give a blank check to someone Go to give
someone a blank check.
give a good account of oneself to do
(something) well or thoroughly. John
gave a good account of himself when he
gave his speech last night. Mary was not
hungry, and she didn’t give a good account
of herself at dinner.
give-and-take flexibility; willingness to
compromise. Don’t expect any give-
and-take when you are negotiating with
Roger. There was no question of give-
and-take in the contract talks. They would
not budge on their demands one little bit.
give (an) ear to someone or something and
give one’s ear to someone or something to lis-
ten to someone or to what someone is
saying. (Compare this with get someone’s
ear.) I gave an ear to Mary so she could
tell me her problems. She wouldn’t give
her ear to my story. He gave ear to the
man’s request.
give birth to someone or some creature to bring
a baby or other offspring into the world
through birth. Mary gave birth to a
lovely baby girl. The raccoon gave birth
to 6 little raccoons.
give birth to something to give rise to or
start something. The composer gave
birth to a new kind of music. They gave
birth to a new view of language.
give carte blanche to someone Go to give
someone carte blanche.
give chase (to someone or something) to chase
someone or something. The dogs gave
chase to the fox. A mouse ran by, but the
cat was too tired to give chase. The po-
lice gave chase to the robber.
give credit where credit is due to give
credit to someone who deserves it; to ac-
knowledge or thank someone who de-
serves it. We must give credit where
credit is due. Thank you very much, Sally.
Let’s give credit where credit is due.
Mary is the one who wrote the report, not
Jane.
give free rein to someone and give some-
one free rein to allow someone to be
completely in charge (of something).
(See also get a free hand (with someone or
something).) The boss gave the manager
free rein with the new project. The prin-
cipal gave free rein to Mrs. Brown in her
classes.
give ground to retreat (literally or figura-
tively). When I argue with Mary, she
never gives ground. I approached the
barking dog, but it wouldn’t give ground.
give her the gun Go to give it the gun.
give in (to someone or something) to yield to
someone or something; to give up to
someone or something. He argued and
argued and finally gave in to my demands.
I thought he’d never give in.
Give it a rest. Stop talking and give your
mouth a rest. (Informal.) Shut up, Bob!
Give it a rest! Give it a rest. You talk too
much.
give it the gun and give her the gun to
make a motor or engine run faster; to rev
up an engine. (Informal or slang. The her
is often pronounced “er.”) BILL:
How fast will this thing go? BOB: I’ll give
it the gun and see. Hurry up, driver.
Give ’er the gun. I’ve got to get there
immediately.
Give it time. Be patient.; In time, things
will change for the better or for the
worse. Things will get better. Don’t
worry. Give it time. Of course, things
will improve. Give it time.
Give it up. Give up.; Stop trying. It’s no
use trying any more. Give it up. You will
never get this car to start. Give it up.
give of oneself to be generous with one’s
time and concern. Tom is very good
with children because he gives of himself.
If you want to have more friends, you
have to learn to give of yourself.
Give one an inch, and one will take a
mile. A person who is granted a little of
something (such as a reprieve or le-
nience) will want more. (Proverb.) I
told John he could turn in his paper one
day late, but he turned it in three days late.
Give him an inch, and he’ll take a mile.
First we let John borrow our car for a
day. Now he wants to go on a two-week va-
cation. If you give him an inch, he’ll take
a mile.
give one a run for one’s money 1. to give
one what one deserves, expects, or wants.
(See also get a run for one’s money.)
High school football gives me a run for my
money. I invest in the stock market, and
that really gives me a run for my money.
2. give one a challenge. That was some
argument. Bill gave John a run for his money
Tom likes to play cards with
Mary because she always gives him a run
for his money.
give one butterflies in one’s stomach to
cause someone to have a nervous stom-
ach. (See also get butterflies in one’s stom-
Tests give me butterf lies in my
stomach. It was not frightening enough
to give me butterf lies in my stomach, but
it made me a little apprehensive.
give one one’s freedom to set someone free;
to divorce someone. Mrs. Brown
wanted to give her husband his freedom.
Well, Tom, I hate to break it to you this
way, but I have decided to give you your
freedom.
give one one’s walking papers to fire
someone; to give someone the sack. (In-
formal. See also get one’s walking papers.)
Tom has proved unsatisfactory. I de-
cided to give him his walking papers. We
might even give Sally her walking papers,
too
give one’s ear to someone or something Go to
give (an) ear to someone or something.
give out with something to utter or say
something. (Informal. Also with have.
