Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to yield up

to yield up

2 7.4
Give something to another person because you are forced to do so
  • phrasal verb
  • /jiːld ʌp/
: rendirse
  • Still, even in the face of these reports, Mr. Neal held his ground; he would not yield up information, even to save the life of an innocent man.
  • yield up its secrets

Examples

  • Many cultures yield up art, music, and higher thought generally.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • I know I can trust him, and staring at him, I lose my fear, I yield up my last hopes, my fond memories.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • We will spare your lives, and spare Burgund its certain devastation... ...if you yield up to us the dragon gold.

    Ring of the Nibelungs (2004)

  • He stares at the headstone for hours as if it would force the ground to yield up his father.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • The suspect refused to yield up any information during the police interrogation.

  • Under pressure from the enemy, the general had to yield up the fortress and retreat.

  • The rebels were forced to yield up their weapons after the peace agreement was signed.

Synonyms

to give up
vsto yield up
∞ 2.3

To hand a job or control you have to someone else

is mainly used when pressure or force causes this loss
to turn in
vsto yield up
414 3.3

To give a person or thing to the police

applies to forced surrender in many situations not only official handing over
to yield
vsto yield up
74 4.3

To stop resisting under pressure or force

is about surrender under pressure or by force
to renounce
vsto yield up
  • Formal
70 6.3

To give up a right, belief, job, or position officially

is about surrender under pressure rather than formal public abandonment
to relinquish
vsto yield up
  • Formal
62 7.2

To give up control, a right, or something you own

is about surrender caused by pressure or force rather than voluntary action
to capitulate
vsto yield up
22 8.4

To stop fighting back and accept defeat or demands

involves surrender because of pressure but not necessarily agreed terms
to concede
vsto yield up
21 5.5

To give something to another person or group against your will

is about surrender under direct force rather than reluctant handing over
to resign
vsto yield up
  • Formal
6 3.7

Give up a right or title to something

focuses on forced giving up under pressure rather than formal procedure
to release
vsto yield up
  • Formal
5 2.6

To give up a right, claim, or ownership of something

is used when loss happens under pressure or force rather than freely

Antonyms

to hold on
330 1.6

To keep something instead of selling or giving it away

to retain
291 3.4

To keep having something such as a job or possession

How Willing

to give up
∞ 1.2
to yield up
2 7.4
to relent
33 5.8
to refuse
∞ 1.7

Surface Forms

yield up infinitive
yielded up past
yielded up past participle
yielding up present participle
yields up third person singular

Morphology

yield + up

The phrase 'yield up' combines 'yield' (to give way, concede) with the particle 'up' that adds a sense of handing over or relinquishing, so the sense of surrendering or giving something over is directly derivable from the parts. A B1 learner who knows both constituents would very likely infer this meaning, since the composition follows common English verb + particle patterns and has clear cross-linguistic parallels.

Etymology

Yield up may come from the simple image of handing something over when you are forced. Imagine a person holding a chest who must yield, let go, and give it up to a stronger person, and that is why yield up means 'to surrender or give up'.