give
give
Pronunciation
/ɡɪv/
Word Form Variations
Base Form: give
Third-person singular present: gives
Present participle: giving
Past tense: gave
Past participle: given
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
Definition 1: To hand over something to someone; to transfer possession of something to another.
Synonyms: present, bestow, grant, provide, hand over
Antonyms: receive, take, withhold, keep, deny
Definition 2: To make a gift of something to someone.
Synonyms: donate, contribute, offer, present, award
Antonyms: accept, acquire, gain, buy
Definition 3: To produce or yield something.
Synonyms: produce, yield, generate, provide, supply
Antonyms: consume, absorb, take away, deplete
Definition 4: To allow oneself to bend, collapse, or break under pressure.
Synonyms: yield, succumb, collapse, break, buckle
Antonyms: resist, hold, withstand, endure
Definition 5: To perform or deliver something, such as a speech or a performance.
Synonyms: deliver, perform, present, stage, execute
Antonyms: withhold, suppress, conceal
Noun
Definition 1: The quality of being elastic or yielding; resilience.
Synonyms: elasticity, flexibility, resilience, stretch, spring
Antonyms: rigidity, stiffness, inflexibility, hardness
Examples of Use
Books:
"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves." This famous line from William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (Act 1, Scene 2) uses "give" implicitly in the sense of bestowing or granting fate. While not directly stating "give," the essence of the quote is that we give ourselves our destiny.
"You can't give up on your dreams, no matter how hard things get." (J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) Here, "give up" is a phrasal verb meaning to abandon or surrender.
"She was willing to give anything to make him happy." (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice) This illustrates "give" in the sense of making a sacrifice or offering.
Newspapers:
"The government has promised to give more resources to schools in rural areas to improve educational standards." (The Daily Nation, July 1, 2025) Here, "give" means to provide or allocate.
"Experts give their predictions on the upcoming election results." (The Standard, June 30, 2025) In this case, "give" means to offer or present.
"The strong winds caused the old tree to give way, blocking the road." (The Guardian, June 29, 2025) Here, "give way" means to collapse or break under pressure.
Online Publications:
"Before you give advice, consider if it's truly helpful or just your opinion." (Psychology Today, "The Art of Giving Advice," published online) This uses "give" in the sense of offering or presenting.
"Google will give users more control over their data privacy settings." (TechCrunch, "Google's Latest Privacy Updates," published online, June 28, 2025) Here, "give" means to grant or provide.
"You should give yourself time to process your emotions after a significant life event." (Healthline, "Coping with Grief," published online) This usage emphasizes allowing or allocating something to oneself.
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Television (News Report): "The local community held a fundraiser to give support to families affected by the recent floods." (Citizen TV, Evening News, June 30, 2025) "Give support" means to provide assistance.
Film (Dialogue): "Just give me a chance, and I'll prove myself." (From the movie The Shawshank Redemption, 1994) Here, "give" means to grant or allow.
Music (Song Lyrics): "And I will always give you all my love." (From the song "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston) This uses "give" to express the act of bestowing affection.
Video Game (Instruction): "Press 'X' to give the item to your companion." (In-game tutorial for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt) This is a direct instruction for transferring an item.
Podcast (Discussion): "The speaker managed to give an excellent presentation despite the technical difficulties." (NPR's TED Radio Hour, recent episode) "Give a presentation" means to deliver one.
General Public Discourse:
"Can you give me a hand with this box?" (Common request for assistance among friends) Here, "give a hand" means to help.
"Let's give him the benefit of the doubt." (Informal expression used to suggest not immediately judging someone negatively) "Give the benefit of the doubt" is an idiom meaning to assume someone is innocent or acting in good faith until proven otherwise.
"I need to give my car a good wash this weekend." (Casual conversation about chores) Here, "give" is used to indicate performing an action on something.
"Don't give up on your dreams!" (Encouragement given to someone facing difficulties) This uses the phrasal verb "give up" to mean surrender.
