English Reference

Word

give

US/ˈɡɪv/

UK/ɡˈɪv/

Irregular verb

Forms

Infinitive

give

Past

gave

Past participle

given

Definitions

01to hand over

A1 · Beginner

v. to hand something to someone so they can keep it or use it.

v. to transfer possession of a physical or abstract entity to another person. Often ditransitive, taking both a direct and indirect object.

“She gave her brother a beautiful watch for his graduation.”

“The foundation gave the university a substantial grant to fund the new research laboratory over the next five years.”

Pitfall

I gave to him the book.

I gave him the book.

When the recipient comes before the object, do not use 'to'. Use 'I gave him the book' or 'I gave the book to him'.

Synonyms

Antonyms

02to produce or provide

A2 · Elementary

v. to produce a result or provide information.

v. to yield a result, product, or piece of information as an output.

“Adding these two numbers together gives you the total cost.”

“The initial data analysis gives a clear indication that consumer spending habits are shifting toward digital services.”

03to break or bend

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to break, collapse, or bend because of too much weight or pressure.

v. to yield, collapse, or lose structural integrity under physical force or pressure. Intransitive in this sense.

“The old wooden bridge started to give under the weight of the heavy truck.”

“The structural beams finally began to give after hours of intense heat, forcing the firefighters to evacuate the building immediately.”

Antonyms

04to organize an event

B1 · Intermediate

v. to organize or host a party or a performance.

v. to host, organize, or present a social event or public performance.

“They are giving a small dinner party to celebrate their anniversary.”

“The local orchestra is giving a free concert in the park this Saturday to encourage community engagement with classical music.”

Synonyms

05to devote oneself

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to spend a lot of your time or energy on something.

v. to devote or apply oneself or one's resources to a particular cause or activity. Often reflexive.

“He gave his whole life to helping people in need.”

“She gave herself entirely to the project, working late every night to ensure the launch was a success.”

Synonyms

06to have a certain look

C1 · Advanced Slang · Informal

v. to have a specific style or feeling.

v. to project a specific aesthetic, mood, or vibe. Used in modern informal contexts.

“That outfit is giving 1990s fashion vibes.”

“The minimalist decor in the new office is giving a very futuristic, high-tech energy that matches the company's brand.”

Usage

Often used in the construction 'it's giving [noun]' to describe a mood or style.

Synonyms

07flexibility

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun

n. the ability of something to bend or stretch without breaking.

n. the quality of resilience or the capacity of a physical object to yield under pressure.

“There isn't much give in this rope, so be careful not to pull too hard.”

“The new mattress has just enough give to be comfortable while still providing the necessary support for your back.”

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “give” in context.

01. data give 02. give consideration 03. give description 04. give estimate 05. give explanation 06. give flexibility 07. give impetus 08. give information 09. give meaning 10. give overview 11. give protection 12. give scope

Etymology

Middle English given, from merger of Old English giefan (“to give”) and Old Norse gefa (“to give”), from Proto-Germanic *gebaną (“to give”). Displaced yive, from Middle English yiven, of the same origin, from influence of Old Norse gefa.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

VERB

give(A1)

ADJECTIVE

PREPOSITION

Related words

Idioms

01. don't give up your day job

02. give a damn

03. give a fuck

04. give a good account of oneself

05. give a hang

06. give a hoot

07. give a light

08. give a monkey's

09. give a rat's arse

10. give a rip

Show all 90

11. give a sneck posset

12. give and take

13. give as good as one gets

14. give away the farm

15. give away the store

16. give back

17. give birth

18. give chase

19. give curry

20. give dome

21. give ear

22. give face

23. give head

24. give heed

25. give in

26. give it one's best shot

27. give it the big one

28. give it the gun

29. give life to

30. give lip

31. give notice

32. give one's all

33. give one's head a shake

34. give oneself airs

35. give out

36. give pause

37. give someone a bloody nose

38. give someone a break

39. give someone a hand

40. give someone a hard time

41. give someone a piece of one's mind

42. give someone a ring

43. give someone a shout

44. give someone a speaking to

45. give someone an earful

46. give someone an inch and someone will take a mile

47. give someone beans

48. give someone enough rope

49. give someone grey hair

50. give someone grief

51. give someone Hail Columbia

52. give someone hell

53. give someone line

54. give someone something to think about

55. give someone the bag

56. give someone the boot

57. give someone the brush-off

58. give someone the business

59. give someone the chair

60. give someone the cold shoulder

61. give someone the creeps

62. give someone the eye

63. give someone the heave-ho

64. give someone the old heave-ho

65. give someone the runaround

66. give someone the slip

67. give someone their cards

68. give someone their flowers

69. give someone their head

70. give someone time

71. give someone to understand

72. give someone what-for

73. give someone wood

74. give something a go

75. give something a miss

76. give something a try

77. give something a whirl

78. give the axe

79. give the devil his due

80. give the game away

81. give the lie

82. give the lie to

83. give the royal treatment

84. give the sack

85. give the time of day

86. give up the ghost

87. give weight

88. give what for

89. give zero fucks

90. would give a Jew's eye

Domain

Religion

This entry

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.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL 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: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
Frequency
Very common
Level
A1 · BeginnerOxford
Updated

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