15 or 20 minutes.
Blog text (9) -
No, I think over the last four years, give or take, it's become more open.
-
And this one is like almost straight up and down, give or take just a little bit.
-
Six miles give or take.
-
In ten minutes, give or take a few.
Fiction book (2002) -
Give or take a few years.
-
Mac would arrive in two and a half days, give or take an hour.
Fiction book (2001) -
Trade paperbacks are running about $15, give or take a couple of dollars.
Blog text (25) -
Around 115, I guess, give or take a pound or two.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Not exact but near a number, amount, or time
695
1.0
You add it after a number to show the number is about that amount
524
3.2
Near the exact number or amount
379
1.0
About an amount or number, not exact
301
2.1
About a number or idea, not exact but close enough
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
give + or + take
The components 'give' and 'take' signal opposite actions (adding or subtracting), so a learner who knows those verbs can infer the phrase allows a small positive or negative variation. However, the conventionalized adverbial use meaning 'approximately' is somewhat idiomatic and requires understanding the abstract +/- sense in context, so it is not fully transparent.
Etymology
Give or take may come from old counting or making a deal. Imagine someone saying you can give a little or take a little from a number or price. That picture of adding or removing a small amount explains why the phrase means 'approximate' today.