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gimme

part. · n.
US //ˈɡɪmi// UK //ɡˈɪmi// gimme
  1. 1 give me (part.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal

    a very casual way of saying 'give me'.

    a colloquial contraction of the imperative 'give' and the first-person object pronoun 'me'.

    Example

    Gimme a minute to finish this email and then I'll help you.

    Example

    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.
    • give me
    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.

  2. 2 something easy (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Sport

    something that is so easy to do or win that it is certain to happen.

    an achievement, task, or victory regarded as being easily obtained or inevitable.

    Example

    The last question on the test was a total gimme.

    Example

    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.

    Teacher's tip

    This noun sense is common in American English sports culture but is understood globally in informal contexts.
Origin

Written form of a reduction of give me.

Idioms1 entry

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