give
GIHV
Give (verb) means to hand over or transfer something to someone. Example: “She gave him the keys before she left.”
verb
1
To hand over or transfer something to someone.
"She gave him the keys before she left."
"Can you give me a hand with these boxes?"
"Please give the form to the receptionist when you arrive."
2
To provide or make something available.
"The course gives students hands-on experience."
"This window gives a lovely view of the garden."
"The app gives users a daily reminder to drink water."
3
To yield or bend under pressure.
"The old floorboards gave slightly under his weight."
"The branch began to give under the weight of the snow."
"Don't lean on that shelf, because it might give."
noun
1
The amount something bends or flexes under pressure; springiness.
"There's a bit of give in this mattress."
"These new trainers have plenty of give, so they feel comfortable straight away."
"The rope had very little give, so it was hard to tie."
How to use give
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo hand something over to someone, or (as a noun) the amount of flex or stretch in something.
Common pairings
give something up
give it a try
a little give
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- gives
- Past tense
- gave, given
- Archaic forms
- givest, gavest, giveth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Can you _____ me a hand with these boxes?
Etymology
From Old English giefan, merged with Old Norse gefa, both meaning "to give," from a common Germanic root.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for give
See all rhymes for give →Frequently asked questions
What does “give” mean?
The word “give” means to hand over or transfer something to someone. In plain terms, to hand something over to someone, or (as a noun) the amount of flex or stretch in something.
How do you pronounce “give”?
“Give” is pronounced GIHV (/ˈɡɪv/ in IPA).
How do you use “give” in a sentence?
Here is “give” used in a sentence: “Can you give me a hand with these boxes?”
What is another word for “give”?
Words with a similar meaning to “give” include accord, add, assign, award, bestow and bequeath.
What is the opposite of “give”?
The opposite of “give” — its antonyms — are receive and take.
What part of speech is “give”?
Depending on how it is used, “give” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “give” come from?
The word “give” comes from Old English. From Old English giefan, merged with Old Norse gefa, both meaning "to give," from a common Germanic root.
Is “give” a common word?
“Give” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between 'give' and 'lend'?
When you give something, you transfer it permanently and it becomes the other person's to keep. When you lend something, you hand it over only temporarily and expect it back. So you give a gift but lend a book; the key difference is whether ownership changes hands for good.
What is the past tense of 'give'?
The simple past tense is "gave," as in "she gave me a book yesterday." The past participle is "given," used with have or was, as in "I have given" or "it was given away." "Give" is an irregular verb, so it does not follow the usual -ed pattern.
What is the opposite of 'give'?
The most direct opposites are "take" and "receive." "Take" is the reverse action from the giver's side, while "receive" or "get" describes the other person accepting what is given. Depending on context, "withhold," "keep," or "refuse" also work when someone chooses not to give at all.
What is the difference between 'give' and 'donate'?
To donate is to give, but specifically to a charity, cause, or organisation, often formally and for a good purpose. "Give" is the general, everyday word for any transfer to anyone. You give a friend a lift, but you donate money to a food bank; donate carries a charitable tone.
Example sentences
Real-world examples showing give in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.
Potentially, creatine could give a significant boost to immunotherapies that train the killer T cells in the immune system to wipe out cancer.
From
ScienceAlert · Jul 25, 2026
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