# give and take

idiom · Slang

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/give-and-take-cockney
Updated: 2026-06-07

## Meaning

cake

## Examples

- Every good friendship needs some give and take.
- We settle our household chores through a little give and take.
- Marriage works best when there is a fair amount of give and take.
- Successful teamwork requires a lot of give and take to keep everyone happy.
- The two countries reached a trade agreement only after months of give and take regarding taxes and shipping rules.
- You should expect some give and take when you negotiate your new salary and vacation days with the manager.
- In any healthy long-term partnership, there must be a constant process of give and take to balance the needs of both individuals.

## Origin

The idiom is first recorded in 1769, appearing as a reference to the weight-based handicapping of horses in racing. A horse was required to carry more or less weight depending on its previous successes, a practice of balancing advantages that required one party to give ground while the other took it. The term migrated from the turf to the general vocabulary to describe the broader necessity of mutual compromise.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.