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Definition of give
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : to make a present of
give a doll to a child
2a : to grant or bestow by formal action
the law gives citizens the right to vote
b : to accord or yield to another
gave him her confidence
3a : to put into the possession of another for his or her use
gave me his phone number
b(1) : to administer as a sacrament
(2) : to administer as a medicine
c : to commit to another as a trust or responsibility and usually for an expressed reason
d : to transfer from one's authority or custody
the sheriff gave the prisoner to the warden
e : to execute and deliver
all employees must give bond
f : to convey to another
give them my regards
4a : to offer to the action of another : proffer gave her his hand
b dated, of a woman : to yield (oneself) to a man in sexual intercourse
5a : to present in public performance
give a concert
b : to present to view or observation
gave the signal to start
6 : to provide by way of entertainment
give a party
7 : to propose as a toast
8a : to designate as a share or portion : allot all the earth to thee and to thy race I give— John Milton
b : to make assignment of (a name)
c : to set forth as an actual or hypothetical datum
give the dimensions of the room
d : to attribute in thought or utterance : ascribe gave the credit to you
9a : to yield as a product, consequence, or effect : produce cows give milk 84 divided by 12 gives 7
b : to bring forth : bear
11a : to deliver by some bodily action
gave him a push
b : to carry out (a movement, facial expression, etc.)
gave a cynical smile
c : to inflict as punishment
d : to award by formal verdict
judgment was given against the plaintiff
12 : to offer for consideration, acceptance, or use
gives no reason for his absence
13a : to suffer the loss of : sacrifice gallantly gave his life for his country
b : to offer as appropriate or due especially to something higher or more worthy
gave his spirit to God
c : to apply freely or fully : devote gave themselves to their work
d : to offer as a pledge
I give you my word
14a : to cause one to have or receive
mountains always gave him pleasure
b : to cause a person to catch by contagion, infection, or exposure
15a : to allow one to have or take
give me time
b : to lead or attempt to lead
—used with an infinitiveyou gave me to understand you'd be late
16 : to care to the extent of
didn't give a hoot
1 : to make gifts or presents
gave generously to charities
2a : to yield to physical force or strain
b : to collapse from the application of force or pressure
The canvas chair gave under her weight.
c : to undergo or submit to change
for the strike to be settled, something has to give
3 : to afford a view or passage : open the window gives onto the terrace
4 : to enter wholeheartedly into an activity
5 slang : to be happening
wants to know what gives
give birth give birth to give chase give ground give of give or take give place to give rise to give the gun give the lie to give tongue give way
: to have a baby
gave birth last Thursday
1 : to produce as offspring
gave birth to a son
2 : to be the source of
: to set off in pursuit
: to withdraw before superior force : retreat
: to make available : provide generously
freely gave of their time
: as an estimate accurate within (an amount to be added or subtracted)
weighs 150 pounds, give or take a few pounds
: to be replaced or succeeded by
optimism gave place to worry
: to be the cause or source of : produce
: to open the throttle of : speed up
1 : to accuse of falsehood
2 : to show to be false, inaccurate, or invalid
of hounds : to begin barking on the scent
1a : retreat
b : to yield the right of way
2 : to yield oneself without restraint or control
3a : to yield to or as if to physical stress
The roof gave way under heavy snow.
b : to yield to entreaty or insistence
After several hours of debate, the opposition finally gave way.
4 : to yield place
Farmland has given way to shopping malls.
5 : to begin to row
give
nounDefinition of give (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : capacity or tendency to yield to force or strain : flexibility
2 : the ability of a material to bend or stretch
The knitted fabric has a lot of give to it.
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Time Traveler for give
The first known use of give was before the 12th century
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