Phrasal verb
give over
Definition
phrasal verb. to stop doing something annoying or silly. You use this when you want someone to be quiet or stop complaining.
phrasal verb. to cease a specific, usually irritating, behavior or activity; often used as an imperative to express disbelief or annoyance. Primarily British English register.
Examples
“Oh, give over! You're not really going to quit your job.”
“He kept complaining about the weather until I told him to give over and enjoy the walk.”
“The children were bickering so loudly in the back of the car that their father finally shouted for them to give over.”
Examples
simple
“Oh, give over! You're not really going to quit your job.”
contextual
“He kept complaining about the weather until I told him to give over and enjoy the walk.”
complex
“The children were bickering so loudly in the back of the car that their father finally shouted for them to give over.”
Usage
often used alone as an exclamation to tell someone to stop talking or acting foolishly.
Teaching tip
teach this alongside 'stop it' or 'give it a rest' to show how it functions as a dismissive imperative in casual British conversation.
Pitfall
Give over to talk about that.
Give over talking about that.
if followed by an action, use the -ing form, though it is most commonly used as a standalone command.
Phrasal verb
Particles
over
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
give + over
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/give-over