Skip to definition.
Get the FREE one-click dictionary software for Windows or the iPhone/iPad and Android apps


Adjective: giving  gi-ving
  1. Given or giving freely
    "Saturday's child is loving and giving";
    - big, bighearted, bounteous, bountiful, freehanded, handsome, liberal, openhanded
Noun: giving  gi-ving
  1. The act of giving
    - gift
     
  2. The imparting of news or promises etc.
    "he gave us the news and made a great show of the giving"; "giving his word of honour seemed to come too easily"
     
  3. Disposing of property by voluntary transfer without receiving value in return
    "the alumni followed a program of annual giving"
Verb: give (gave,given)  giv
  1. Cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
    "She gave him a black eye"; "The draft gave me a cold"
     
  2. Be the cause or source of
    "He gave me a lot of trouble";
    - yield, afford
     
  3. 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"
     
  4. Convey or reveal information
    "Give one's name"
     
  5. Convey, as of a compliment, regards, attention, etc.; bestow
    "give the orders"; "Give him my best regards";
    - pay
     
  6. Organize or be responsible for
    "give a course";
    - hold, throw, have, make
     
  7. Convey or communicate; of a smile, a look, a physical gesture
    "She gave me a dirty look";
    - throw
     
  8. Give as a present; make a gift of
    "What will you give her for her birthday?";
    - gift, present
     
  9. Cause to happen or be responsible for
    "His two singles gave the team the victory";
    - yield
     
  10. Dedicate
    "give thought to"; "give priority to";
    - pay, devote
     
  11. Give or supply
    "The estate gives some revenue for the family";
    - render, yield, return, generate
     
  12. Transmit (knowledge or skills)
    "give a secret to the Russians";
    - impart, leave, pass on
     
  13. Bring about
    "The trompe l'oeil-illusion gives depth";
    - establish
     
  14. 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?"
     
  15. Emit or utter
    "Give a gulp"; "give a yelp"
     
  16. Endure the loss of
    "He gave his life for his children"; "I gave two sons to the war";
    - sacrifice
     
  17. Place into the hands or custody of
    "give me the spoon, please";
    - pass, hand, reach, pass on, turn over
     
  18. Use entirely for a specific person, activity, or cause
    "give one's talents to a good cause";
    - dedicate, consecrate, commit, devote
     
  19. Give (as medicine)
    "I gave him the drug"
     
  20. Give or convey physically
    "She gave him First Aid"; "I gave him a punch in the nose";
    - apply
     
  21. Bestow
    "give homage";
    - render
     
  22. Allow, esp. in an official capacity
    "give a divorce";
    - grant
     
  23. Move in order to make room for someone or something
    "The park gave way to a supermarket";
    - move over, give way, ease up, yield
     
  24. Give food to
    "don't give the child this tough meat";
    - feed
     
  25. Provide a part of a whole amount; give towards some cause
    "I gave at the office";
    - contribute, chip in [informal], kick in
     
  26. Break down, literally or metaphorically
    "The wall gave in"; "The roof finally gave under the weight of the ice"; "The wall gave way";
    - collapse, fall in, cave in, give way, break, founder
     
  27. Estimate the duration or outcome of something
    "He gave the patient three months to live"; "I gave him a very good chance at success"
     
  28. Execute and deliver
    "Give bond"
     
  29. Deliver in exchange or recompense
    "I'll give you three books for four CDs"
     
  30. Provide entry or access to
    "The French doors give onto a terrace";
    - afford, open
     
  31. Present to view
    "He gave the sign to start"
     
  32. (performing arts) perform for an audience
    "Pollini is giving another concert in New York"
     
  33. Be flexible under stress of physical force
    "This material doesn't give";
    - yield
     
  34. Propose
    "He gave the first of many toasts at the birthday party"
     
  35. (law) accord by verdict
    "give a decision for the plaintiff"
     
  36. Manifest or show
    "This student gives promise of real creativity"; "The office gave evidence of tampering"
     
  37. Offer in good faith
    "He gave her his word"
     
  38. Submit for consideration, judgment, or use
    "give one's opinion"; "give an excuse"
     
  39. Guide or direct, as by behaviour of persuasion
    "You gave me to think that you agreed with me"
     
  40. Allow to have or take
    "I give you two minutes to respond"
     
  41. Inflict as a punishment
    "She gave the boy a good spanking"; "The judge gave me 10 years"
     
  42. Occur
    "what gives?"
     
  43. Consent to engage in sexual intercourse with a man
    "She gave herself to many men"
     
  44. Proffer (a body part)
    "She gave her hand to her little sister"

Derived forms: givings

See also: ease, generous, hand down, hand out, knuckle under, repay

Type of: accept, accord, administer, allot, allow, apply, approximate, bring down, cater, cerebrate, change, cogitate, come about, communicate, compensate, consent, conveyance, countenance, create, deal, deal out, direct, dish out, dispense, disposal, disposition, distribute, dole, dole out, drink, emit, employ, estimate, evince [formal], execute, express, fall out, free, furnish, gauge, give up, go for, go on, grant, guess, hap [archaic], happen, impartation, imparting, impose, indemnify, inflict, intercommunicate, judge, lead, let, let loose, let out, lot, make, mete, mete out, move, obtrude, occur, offer, parcel out, pass, pass off, perform, permit, pledge, ply, produce, proffer, provide, recompense, release, relinquish, render, repair, resign, salute, say, share-out, sharing, show, state, stretch, submit, supply, take place, tell, think, toast, transfer, use, utilise [Brit], utilize, utter, visit, wassail [archaic]

Antonym: famish, take

Encyclopedia: Giving

Give, Denmark