See the examples below.) Suddenly, the
dog gave out with a horrible growl. At
that point, John gave out with a comment
about how boring it all was. Come on,
tell me. Have out with it!
give rise to something to cause something.
The bad performance gave rise to many
complaints. The new law gave rise to vi-
olence in the cities.
give someone a bang and give someone a
charge; give someone a kick to give
someone a bit of excitement. (Informal.)
John always gives me a bang.
whole afternoon, with all its silliness, gave
me a charge anyway.
give someone a big send-off to see some-
one off on a journey with celebration and
encouragement. (See also get a big send-
When I left for college, all my
brothers and sisters came to the airport to
give me a big send-off. When the sailors
left, everyone went down to the docks and
gave them a big send-off.
give someone a black eye 1. to hit some-
one near the eye so that a dark bruise ap-
pears. John became angry and gave me
a black eye. The door began to swing
closed as I approached and it gave me a
black eye. 2. to harm the character or rep-
utation of someone. (See also get a black
eye) The constant complaining gave the
whole group a black eye. His behavior
gave him a black eye with the manager.
give someone a bright idea to give someone
a clever thought or idea. That gives me
a bright idea! Thank you for giving me
a bright idea.
give someone a bum steer to give someone
misleading instructions or guidance; to
make a misleading suggestion. (Slang.
Bum = false; phony. Steer = guidance, as
in the steering of a car.) Max gave Ted
a bum steer and Ted ended up in the wrong
town. Someone gave me a bum steer and
I paid far more than I needed to for a used
car.
give someone a buzz Go to give someone a
ring.
give someone a charge Go to give someone
a bang.
give someone a clean bill of health [for a
doctor] to pronounce someone well and
healthy. The doctor gave Sally a clean
bill of health. I had hoped to be given a
clean bill of health, but there was some-
thing wrong with my blood test results.
give someone a dirty look [for a person] to
frown or make an angry face at someone.
Ann gave me a dirty look. I gave her
a dirty look back.
give someone a fair shake to give someone
fair treatment. He’s unpleasant, but we
have to give him a fair shake. We give
all our people a fair shake.
give someone a fix on something to tell some-
one the location of something. (See also
get a fix on something.) Please give me a
fix on your location. If you give the
tower a fix on where you are, they can ad-
vise you on runway selection.
give someone a free hand (with something)
to give someone complete control over
something. (See also get a free hand
(with someone or something).) They gave
me a free hand with the project. I feel
proud that they gave me a free hand. That
means that they trust my judgment.
give someone a hand (for something) to ap-
plaud someone for something. After
she sang, they gave her a nice hand.
Come on, give them a hand. They did very
well
give someone a hard time to give someone
unnecessary difficulty. Please don’t give
me a hard time. The clerk gave me a
hard time, so I walked out.
give someone a head start (on someone or
something) 1. [with someone] to allow
someone to start (something) earlier
than someone else. They gave Bill a
head start on everyone else, so he arrived
early. Please give me a head start on
Charles. He is too fast! 2. [with some-
thing] to allow someone to start some-
thing earlier (than someone else). We’ll
give you a head start on the project. I
need a head start on the test because I lost
my glasses.
give someone a kick Go to give someone a
bang.
give someone a licking to beat someone.
Bill give Tom a licking in a fight. I’ll give
you a good licking if you don’t leave me
alone.
give someone a line and feed someone a
line to lead someone on; to deceive
someone with false talk. Don’t pay any
attention to John. He gives everybody a
line. He’s always feeding us a line.
give someone a pain to annoy or bother
someone. (Slang.) Here comes Sally.
Oh, she gives me a pain. She’s such a
pest. She really gives me a pain.
give someone a pat on the back Go to pat
someone on the back.
give someone a rain check (on something)
1. to give someone a piece of paper al-
lowing admission to an event—which has
been canceled—at a later time.
game was canceled because of the rain, but
they gave everyone rain checks.
were not able to show the film, so everyone
was given a rain check. 2. to tell some-
one that an invitation to a social event
will be reissued at a later date. We
couldn’t go to the Smiths’ party, so they
gave us a rain check. We are sorry we
cannot attend, but we would love for you
to give us a rain check on another date. 3.
to issue a piece of paper that allows one
to purchase an item on sale at a later date.
If you have no more of the sale sham-
poo, will you give me a rain check on it,
please? Can I have a rain check on this
item? You don’t have enough of it in stock.
give someone a raw deal to treat someone
unfairly or badly. (See also get a raw
deal.) The judge gave Mary a raw deal.
