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20 common Phrasal Verb Give and Examples

Continuing with the topic of phrasal verbs in English, here’s a compilation of commonly used phrasal verbs with "give." These are frequently used in both conversation and real-world exams. Be sure to save this list to effectively enhance your vocabulary!

phrasal verb with give — 20 common Phrasal Verb Give and Exercises

I. What Does "Give" Mean?
II. Common Phrasal Verbs with "Give"
III. Idioms with Give
IV. Exercises on Phrasal Verbs with "Give"
1. 1. Exercises
2. 2. Answer keys

I. What Does "Give" Mean?

In English, "give" is pronounced /ɡɪv/ and serves as both a verb and a noun.

As a noun, "give" refers to the quality of flexibility, stretch, or bounce. For example, A sweater knitted in pure cotton doesn't have much give.
As a verb, "give" has various meanings, including:
- To give, donate, or provide: Example: Can you give me a date for another appointment?
- To pay for a service: Example: I gave the taxi driver £20 and told him to keep the change.
- To inform someone or announce something: Example: They gave the winner's name out on the news.
- To punish someone with a prison sentence: Example: If you're found guilty, they'll give you three years.
- To allow someone to do something for a period of time: Example: I'm nearly ready - just give me a couple of minutes.
- To predict the duration of something's existence: Example: Look at that old car she bought - I give it two weeks before it breaks down.
- To produce or cause something: Example: What you said has given me an idea.
- To host a party: Example: They're always giving parties.

II. Common Phrasal Verbs with "Give"

Here, PREP shares a list of commonly used phrasal verbs with "give." Take a look!

1. Give up

"Give up" is one of the most commonly used phrasal verbs in English. So, what does "give up" mean? Here are some of the frequently used meanings of "give up":

Meaning	Example
stop a habit	I GAVE UP taking sugar in tea and coffee to lose weight.
cut off a relationship with someone	She GAVE UP all her school friends when she went to university.
stop doing something	I have GIVEN UP trying to help them.
not try anymore	I can‘t think of the answer; I GIVE UP.
sacrifice time for someone/something	I GAVE UP all my free time to the project.
give up one’s seat	I GAVE UP my seat to a pregnant woman.
surrender; turn oneself in	After a month on the run, he GAVE himself UP to the police.

2. Give away

"Give away" is a phrasal verb that has multiple meanings. Here are the common interpretations:

Meaning	Example
To give a bride away	He GAVE his daughter AWAY and told the groom to look after her.
To reveal a secret (unintentionally)	She didn‘t GIVE anything AWAY about the party so it came as a complete surprise to me.
To distribute something for free	In this issue of the magazine, they are GIVING AWAY a free DVD.

3. Give back

"Give back" is a phrasal verb that means to return something to its owner or to restore something that was once lost. Here are the detailed meanings and examples:

Meaning	Example
To return an item that you have borrowed	I GAVE BACK the money that she‘d lent to me.
To restore something that has been lost or to return something to its original state	Nothing could GIVE me BACK the way I felt before the scandal.

4. Give in

"Give in" is a phrasal verb that has several meanings related to yielding or surrendering. Here are its meanings and examples:

Meaning	Example
To stop doing something because it is too difficult or exhausting	I couldn‘t finish the crossword puzzle and had to GIVE IN and look at the answers.
To surrender or accept defeat	They GAVE IN when the police surrounded the building.
To submit something for consideration or approval	They GAVE IN their letter of complaint to the court.

5. Give of

"Give of" is a phrasal verb that means to contribute or provide something (such as time, money, or effort) without expecting anything in return. It emphasizes the selfless act of giving.

He GIVE OF his free time to help the club. .
Retired people are often willing to give of their time to help with community projects.

6. Give off

"Give off" is a phrasal verb that has multiple meanings depending on the context. It generally refers to the act of emitting or producing something. Here are its meanings and examples:

Meaning	Example
To emit pollution or something unpleasant	The police stopped the van because it was GIVING OFF a lot of black smoke.
To expand or extend	The company is GIVING OFF all over the country.
To project a particular impression or demeanor	She GIVES OFF an air of nobility.

7. Give onto

"Give onto" is a phrasal verb that means to open up or lead to a specific place or location. It is often used to describe how a space or area connects with another.

The French windows GIVE ONTO the lawn.
The patio doors give onto a small courtyard.

