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Glite Dictionary
to give as good as one gets

to give as good as one gets

3 7.4
To respond equally strongly when someone attacks or criticizes you
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : devolver golpe por golpe
  • Pheebs gives as good as she gets.

Examples

  • "I do know this, I've given as good as I got.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • In their debate, she was quick to respond, proving she can give as good as she gets.

  • I can give as good as I get.

    Superman III (1983)

  • Gave as good as they got.

    USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage (2016)

  • I love that you gave as good as you got with Jose.

    Blog text (26)

  • But I gave as good as I got and took my revenge.

    Blog text (2)

  • But Obama, with timely assistance from "moderator" Crowley, gave as good as he got.

    Blog text (25)

  • He turned to Letta and said, "You gave as good as you got, Letta."

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Now, look at Kel and Sastra and some others, and try to abstain from verbal attacks, or as I already told you, I give as good as I get.

    Blog text (29)

  • Korra, Lin, and Asami have all had various male characters trying to seriously hurt them, but being in a world of badass, they can give as good as they get.

    Blog text (10)

Synonyms

to give as good as someone gets
vsto give as good as one gets
  • Informal
3 7.2

Respond to an attack or criticism with equal force

is identical in meaning but uses a more formal impersonal pronoun

Antonyms

to give in
220 3.0

To stop resisting and agree to what others want

to back down
107 3.7

To stop insisting because others oppose you

How Forceful

to escalate
220 5.5
to retaliate
105 7.3
to give as good as one gets
  • Informal
3 7.4
to stand up
293 3.2
to answer
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

give as good as one gets infinitive
giving as good as one gets present participle
gives as good as one gets third person singular
gave as good as one got past
given as good as one gets past participle

Morphology

give + as + good + as + one + get

The meaning is largely built from the constituents and the comparative pattern ('give' + 'as...as' + 'get' meaning 'receive'), so a learner who knows these parts can reconstruct that it means to respond in kind. However, the phrase is a fixed, colloquial idiom with an elliptical element (implicit 'treatment' or 'force') that may not be immediately transparent to a B1 learner without exposure, so it is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Give as good as one gets comes from fights or contests where, if someone hits you, you hit them back just as hard. The literal idea of give and get, to give a hit as good as you get one, explains why it now means 'to respond with equal force or skill'.