give

/gɪv/

/gɪv/

Other forms: gave; given; giving; gives

When you give something, you hand over possession to someone else. Give can also be a noun; a material that has give has the ability to stretch.

Just as you can take many things, so can you give many things. You can give a gift, give a party, or give your car keys to friend, but just temporarily. If you give someone a chance, you let them have an opportunity. If you give your word, you make a promise. If give your hand, you marry — or at least hold hands. You can also give by communicating or passing something on — like your regards, or a cold.

Definitions of give

1. verb

   transfer possession of something concrete or abstract to somebody
   “I gave her my money”

   “can you give me lessons?”

   “She gave the children lots of love and tender loving care”

   antonyms:

   take

   take into one's possession

   types:

   cater, ply, provide, supply

   give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance

   cough up, pony up, spit up

   give reluctantly

   lease, let, rent

   grant use or occupation of under a term of contract

   support

   support materially or financially

   pay

   give money, usually in exchange for goods or services

   accord, allot, grant

   allow to have

   allow, grant

   let have

   present, submit

   hand over formally

   bestow

   give as a gift

   heap

   bestow in large quantities

   administer, allot, deal, deal out, dish out, dispense, distribute, dole, dole out, lot, mete, mete out, parcel out, shell out

   administer or bestow, as in small portions

   offer, proffer

   present for acceptance or rejection

   chip in, contribute, kick in

   contribute to some cause

   render, return

   give back

   bank, deposit

   put into a bank account

   cede, concede, grant, yield

   give over; surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another

   lend, loan

   give temporarily; let have for a limited time

   furnish, provide, render, supply

   give something useful or necessary to

   repay, requite

   make repayment for or return something

   dispense with, give up, part with, spare

   give up what is not strictly needed

   vest

   place (authority, property, or rights) in the control of a person or group of persons

   enfeoff

   put in possession of land in exchange for a pledge of service, in feudal society

   hydrate

   supply water or liquid to in order to maintain a healthy balance

   charge

   energize a battery by passing a current through it in the direction opposite to discharge

   date

   provide with a dateline; mark with a date

   staff

   provide with staff

   drench

   force to drink

   regale, treat

   provide with choice or abundant food or drink

   board

   provide food and lodging (for)

   feed

   give food to

   feed

   serve as food for; be the food for

   dish, dish out, dish up, serve, serve up

   provide (usually but not necessarily food)

   cater

   supply food ready to eat; for parties and banquets

   feed

   feed into; supply

   help, serve

   help to some food; help with food or drink

   power

   supply the force or power for the functioning of

   feed

   provide as food

   gratify, indulge, pander

   yield (to); give satisfaction to

   underlay

   provide with a base, support, lining, or backing

   fill, fulfil, fulfill, meet, satisfy

   fill or meet a want or need

   horse

   provide with a horse or horses

   shower

   provide abundantly with

   accommodate

   provide with something desired or needed

   nourish, nurture, sustain

   provide with nourishment

   fix up

   find (something or someone) for

   gutter

   provide with gutters

   calk

   provide with calks

   sublease, sublet

   lease or rent all or part of (a leased or rented property) to another person

   farm out, hire out, rent out

   grant the services of or the temporary use of, for a fee

   fund

   furnish money for

   fund

   provide a fund for the redemption of principal or payment of interest

   subsidise, subsidize

   support through subsidies

   subsidise, subsidize

   secure the assistance of by granting a subsidy, as of nations or military forces

   finance

   obtain or provide money for

   bring home the bacon, provide

   supply means of subsistence; earn a living

   see through

   support financially through a period of time

   patronise, patronize, sponsor

   assume sponsorship of

   scant, skimp, stint

   supply sparingly and with restricted quantities

   terrace, terrasse

   provide (a house) with a terrace

   dado

   provide with a dado

   innervate

   supply nerves to (some organ or body part)

   allot, assign, portion

   give out

   reallot

   allot again

   contribute, put up

   provide

   deal

   distribute cards to the players in a game

   compensate, recompense, remunerate

   make payment to; compensate

   overpay

   pay too much

   underpay

   pay too little

   prepay

   pay for something before receiving it

   go Dutch

   share expenses equally and split the cost of something

   compensate, indemnify, recompense, repair

   make amends for; pay compensation for

   tithe

   pay a tenth of one's income, especially to the church

   remit

   send (money) in payment

   vouchsafe

   grant in a condescending manner

   allowance

   put on a fixed allowance, as of food

   pay off, redeem

   pay off (loans or promissory notes)