8 Give out

"Give out" is a phrasal verb with several meanings. It generally refers to the act of distributing, providing, or, in some contexts, ceasing to function. Here are the key meanings and examples:

Meaning	Example
To distribute or hand out something	Somebody was GIVING leaflets OUT in front of the underground station.
To stop working or cease functioning	I‘d been having trouble with my laptop and it finally GAVE OUT at the weekend.
To announce or make something public	They GAVE the names of the winners OUT last night.
To emit or release something (e.g., gases or emissions)	The factory GIVES OUT a lot of fumes.
To run out or become depleted	After a week, their food supplies gave out.

9. Give over

"Give over" is a phrasal verb that can have several meanings, often related to ceasing an action or directing attention toward something else. Here are the key meanings and examples:

Meaning	Example
To stop doing something negative or annoying	They were making a lot of noise, so I told them to GIVE OVER.
To entrust someone with responsibility or to transfer control	We‘ve GIVEN the premises OVER to the new company.
To cease an activity or to stop working on a task	The police told the rioters to GIVE OVER.

10. Additional Phrasal Verbs with "Give"

Here are some other phrasal verbs that include "give," along with their meanings and examples:

Phrasal verb with Give	Meaning	Example
Give it to	To criticize or reprimand someone severely	They really GAVE IT TO me for forgetting to turn off the light.
Give it up to/ for	To applaud or praise someone	Please GIVE IT UP TO our next guest.
Give out to	To scold or complain at someone	The teacher GAVE OUT TO us for being late.
Give over to	To use something for a specific purpose	We've given the attic over to the children.
Give up on	To lose faith or trust in someone or something	I GAVE UP ON them when I heard what they were saying behind my back.
Give up to	To report to the authorities or responsible entities	He GAVE his accomplices UP TO the police.
Give way to	To yield or submit to someone or something	Don‘t GIVE WAY TO your worst fears about this.
Give yourself up	To surrender to the police or authorities:	The gang GAVE THEMSELVES UP last night.
Give yourself up to	To dedicate or devote your time and energy to something	He GAVE himself UP TO his job.

III. Idioms with Give

Below, PREP would like to share with you a list of common idioms that include "give."

Idioms with Give	Meaning	Example
don't give me that!	Used to express disbelief or to reject what someone is saying.	You say you were late because of traffic? Don't give me that! I know you overslept.
give as good as you get	To respond to someone strongly or effectively, matching what one receives, often in an argument or dispute.	In the debate, she gave as good as she got, matching every argument with a strong counterpoint.
give or take	Approximately; allowing for a small amount of variation, either more or less.	The meeting will last an hour, give or take a few minutes.
give me ... any day/every time!	To express a strong preference for something over others.	I prefer a quiet night at home to a wild party. Give me a good book any day!
give way	To yield or allow others to go ahead; to succumb to pressure or collapse under strain.	The old bridge finally gave way after the heavy storm.
give someone what for	To scold or reprimand someone harshly.	When he broke the vase, his mother really gave him what for.
given the chance/choice	If an opportunity or option were available.	Given the chance, I would travel the world and visit every country.
what I wouldn't give for something	To express a strong desire to possess or attain something.	What I wouldn't give for a day off to just relax!
I would give anything/a lot	To express a willingness to do whatever is necessary to obtain something.	I would give anything to see my favorite band perform live.

IV. Exercises on Phrasal Verbs with "Give"

Do the following exercises to master all the phrasal verbs with "give" in English!

1. Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate Phrasal Verb with "Give"

1. They really…………..me for forgetting to turn off the light.

2. The company is……………..all over the country.

3. In this issue of the magazine, they are…………..a free DVD.

4. She……………….all her school friends when she went to university.

5. The projects have to be………………..three weeks before we break up for the end of the term.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

No matter how slow it is, you only fail when you choose to ___________

give on
give up
give up on

I need to __________ the three books to the library before this Thursday.

give up
give onto
Give back

The fire didn’t seem to ___________ much heat yesterday.

give out
give off
Give up

When the children had settled, the teacher __________ the exam papers.

give into
give back
give out

Our bedroom windows _________ to the street.

give onto
give out
give into

2. Answer keys

Exercise 1:	1 – give it to	2 – giving off	3 – giving away	4 – gave up	5 – given in
Exercise 2:	1 - B	2 - C	3 - A	4 - C	5 - A

This concludes a detailed collection of phrasal verbs with "give" prepared by PREP. Save this for quick reference to enhance your vocabulary! Good luck!

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.