give over

verb

gave over; given over; giving over; gives over
Synonyms of give overnext

transitive verb

1
: cease
2
3
a
: to yield without restraint or control : abandon
gave themselves over to laughter
b
: to set apart for a particular purpose or use
4
archaic : to pronounce incurable

intransitive verb

British : to cease an activity : stop
… told him to give over and let me alone …Brendan Behan

Examples of give over in a Sentence

his wife suggested that he give over working such long hours if it was making him so unhappy gave over his entire savings to an investor
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Victims emerge and disappear, without much time given over to individuating them. Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025 With so much space given over to the kitchen, the bathroom, and the one big window, the living space itself may be somewhat ill-suited to living — not quite large enough to fit a queen bed, a full-size sofa, a desk, and a table at which to eat the food prepared in the large, luxurious kitchen. Kim Velsey, Curbed, 17 Dec. 2025 Trump’s speech also comes as the White House deals with fallout over nearly a dozen interviews White House chief of staff Susie Wiles gave over the course of the year for a Vanity Fair article published Tuesday. Jared Gans, The Hill, 17 Dec. 2025 Inside, a large portion of its available floorspace will be given over to 500 apartments for rental and purchase, with the proviso that 50% of these must remain affordable. New Atlas, 13 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for give over

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of give over was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Give over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/give%20over. Accessed 26 Dec. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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