Phrasal verb
give of
Definition
phrasal verb. to share your time, money, or energy generously to help others.
phrasal verb. to contribute or devote a portion of one's resources, such as time, effort, or money, typically for the benefit of others or a cause.
Examples
“She always gives of her time to help the local charity.”
“The volunteers give of themselves every weekend to ensure the community garden thrives.”
“In times of national crisis, citizens are often called upon to give of their personal wealth to support the collective recovery.”
Examples
simple
“She always gives of her time to help the local charity.”
contextual
“The volunteers give of themselves every weekend to ensure the community garden thrives.”
complex
“In times of national crisis, citizens are often called upon to give of their personal wealth to support the collective recovery.”
Usage
usually followed by a reflexive pronoun like 'oneself' or a possessive noun phrase like 'one's time'.
Teaching tip
contrast with the simple verb 'give'; 'give of' emphasizes the selfless nature of the act and the internal resources being shared.
Pitfall
He gives of his money to the poor.
He gives his money to the poor.
while 'give of' is grammatically correct for resources, it is a formal literary style; in most cases, the simple verb 'give' is more natural.
Phrasal verb
Particles
of
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
give + of + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/give-of