   bring in

   submit (a verdict) to a court

   trust

   extend credit to

   drop, expend, spend

   pay out

   advance

   pay in advance

   bribe, buy, corrupt, grease one's palms

   make illegal payments to in exchange for favors or influence

   give back, refund, repay, return

   pay back

   foot, pick

   pay for something

   tender

   make a tender of; in legal settlements

   offer

   make available or accessible, provide or furnish

   signalise, signalize

   provide with traffic signals

   extend, offer

   make available; provide

   disburse, pay out

   expend, as from a fund

   combine

   add together from different sources

   apply

   give or convey physically

   feed back, resubmit

   submit (information) again to a program or automatic system

   redeposit

   deposit once again

   charge

   pay with a credit card; pay with plastic money; postpone payment by recording a purchase as a debt

   pay cash

   pay (for something) with cash

   stock

   provide or furnish with a stock of something

   buy in, stock, stock up

   amass so as to keep for future use or sale or for a particular occasion or use

   caption

   provide with a caption, as of a photograph or a drawing

   tube

   provide with a tube or insert a tube into

   ticket

   provide with a ticket for passage or admission

   stock

   supply with livestock

   stock

   supply with fish

   rim

   furnish with a rim

   fret

   provide (a musical instrument) with frets

   step

   furnish with steps

   rail

   provide with rails

   grate

   furnish with a grate

   capitalise, capitalize

   supply with capital, as of a business by using a combination of capital used by investors and debt capital provided by lenders

   alphabetise, alphabetize

   provide with an alphabet

   wharf

   provide with a wharf

   air-condition, air-cool

   equip with an apparatus for controlling the humidity and temperature

   uniform

   provide with uniforms

   railroad

   supply with railroad lines

   partner

   provide with a partner

   bewhisker, whisker

   furnish with whiskers

   subtitle

   supply (a movie) with subtitles

   headline

   provide (a newspaper page or a story) with a headline

   match

   provide funds complementary to

   hobnail

   supply with hobnails

   wive

   provide with a wife; marry (someone) to a wife

   victual

   supply with food

   cloy, surfeit

   supply or feed to the point of fullness

   heat

   provide with heat

   seat

   provide with seats

   seat

   put a seat on a chair

   ramp

   furnish with a ramp

   arm

   supply with arms

   interleave

   provide (books) with blank leaves

   glass, glaze

   furnish with glass

   crenel, crenelate, crenellate

   supply with battlements

   causeway

   provide with a causeway

   canal, canalise, canalize

   provide (a city) with a canal

   bush

   provide with a bushing

   brattice

   supply with a brattice, to ventilate mines

   furnish

   provide or equip with furniture

   slat

   equip or bar with slats

   berth

   provide with a berth

   bed

   furnish with a bed

   computerise, computerize

   provide with computers

   costume

   furnish with costumes; as for a film or play

   bottom

   provide with a bottom or a seat

   rafter

   provide (a ceiling) with rafters

   tool

   furnish with tools

   key

   provide with a key

   fuel

   provide with a combustible substance that provides energy

   provision, purvey

   supply with provisions

   afford, yield

   be the cause or source of

   equip, fit, fit out, outfit

   provide with (something) usually for a specific purpose

   transistorise, transistorize

   equip (an electronic circuit or device) with transistors

   upholster

   provide furniture with padding, springs, webbing, and covers

   pay

   make a compensation for

   defray

   bear the expenses of

   cleat

   provide with cleats

   coal

   supply with coal

   corbel

   furnish with a corbel

   cornice

   furnish with a cornice

   constitutionalize

   provide with a constitution, as of a country

   copper-bottom

   provide with a copper bottom

   curtain

   provide with drapery

   gate

   supply with a gate

   index

   provide with an index

   articulate, joint

   provide with a joint

   kick back

   pay a kickback; make an illegal payment

   pour

   supply in large amounts or quantities

   pump

   supply in great quantities

   fire, fuel

   provide with fuel

   flood, glut, oversupply

   supply with an excess of

   toggle

   provide with a toggle or toggles

   patch

   provide with a patch; also used metaphorically

   water

   provide with water

   leverage

   provide with leverage

   tap

   furnish with a tap or spout, so as to be able to draw liquid from it

   top, top out

   provide with a top or finish the top (of a structure)

