giveaway
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.something that is given for free, often as a prize or to promote a business.
n.an item or service distributed without charge, typically for promotional purposes or as a prize in a competition.
Simple“The radio station is having a ticket giveaway for the concert tonight.”
In context“The marketing department organised a massive giveaway of branded merchandise to generate buzz before the product launch.”
UsageOften used in the context of marketing, social media contests, or radio promotions.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a sign or detail that accidentally reveals the truth about something.
n.an unintentional revelation or an obvious indicator that betrays a secret or hidden fact.
Simple“The nervous look on his face was a dead giveaway that he was lying.”
In context“While her voice remained steady, the slight tremor in her hands was a dead giveaway of her underlying anxiety.”
UsageFrequently used with the adjective 'dead' to mean 'completely obvious'.
- 03 C1 Advanced
adj.describing something that is given for free or sold at a very low price.
adj.denoting a price that is extremely low or a product that is provided at no cost; typically used in an attributive position.
Simple“They are selling the old furniture at giveaway prices just to get rid of it.”
In context“The company offered giveaway rates on their older software versions to encourage users to migrate to the new platform.”
UsageAlmost always used before a noun, especially 'price' or 'rate'.
Synonyms
“Supermarket giant Woolworths says it won’t be running Ooshies giveaways more regularly despite the success of this year’s campaign.”
“Announcing a new giveaway may go viral, but what about the details of the cuts to pay for it?”
Deverbal from give away.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.