Phrasal verb
give up to
Definition
phrasal verb. to spend a specific amount of time or effort on an activity. You use this when you decide to dedicate your resources to a task or person.
phrasal verb. to devote or dedicate a specific quantity of time, energy, or resources to a particular pursuit or recipient; often used in the context of sacrifice or formal commitment.
Examples
“I give up to four hours a day to my studies.”
“The volunteers give up to ten hours of their weekends to help at the local animal shelter.”
“Despite his demanding corporate schedule, the CEO continues to give up to twenty percent of his annual income to various charitable foundations supporting urban education.”
Examples
simple
“I give up to four hours a day to my studies.”
contextual
“The volunteers give up to ten hours of their weekends to help at the local animal shelter.”
complex
“Despite his demanding corporate schedule, the CEO continues to give up to twenty percent of his annual income to various charitable foundations supporting urban education.”
Usage
usually followed by a measurement of time or money and the preposition 'to' before the recipient or activity.
Teaching tip
distinguish this from the more common 'give up' (stop doing something); here, 'up to' often functions as a quantifier meaning 'as much as' within the phrasal structure of 'give to'.
Pitfall
He gives up to his work all his time.
He gives up all his time to his work.
the direct object (the resource being given) should typically precede the prepositional phrase 'to [recipient]'.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up to
Separability
optional
Pattern
give + [amount] + up + to + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/give-up-to