The students think that the teacher gave
them a raw deal.
give someone a reputation (for doing some-
thing) to cause someone to be known for
doing something. Her excellent parties
gave Jane a reputation for entertaining
well. You had better be careful or your
behavior will give you a reputation.
give someone a rough idea (about some-
thing) and give someone a rough idea (of
something) to give someone a general idea
or an estimate about something. I don’t
need to know exactly. Just give me a rough
idea about how big it should be. Let me
give you a rough idea about my plan.
give someone a rough idea (of something) Go
to give someone a rough idea (about some-
thing).
give someone a shellacking 1. to beat
someone. (See also get a shellacking.)
My dad gave me a shellacking when I broke
his fishing rod. If you do that again, I
will give you a shellacking. 2. to beat
someone (in a contest). The other team
gave us a shellacking. The Bears gave the
Packers a shellacking.
give someone a slap on the wrist and slap
someone on the wrist; slap someone’s
wrist to give someone a light punishment
(for doing something wrong). (See also
get a slap on the wrist.) The judge gave
her a slap on the wrist for speeding. The
judge should have done more than slap her
wrist. They should do more than just
slap his wrist.
give someone carte blanche and give
carte blanche to someone to give some-
one freedom or permission to act as one
wishes or thinks necessary. (Almost the
same as give someone a blank check.)
He’s been given carte blanche with the re-
organization of the work force.
manager has been given no instructions
about how to train the staff. The owner
just gave him carte blanche. Jean gave
carte blanche to the decorator and said she
wanted the whole house done.
give someone free rein Go to give free rein
to someone.
give someone goose bumps and give some-
one goose pimples to cause someone to
have prickly or bumpy skin owing to ex-
citement or fear. It was a scary movie
and it gave me goose bumps. I hate be-
ing in that old house. It gives me goose
pimples.
give someone goose pimples Go to give
someone goose bumps.
give someone gray hair(s) to cause some-
one’s hair to turn gray from stress or
frustration. (Usually an expression of fear
that one’s hair will turn gray.) My three
teenage boys are giving me gray hair.
Your behavior is giving me gray hairs.
give someone hell Go to give someone the
devil.
give someone or something a wide berth to
keep a reasonable distance from someone
or something; to steer clear (of someone
or something). (Originally referred to sail-
ing ships.) The dog we are approach-
ing is very mean. Better give it a wide
berth. Give Mary a wide berth. She’s in
a very bad mood.
give someone or something the (old) heave-
ho to throw someone or something out;
to get rid of someone or something; to
fire someone. (Informal. See also get the
(old) heave-ho.) We gave Jane the old
heave-ho today. John was behaving
badly at our party, so my father gave him
the heave-ho. This chair is completely
worn out. Shall I give it the old heave-ho?
give someone some skin [for two people]
to touch two hands together in a special
greeting, like a handshake. (Slang. One
hand may be slapped down on top of the
other, or they may be slapped together
palm to palm with the arms held verti-
cally. Usually said as a command.) Hey,
Bob, give me some skin! Come over here,
you guys. I want you to meet my brother
and give him some skin!
give someone the air to ignore someone; to
dismiss someone. (See also get the air.)
Tom always gives me the air. Is there some-
thing wrong with me? Why is she giv-
ing him the air? What did he do?
give someone the ax and give someone the
sack to fire someone; to terminate some-
one’s employment. (See also get the
sack.) I gave Tom the sack, and he has
to find a new job. I had to give three
people the ax yesterday. We are having to
reduce our office staff.
give someone the benefit of the doubt to
make a judgment in someone’s favor
when the evidence is neither for nor
against the person. (See also get the ben-
efit of the doubt.) I’m glad the teacher
gave me the benefit of the doubt. Please,
judge. Give me the benefit of the doubt.
give someone the boot to dismiss someone;
to kick someone out (of a place). (Slang.
See also get the boot.) You had better
behave, or they’ll give you the boot. I
will give him the boot if he doesn’t
straighten up.
give someone the brush-off to send some-
one away; to reject someone. (Slang.)
Tom wouldn’t talk to her. He just gave her
the brush-off. Please don’t give me the
brush-off!
give someone the business to harass some-
one; to give someone a bad time. (Infor-
mal.) The people in that office can’t an-
swer your question. They just give you the
business. I’ll get rid of her. I’ll give her
the business.
give someone the cold shoulder to ignore
someone; to reject someone. (Informal.
