English English English - Japanese English - Korean English - Spanish Japanese - English Spanish - English English English - Japanese English - Korean English - Spanish Japanese - English Spanish - English English 日本語 Español latino 한국어 give somebody/something away From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgive somebody/something away phrasal verb1GIVEto give something to someone because you do not want or need it for yourselfI gave most of my books away when I left college. toGive your old clothes away to a thrift shop.2GIVEto give something to someone without asking for any money, rather than selling it to themWe’re giving away a free diary with tomorrow’s newspaper. toWe have 1,000 CDs to give away to our readers.3SHOW/BE A SIGN OFto show where someone is or what they are doing or thinking when they are trying to keep this a secretDon’t worry, I won’t give you away.Sue tried to smile, but her voice gave her away.give yourself awayI knew that if I moved I would give myself away.The look on his face gave the game away (=showed something that he was trying to keep secret).4TELL A SECRETto tell someone something that you should keep secretHe gave away as little information as possible.I don’t want to give away exactly how the system works.I don’t want to give the game away (=give information that should be secret) by saying too much.5LOSE A GAME, COMPETITION, OR WARto lose in a game or competition by doing something badly or making mistakesWe gave away two goals in the first half.The Democrats are now in danger of giving the whole election away.6MARRYto give formal permission for a woman to marry a man as part of a traditional wedding ceremony →give→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpusgive away• And if you fail to spot these, a quick glance at the contents of his bookshelf gives it away.• Evil is devious, it is trying to turn Good against Good by making Frodo try to give the Ring away.• I responded slowly, for I guessed who it was: his thumb gave him away.• So I gave the Scout away.• We take power, use it, then give it away.• Cats merely have the instinct not to give the game away by revealing all that they are aware of.• Why do golf clubs not give pitch repairers away free?• Elaine didn't want to give me away - Miss Rose said so.give to• I gave the boots away to a relative, who had them cut to the ankles.• The Cubs won't give him away to achieve tranquility.• My mama gave me away to Mrs Johnson.• Why give our power away to others?• Don't give this copy away to Oxfam or when they collect for the hospital.• I did not go - I could not give Charlotte away to that man.• The Bombecks were season-ticket holders for Phoenix Suns games but more often than not gave their tickets away to various charities.• What this means is that when you buy music in a2b format you can't give it away to your friends.give to• I gave the boots away to a relative, who had them cut to the ankles.• The Cubs won't give him away to achieve tranquility.• My mama gave me away to Mrs Johnson.• Why give our power away to others?• Don't give this copy away to Oxfam or when they collect for the hospital.• I did not go - I could not give Charlotte away to that man.• The Bombecks were season-ticket holders for Phoenix Suns games but more often than not gave their tickets away to various charities.• What this means is that when you buy music in a2b format you can't give it away to your friends.give yourself away• A smile available at any moment, but half-scared to exist, to give itself away.• Is it Friend? thought Chesarynth, sure that something about him would give himself away.• They were not going to give each other away.• To move would be to give myself away and frighten him as much as I was frightened.• But Chauntecleer slips and gives himself away: and the Miller does not.• They gave themselves away by their distinctive styles.• They want to give themselves away, in whispers, to some one standing in the shadows.• You give yourself away when you kiss like that.give the game away• Anyway, the number plate gives the game away.• But Mr Penrice had given the game away.• Certain anatomical shapes such as legs, arms, necks, feet or wings tend to give the game away.• Not, of course, that there is much to give the game away.• They saw the mistake-prone Cavs almost give the game away.• Unfortunately, Godwin's illustrative examples give the game away.• Cats merely have the instinct not to give the game away by revealing all that they are aware of.• She had nearly given the game away there. Quizzes Quizzes
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See all topics Word of the day random happening or chosen without any definite plan, aim, or pattern Verb tablegive
Simple Form
Present
I, you, we, they
give
he, she, it
gives
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Past
I, you, he, she, it, we, they
gave
Present perfect
I, you, we, they
have given
he, she, it
has given
Past perfect
I, you, he, she, it, we, they
had given
Future
I, you, he, she, it, we, they
will give
Future perfect
I, you, he, she, it, we, they
will have given
> View Less
Continuous Form
Present
I
am giving
he, she, it
is giving
> View More
you, we, they
are giving
Past
I, he, she, it
was giving
you, we, they
were giving
Present perfect
I, you, we, they
have been giving
he, she, it
has been giving
Past perfect
I, you, he, she, it, we, they
had been giving
Future
I, you, he, she, it, we, they
will be giving
Future perfect
I, you, he, she, it, we, they
will have been giving
> View Less
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