   reflectorise, reflectorize

   provide with reflectors, such as chemicals

   retrofit

   provide with parts, devices, or equipment not available or in use at the time of the original manufacture

   border, edge, fringe

   provide with a border or edge

   machicolate

   supply with projecting galleries

   sanitate

   provide with sanitary facilities or appliances

   hat

   furnish with a hat

   theme

   provide with a particular theme or motive

   kern

   furnish with a kern

   headquarter

   provide with headquarters

   prefer

   give preference to one creditor over another

   enfranchise

   grant voting rights

   shelter

   provide shelter for

   type of:

   transfer

   cause to change ownership
2. verb

   place into the hands or custody of
   synonyms: hand, hand in, pass, pass on, reach, turn over

   types:

   slip, sneak

   pass on stealthily

   deal

   give (a specific card) to a player

   deliver, fork out, fork over, fork up, hand over, render, turn in

   to surrender someone or something to another

   free, give up, release, relinquish, resign

   part with a possession or right

   commit, confide, entrust, intrust, trust

   confer a trust upon

   entrust, leave

   put into the care or protection of someone

   commend

   give to in charge

   derequisition

   release from government control

   bail

   deliver something in trust to somebody for a special purpose and for a limited period

   give away

   formally hand over to the bridegroom in marriage; of a bride by her father

   sacrifice

   endure the loss of

   charge, consign

   give over to another for care or safekeeping

   recommit

   commit again

   obligate

   commit in order to fulfill an obligation

   type of:

   transfer

   cause to change ownership
3. verb

   give (as medicine)
   synonyms:

   apply

   give or convey physically

   type of:

   administer, dispense

   give or apply (medications)
4. verb

   give food to
   “don't give the child this tough meat”

   synonyms: feed

   types:

   dine

   give dinner to; host for dinner

   scavenge

   feed on carrion or refuse

   fodder

   give fodder (to domesticated animals)

   slop, swill

   feed pigs

   regurgitate

   feed through the beak by regurgitating previously swallowed food

   corn

   feed (cattle) with corn

   malnourish, undernourish

   provide with insufficient quality or quantity of nourishment

   overfeed

   feed excessively

   spoonfeed

   feed with a spoon

   force-feed

   feed someone who will not or cannot eat

   lunch

   provide a midday meal for

   breakfast

   provide breakfast for

   breastfeed, give suck, lactate, nurse, suck, suckle, wet-nurse

   give suck to

   bottlefeed

   feed (infants) with a bottle

   inject

   feed intravenously

   aliment, nourish, nutrify

   give nourishment to

   range

   let eat

   crop, graze, pasture

   let feed in a field or pasture or meadow

   grass

   feed with grass

   drift

   drive slowly and far afield for grazing

   type of:

   cater, ply, provide, supply

   give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance
5. verb

   deliver in exchange or recompense
   “I'll give you three books for four CDs”

   type of:

   compensate, indemnify, recompense, repair

   make amends for; pay compensation for
6. verb

   give or convey physically
   “She gave him First Aid”

   “I gave him a punch in the nose”

   synonyms: apply

   types:

   tread

   apply (the tread) to a tire

   administer

   perform (a church sacrament) ritually

   insufflate

   breathe or blow onto as a ritual or sacramental act, especially so as to symbolize the action of the Holy Spirit

   type of:

   administer, allot, deal, deal out, dish out, dispense, distribute, dole, dole out, lot, mete, mete out, parcel out, shell out

   administer or bestow, as in small portions
7. verb

   cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
   “She gave him a black eye”

   “The draft gave me a cold”

   synonyms:

   afford, yield

   be the cause or source of

   types:

   infect

   communicate a disease to

   award, grant

   give as judged due or on the basis of merit

   deliver, drive home

   carry out or perform

   canker

   infect with a canker

   pension, pension off

   grant a pension to

   land

   deliver (a blow)
8. verb

   be the cause or source of
   “He gave me a lot of trouble”

   synonyms: afford, yield

   types:

   open, open up

   make available

   allow, allow for, leave, provide

   make a possibility or provide opportunity for; permit to be attainable or cause to remain

   type of:

   furnish, provide, render, supply

   give something useful or necessary to
9. verb

   cause to happen or be responsible for
   “His two singles gave the team the victory”

   synonyms: yield

   generate, render, return, yield

   give or supply

   type of:

   create, make

   make or cause to be or to become
10. verb

    inflict as a punishment
    “The judge gave me 10 years”

    type of:

    bring down, impose, inflict, visit

    impose something unpleasant
11. verb

    give as a present; make a gift of
    “What will you give her for her birthday?”