"She decided to give her old clothes to charity." (Statement about donating items) This uses "give" in the sense of making a donation.
10 Famous Quotes Using Give
"It is better to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35, The Bible)
"Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country." (John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, 1961) - Though "give" is not directly used, the essence of giving is central to this renowned call to action.
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." (Franklin D. Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address, 1933) - This quote, while not using "give," implies that fear can "give" us limitations.
"To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity." (Douglas Adams)
"If you want to give light to others, you have to glow yourself." (Thomas S. Monson)
"You must give some time to your fellow men. Even if it's a little thing, do something for others—something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it." (Albert Schweitzer)
"I give myself permission to be a work in progress and to discover new things about myself every day." (Unknown) - This quote, while possibly lesser-known in terms of its exact origin, is widely used in motivational contexts and effectively uses "give" in a self-empowering sense.
"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." (Earl Nightingale)
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." (Mahatma Gandhi) - This quote, while not explicitly using "give," metaphorically speaks to the act of giving oneself to a greater cause.
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." (Winston Churchill)
Etymology
The word "give" has a deep history that goes back many centuries, tracing its roots to ancient Germanic languages.
Its journey to modern English started in Old English, where it appeared as "giefan" (in West Saxon dialect) or "gifan." At this early stage (before the year 1150), its core meaning was pretty much what we understand today: "to bestow, deliver to another, allot, grant, or commit." Think of it as the act of handing something over to someone else, whether it was an object, a right, or even a responsibility.
Interestingly, English had a native word for "to give," but it was influenced heavily by Old Norse (the language of the Vikings). The Old Norse word was "gefa," and it was very similar to the Old English "giefan." This Scandinavian influence helped "give" keep its hard 'g' sound, whereas many other Old English words starting with 'g' before 'e', 'i', or 'y' changed to a 'y' sound in modern English (like "year" from Old English "gear").
So, in essence, "give" comes from a very old Proto-Germanic word, *gebaną, which also meant "to give." This ancient root is shared by similar words in other Germanic languages like German ("geben") and Dutch ("geven"). Even further back, some linguists connect it to a very ancient Proto-Indo-European root *ghabh-, which had a broader meaning involving "to take, give, or move." This suggests that the ideas of receiving and giving were quite intertwined in the very early stages of language.
Over time, "give" expanded its meanings. For example, the sense of "to yield to pressure" or "to collapse" emerged around the 1570s. Phrasal verbs like "give up" (meaning to surrender) appeared in the mid-12th century.
So, the first known use of "give" (or its ancestors) was in the Old English period (before 1150), and its initial meaning was fundamentally about transferring possession or granting something to another.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Give
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "give":
Give a hand: To help someone.
Give away: To reveal a secret; to donate something.
Give in: To surrender or yield.
Give it a go: To try something.
Give it your best shot: To try as hard as one can.
Give birth: To produce offspring.
Give chase: To pursue someone or something.
Give ground: To retreat; to yield to an opponent.
Give notice: To formally inform someone, often about ending a job or agreement.
Give off: To emit a smell, heat, or light.
Give or take: Approximately; with a small margin of error.
Give someone a piece of your mind: To scold or rebuke someone.
Give someone the benefit of the doubt: To believe someone's story, even if there is uncertainty.
Give someone the cold shoulder: To act unfriendly towards someone.
Give up: To surrender; to stop trying.
Give way: To collapse or break; to yield to traffic.
Give as good as you get: To retaliate with equal force.
Give 'em hell: To fight vigorously or intensely.
Give it large: (Slang) To do something enthusiastically or excessively.
Give me a break! (Exclamation) Expressing disbelief or exasperation.
Give and take: Mutual concessions and cooperation.
Give an inch and they'll take a mile: If you allow someone a small concession, they will take advantage and demand much more.
Give someone the creeps: To make someone feel uneasy or frightened.
Give something a miss: To decide not to do or attend something.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of give from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
