Word
gimme
US/ˈɡɪmi/
UK/ɡˈɪmi/
Definitions
01give me
B1 · Intermediate Informal
part. a very casual way of saying 'give me'.
part. a colloquial contraction of the imperative 'give' and the first-person object pronoun 'me'.
“Gimme a minute to finish this email and then I'll help you.”
“He shouted 'gimme the ball' across the playground, ignoring the teacher's request for quiet.”
Usage
Used almost exclusively in spoken English or informal texting.
Pitfall
Gimme the book, please.
Give me the book, please.
Avoid using 'gimme' in formal writing or when speaking to people you do not know well; it is strictly for casual speech.
Synonyms
02something easy
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Sports Informal
n. something that is so easy to do or win that it is certain to happen.
n. an achievement, task, or victory regarded as being easily obtained or inevitable.
“The last question on the test was a total gimme.”
“After the goalkeeper's mistake, the striker had a gimme from three yards out, which he converted with ease.”
Usage
Often used in sports like golf to describe a very short putt that is conceded by opponents.
Teaching tip
This noun sense is common in American English sports culture but is understood globally in informal contexts.
Synonyms
Etymology
Written form of a reduction of give me.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. gimme a five
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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