    synonyms: gift, present

    types:

    dower, endow

    furnish with an endowment

    distribute, give out, hand out, pass out

    give to several people

    give away

    make a gift of

    raffle, raffle off

    dispose of in a lottery

    bung, fee, tip

    give a tip or gratuity to in return for a service, beyond the compensation agreed on

    bequeath, leave, will

    leave or give by will after one's death

    cede, deliver, give up, surrender

    relinquish possession or control over

    deed over, grant

    transfer by deed

    treat

    provide with a gift or entertainment

    donate

    give to a charity or good cause

    tender

    offer or present for acceptance

    render, submit

    make over as a return

    benefice

    endow with a benefice

    devise

    give by will, especially real property

    pass on

    give to or transfer possession of

    yield up

    surrender, as a result of pressure or force

    sell

    give up for a price or reward

    apportion, deal, divvy up, portion out, share

    give out as one's portion or share

    pledge, subscribe

    pay (an amount of money) as a contribution to a charity or service, especially at regular intervals

    sign away, sign over

    formally assign ownership of

    remember

    show appreciation to

    entail, fee-tail

    limit the inheritance of property to a specific class of heirs
12. verb

    contribute to some cause
    “I gave at the office”

    synonyms: chip in, contribute, kick in

    types:

    combine

    add together from different sources
13. verb

    leave with; give temporarily
    “Can I give you my keys while I go in the pool?”

    “Can I give you the children for the weekend?”

    type of:

    hand, hand in, pass, pass on, reach, turn over

    place into the hands or custody of
14. verb

    proffer (a body part)
    “She gave her hand to her little sister”

    type of:

    offer, proffer

    present for acceptance or rejection
15. verb

    convey or reveal information
    “Give one's name”

    synonyms:

    impart, leave, pass on

    transmit (knowledge or skills)

    types:

    quote

    name the price of

    cast

    deposit

    underquote

    quote a price lower than that quoted by (another seller)

    type of:

    say, state, tell

    express in words
16. verb

    transmit (knowledge or skills)
    “give a secret to the Russians”

    synonyms: impart, leave, pass on

    bequeath, leave, will

    leave or give by will after one's death

    types:

    convey

    make known; pass on, of information

    give thanks, thank

    express gratitude or show appreciation to

    hint, suggest

    drop a hint; intimate by a hint

    say

    communicate or express nonverbally

    look

    convey by one's expression

    flash

    make known or cause to appear with great speed

    breathe

    manifest or evince

    evince, express, show

    give expression to

    intend, mean

    mean or intend to express or convey

    type of:

    tell

    let something be known
17. verb

    present to view
    “He gave the sign to start”

    type of:

    show

    make visible or noticeable
18. verb

    convey, as of a compliment, regards, attention, etc.; bestow
    “give the orders”

    “Give him my best regards”

    synonyms: pay

    types:

    extend, offer

    offer verbally

    type of:

    communicate, intercommunicate

    transmit thoughts or feelings
19. verb

    submit for consideration, judgment, or use
    “give one's opinion”

    “give an excuse”

    type of:

    subject, submit

    refer for judgment or consideration
20. verb

    offer in good faith
    “He gave her his word”

    synonyms:

    commit, consecrate, dedicate, devote

    give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause

    type of:

    pledge

    give as a guarantee
21. verb

    convey or communicate; of a smile, a look, a physical gesture
    “She gave me a dirty look”

    synonyms: throw

    type of:

    communicate, intercommunicate

    transmit thoughts or feelings
22. verb

    emit or utter
    “Give a gulp”

