give
to hand something to someone
To put something in someone's hand or make them receive it.
to give [something] to [someone]
- She gave me the keys before leaving.
- Please give this letter to John when you see him.
- He gave the waiter his credit card.
- I gave my sister a book for her birthday.
- They gave the ball back to the other team.
- Please give me the pen.
- I will give the book to you.
- She gave him a cup of tea.
- Give the money to your father.
- Can you give me your phone number?
to cause someone to have something non-physical
To make someone feel or have something that is not a thing you can touch.
to give [someone] [something abstract]
- This medicine will give you relief from pain.
- Her words gave me hope.
- He gave me a headache with all his complaining.
- The teacher gave the students extra time.
- The news gave them reason to celebrate.
- The book gave me new ideas.
- His joke gave me a big smile.
- This food can give you energy.
- Her story gave us hope.
- The rain gave us a cold.
to donate or contribute something voluntarily
To offer money, things, or help without asking for payment.
to give [something] to [someone/some group]
- They gave a large sum to the charity.
- She gives her time to help at the shelter.
- Please give generously to those in need.
- He gave his old clothes to the homeless.
- We gave food and blankets after the storm.
- We give food to poor people.
- She gives money to the school.
- They give help to sick people.
- I will give my old shoes to my friend.
- He gives blood every year.
to allow someone to do something
To say that someone can do or have something.
to give [someone] permission/opportunity/rights
- They gave us permission to enter the building.
- The teacher gave the students extra time for the test.
- My parents gave me the freedom to choose my career.
- The manager gave her team access to new resources.
- He gave them the chance to explain.
- My boss gave me time off.
- She gave her son permission to go out.
- The teacher gave us more time for the test.
- They gave me a chance to speak.
- He gave his friend access to his computer.
to produce or perform for someone’s benefit
To do something like a talk, show, or smile for other people.
to give [a performance/speech/etc.]
- She gave a brilliant speech at the wedding.
- The comedian gave a great performance last night.
- He gave me a warm smile when he saw me.
- They gave a demonstration of the new software.
- He gave his opinion on the matter.
- She gave a talk at school.
- He gave a big smile.
- They gave a show in the park.
- I will give a speech tomorrow.
- The teacher gave a lesson on animals.
- Base: give
- 3rd Person Singular: gives
- Present Participle: giving
- Past: gave
- Past Participle: given
- Irregular past: gave Verb
- Irregular past participle: given Verb
give in
1to agree after resisting or surrender control
To finally agree to what someone wants after saying no before, or to stop fighting against something.
- He finally gave in and let them go early.
- The rebels refused to give in without a fight.
give up
1to stop trying or quit doing something
To stop trying to do something because it is too hard or you cannot succeed.
- After several failed attempts, she decided to give up.
- Don't give up on your dreams.
give up
3quit or stop trying
To stop because something is too difficult, or to quit a habit or activity.
- Don’t give up—you’re almost finished.
- She gave up sugar for a month.
- He gave up on the puzzle after an hour.
give away
1to hand over without payment or reveal unintentionally
To give something to someone without asking for money, or to tell a secret by accident.
- She gave away all her old clothes.
- They gave away free samples at the store.
- He smiled, which gave away how happy he was.
- He gave his old clothes away to charity.
give it a try
1to attempt doing something once or briefly
To do something once to see if it works or if you like it.
- I’ve never played tennis before, but I’ll give it a try.
- I’ve never played tennis, but I’ll give it a try.
- Why not give it a try and see what happens?
- Why not give it a try and see?,
give someone a hand
1to help someone physically or practically
To help someone do something, especially by using your hands or physical effort.
- Could you give me a hand with these boxes?
- Could you give me a hand with these dishes?
- She always gives her neighbors a hand when they need it.
- She gave him a hand carrying the boxes.