WordGarden.iogive
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /ɡˈɪv/
US
- /ˈɡɪv/
Meanings
Verb
to transfer, hand over, or provide something to someone
to communicate or present words, information, or a performance
to cause someone or something to have an effect, feeling, or experience
More meaningsFewer meanings
to grant, allow, or concede something abstract
to bend, stretch, loosen, or yield under pressure
Noun
flexibility or capacity to bend or yield
Beyond the definition
To give seems simple enough. It often means moving something from one person to another, whether that is a thing, some help, or even a thought. But give is much more flexible than that. You can give a gift, give advice, give your attention, give someone a chance, or give up on a plan. At heart, it is about letting something go outward from you.
Think of it as an act of sharing, providing, or causing something to happen. A generous friend might give you their time, while a stern teacher might give you detention. In English, give is often followed by an indirect object, as in "I gave him the book," to show who receives it. It can also describe effort or emotion: "She gave her all to the project."
The word give is a basic English verb, but it covers a wide range of everyday situations. At its core, give means to transfer something to someone or to provide something that another person receives. This can be physical, as in "I will give you this apple," but it also applies to less concrete things such as advice, time, attention, permission, support, or information.
You give advice when you offer your opinion, and you give permission when you allow something. You can give someone a job, a look, a smile, a push, a reason, or an answer. The verb can also mean causing someone to feel or experience something, as in "The news gave me hope" or "That joke gave us a laugh." In some contexts, it is used for performances or actions: a singer can give a concert, and a speaker can give a talk.
The meaning also changes in many phrasal verbs and fixed expressions. To "give back" is to return something. To "give in" is to stop resisting. To "give up" is to stop trying or to let something go. English also uses give in many common phrases, such as "give someone a hand," "give it a try," and "give someone the benefit of the doubt." Whether it involves handing over an object, offering help, creating a feeling, or making an effort, give is one of the main verbs English uses for sharing, providing, and causing things to happen.
Examples
- 1
Handing over
She gave her brother the keys before she left.
- 2
Workplace
He gave the report to his manager after the meeting.
- 3
Fair opportunity
Please give him a chance to explain.
- 4
Classroom
The teacher gave us extra time to finish the test.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Emotional effect
Her message gave me hope.
- 6
Public speaking
I'm giving a short talk tomorrow.
- 7
Phone call
Give me a call when you get home.
- Phrasegive someone a call
call someone
- 8
Car ride
Can you give me a ride to the station?
- Phrasegive someone a ride
take someone somewhere in your car
- 9
Trying something
I'll give this recipe a try this weekend.
- Phrasegive something a try
try something
- 10
Physical effect
That spicy food always gives me a headache.
- 11
Quitting a habit
She finally gave up smoking last year.
- Phrasegive up
stop doing something
- 12
Ending resistance
We argued for a while, then I gave in.
- Phrasegive in
stop resisting
- 13
Donating items
He gave away most of his old clothes when he moved.
- Phrasegive away
give something for free or get rid of it
- 14
Spoilers
Don't give away the ending.
- Phrasegive away
reveal something that should stay secret
- 15
Producing smell
This cheese is giving off a strong smell.
- Phrasegive off
produce or release
See also
Forms and spellings
5 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- givenounverb
Forms
- givenpast participleverbnoun
- gavepast tenseverbnoun
- giving-ing formverbnoun
- givesverbnoun