    “give a yelp”

    type of:

    emit, let loose, let out, utter

    express audibly; utter sounds (not necessarily words)
23. verb

    allow to have or take
    “I give you two minutes to respond”

    type of:

    allow, countenance, let, permit

    consent to, give permission
24. verb

    give or supply
    synonyms: generate, render, return, yield

    yield

    cause to happen or be responsible for

    establish

    bring about

    type of:

    create, make, produce

    create or manufacture a man-made product
25. verb

    bring about
    synonyms: establish

    generate, render, return, yield

    give or supply

    types:

    introduce

    bring in or establish in a new place or environment

    pacify

    fight violence and try to establish peace in (a location)

    interpose

    introduce

    type of:

    create, make

    make or cause to be or to become
26. verb

    bestow
    “give homage”

    synonyms: render

    types:

    dedicate

    inscribe or address by way of compliment

    inscribe

    address, (a work of literature) in a style less formal than a dedication

    type of:

    communicate, intercommunicate

    transmit thoughts or feelings
27. verb

    bestow, especially officially
    “give a divorce”

    synonyms: grant
28. verb

    execute and deliver
    “Give bond”

    type of:

    execute

    carry out the legalities of
29. verb

    accord by verdict
    “give a decision for the plaintiff”

    synonyms:

    render

    bestow

    type of:

    accord, allot, grant

    allow to have
30. verb

    manifest or show
    “This student gives promise of real creativity”

    “The office gave evidence of tampering”

    type of:

    evince, express, show

    give expression to
31. verb

    organize or be responsible for
    “give a course”

    synonyms: have, hold, make, throw

    type of:

    direct

    be in charge of
32. verb

    propose
    “He gave the first of many toasts at the birthday party”

    type of:

    drink, pledge, salute, toast, wassail

    propose a toast to
33. verb

    perform for an audience
    “Pollini is giving another concert in New York”

    type of:

    perform

    give a performance (of something)
34. verb

    dedicate
    “give thought to”

    “give priority to”

    synonyms: devote, pay

    sacrifice

    endure the loss of

    type of:

    cerebrate, cogitate, think

    use or exercise the mind or one's power of reason in order to make inferences, decisions, or arrive at a solution or judgments
35. verb

    give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause
    “give one's talents to a good cause”

    synonyms: commit, consecrate, dedicate, devote

    sacrifice

    endure the loss of

    types:

    consecrate, vow

    dedicate to a deity by a vow

    rededicate

    dedicate anew

    apply

    apply oneself to

    type of:

    apply, employ, use, utilise, utilize

    put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose
36. verb

    endure the loss of
    “He gave his life for his children”

    “I gave two sons to the war”

    synonyms: sacrifice

    devote, pay

    dedicate

    commit, consecrate, dedicate, devote

    give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause

    type of:

    free, give up, release, relinquish, resign

    part with a possession or right
37. verb

    consent to engage in sexual intercourse with a man
    type of:

    accept, consent, go for

    give an affirmative reply to; respond favorably to
38. verb

    be flexible under stress of physical force
    “This material doesn't give”

    synonyms: yield

    type of:

    stretch

    become longer by being stretched and pulled
39. verb

    break down, literally or metaphorically
    “The wall gave in”

    “The roof finally gave under the weight of the ice”

    synonyms: break, cave in, collapse, fall in, founder, give way

    abandon, give up

    stop maintaining or insisting on; of ideas or claims

    burst, collapse

    cause to burst

    types:

    go off, implode

    burst inward

    buckle, crumple

    fold or collapse

    flop

    fall loosely

    break

    curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves

    sink, slide down, slump

    fall or sink heavily

    type of:

    change

    undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
40. verb

    move in order to make room for someone for something
    “The park gave way to a supermarket”

    synonyms: ease up, give way, move over, yield

    abandon, give up

    stop maintaining or insisting on; of ideas or claims

    type of:

    move

    move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion
41. verb

    afford access to
    “The French doors give onto a terrace”

    synonyms: afford, open

    types:

    democratize

    make something accessible, available, or appealing to everyone
42. noun

    the elasticity of something that can be stretched and returns to its original length
    synonyms: spring, springiness

    type of:

    elasticity, snap

    the tendency of a body to return to its original shape after it has been stretched or compressed
43. verb

    estimate the duration or outcome of something
    “He gave the patient three months to live”

    “I gave him a very good chance at success”

    type of:

    approximate, estimate, gauge, guess, judge

    judge tentatively or form an estimate of (quantities or time)
44. verb

    guide or direct, as by behavior of persuasion
    “You gave me to think that you agreed with me”

    type of:

    lead

    cause to undertake a certain action
45. verb

    occur
    “what gives?”

    type of:

    come about, fall out, go on, hap, happen, occur, pass, pass off, take place

    come to pass