ENGLISH
REFERENCE

give over to

phrasal verb.
C1 Advanced Oxford General-service
Definition

phrasal verb. to use a particular space or a certain amount of time for only one purpose.

phrasal verb. to dedicate or devote a specific resource, such as time or space, entirely to a particular activity or purpose; often used in the passive voice.

SIMPLE

The afternoon was given over to private study.

CONTEXTUAL

Large areas of the old city center have been given over to pedestrian zones and outdoor cafes.

COMPLEX

The entire second floor of the gallery was given over to an experimental installation that challenged traditional notions of sculpture.

  • dedicate to
  • devote to
  • set aside for
  • assign to
Particles
over to
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
give + over + to + object
Usage

frequently occurs in the passive form 'be given over to' followed by a noun or gerund.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'dedicate to' or 'devote to'; 'give over to' often implies a total change in how a space or time block is used.

Pitfall

The room was given over for the meeting.The room was given over to the meeting.the phrasal verb requires the preposition 'to' to indicate the purpose or recipient of the space.

Last updated April 24, 2026