to give forth
- phrasal verb
- Archaic
- Plus, the sound of the weights wasn't right; instead of the clang and ring of iron, the plastic-covered free weights gave forth a quiet pock when they hit into one another.
Examples
-
One russet autumn Sunday, Pete Waller overheard and suddenly gave forth: "H. G. Wells."
Fiction book (1991) -
Humbi: a black bird which at certain times of the year appears in flocks high in the sky, giving forth strident whistles.
Fiction book (1995) -
It's been ages since we heard our old organ give forth such a noise!
Fiction book (1999) -
And of course, the garden has chosen just this time to give forth ripe tomatoes.
Blog text (18) -
The gardens they cultivate give forth publicly approved fruits, and whatever ethical danger their new knowledge may pose, they have no doubt that knowledge exists and that they are expanding it.
Academic text (1999) -
He'd never lived in a house in which at least two or three floorboards didn't give forth a companionable creak.
Fiction book (1999) -
"United Nations Navy unit Samurai calling Kzin vessel," it gabbled, while the translator gave forth decent growls and hisses.
Fiction book (2001) -
The volcano began to give forth ash and smoke, signaling its impending eruption.
-
As the sun rose, the flowers in the garden started to give forth a delightful fragrance.
-
During the concert, the musicians worked together to give forth a beautiful harmony.
Synonyms
Send out light, heat, sound or gas
To come out from a source, like a smell, sound, or feeling
To send out something like a smell, light, or heat
Give off heat, light, or energy from a source
To produce or show something new for others to use
To send out light, heat, sound or a smell
To come out freely, as a liquid, gas, or light
Antonyms
How Strong
- Specialized
- Archaic
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to emit or send out' is directly derivable from combining 'give' (to produce or yield) with 'forth' (outward/from a source); together they transparently convey emitting something. This verb + directional particle pattern is common and cross-linguistically accessible, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would likely infer the MWE's meaning despite its somewhat literary register.
Etymology
Give forth comes from a simple scene: to give something forth is to let it go out from you, like a lamp that gives forth light or a tree that gives forth scent. So, it means 'to send out' or 'to produce' sounds, light, smells, or breath.