gimme
- 01 B1 Intermediate
part.a very casual way of saying 'give me'.
part.a colloquial contraction of the imperative 'give' and the first-person object pronoun 'me'.
Simple“Gimme a minute to finish this email and then I'll help you.”
In context“He shouted 'gimme the ball' across the playground, ignoring the teacher's request for quiet.”
UsageUsed almost exclusively in spoken English or informal texting.
PitfallGimme 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.
Synonymsgive me - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
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.
Simple“The last question on the test was a total gimme.”
In context“After the goalkeeper's mistake, the striker had a gimme from three yards out, which he converted with ease.”
UsageOften used in sports like golf to describe a very short putt that is conceded by opponents.
Teacher's tipThis noun sense is common in American English sports culture but is understood globally in informal contexts.
Synonyms
Written form of a reduction of give me.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.