See also get the cold shoulder.) She
gave me the cold shoulder when I asked her
to the party. Sally has been giving me
the cold shoulder.
give someone the creeps and give someone
the willies to make someone uneasy; to
frighten someone. (Informal. See also get
the creeps.) That old house gives me the
creeps. That strange old man gives him
the willies.
give someone the devil and give someone
hell to scold someone severely. (Infor-
mal. Use caution with hell.) I’m going
to give Bill hell when he gets home. He’s
late again. Bill, why do I always have
to give you the devil?
give someone the eye to look at someone
in a way that communicates romantic in-
terest. (Informal. See also catch someone’s
eye.) Ann gave John the eye. It really
surprised him. Tom kept giving Sally the
eye. She finally left.
give someone the gate to send someone
away; to reject someone. (Slang. See also
get the gate.) Not only was he not
friendly, he gave me the gate. He was
rude, so we gave him the gate.
give someone the glad hand to give some-
one an overly friendly welcome; to give
someone insincere attention. (Informal.)
Here comes Tom. Watch him give us the
glad hand and leave. These politicians
give you the glad hand and ignore you af-
ter they are elected.
give someone the go-by to pass by or ignore
someone. (Slang.) I could see that Tom
wanted a ride, but I gave him the go-by.
There was no reason to give the me
go-by!
give someone the green light Go to give
someone the go-ahead.
give someone the hard sell to put pressure
on someone to buy or accept (some-
thing). (Informal.) They gave me the
hard sell, but I still wouldn’t buy the car.
The clerk gave the customer the hard
sell.
give someone the high sign to give some-
one a prearranged signal. As the robber
walked past me, I gave the police officer a
high sign. Then the officer arrested the
robber. Things got started when I gave
the conductor the high sign.
give someone the low-down (on someone or
something) to tell someone the full story
about someone or something. (Slang. See
also get the low-down (on someone or some-
thing).) Please give Sally the low-down
on the new expressway. I do not know
what’s going on. Please give me the low-
down.
give someone the once-over to visually
examine someone quickly. (See also get
the once-over.) John gives me the once-
over every time he walks by me. Why
does he just give me the once-over? Why
doesn’t he say hello?
give someone the red-carpet treatment to
give someone very special treatment; to
give someone royal treatment. (See also
get the red-carpet treatment.) We al-
ways give the queen the red-carpet treat-
ment when she comes to visit. They
never give me the red-carpet treatment.
give someone the runaround to give some-
one a series of excuses, delays, and refer-
If you ask to see the manager,
they’ll give you the runaround. Stop giv-
ing me the runaround!
give someone the shirt off one’s back to be
very generous or solicitous to someone.
Tom really likes Bill. He’d give Bill the
shirt off his back. John is so friendly that
he’d give anyone the shirt off his back.
give someone the slip to escape from or
elude someone. (Slang.) We followed
her for two blocks, and then she gave us the
slip. Max gave Lefty the slip.
give someone the third degree to question
someone in great detail for a long period.
(Slang. See also get the third degree.)
The police gave Sally the third degree.
Stop giving me the third degree. I told you
what I know.
give someone the willies Go to give some-
one the creeps.
give someone the works to give someone
the full amount or the full treatment.
(Slang. See also get the works.) The
judge gave her the works for driving too
fast. I want everything on my ham-
burger. Give me the works.
give someone tit for tat to give someone
something equal to what was given you;
to exchange a series of things, one by one,
with someone. (Informal.) They gave
me the same kind of difficulty that I gave
them. They gave me tit for tat. He
punched me, so I punched him. Every time
he hit me, I hit him. I just gave him tit for
tat.
give someone to understand something to ex-
plain something to someone; to imply
something to someone. (This may mis-
lead someone, accidentally or intention-
ally.) Mr. Smith gave Sally to under-
stand that she should be home by
midnight. The mayor gave the citizens
to understand that there would be no tax
increase. He didn’t promise, though.
give someone what for to scold someone.
(Folksy.) Billy’s mother gave him what
for because he didn’t get home on time.
I will really give you what for if you don’t
straighten up.
give something a shot and take a shot at
something to try something. I have never
dived before, but I will give it a shot.
Tom decided to take a shot at writing a
poem.
give something a whirl make a try at doing
something. If at first you don’t succeed,
give it another whirl. John gave bowl-
ing a whirl last night.
give something one’s best shot to give a task
one’s best effort. I gave the project my
best shot. Sure, try it. Give it your best
shot!
give the bride away [for a bride’s father]
to accompany the bride to the groom in
a wedding ceremony. Mr. Brown is ill.
Who’ll give the bride away? In the tra-
ditional wedding ceremony, the bride’s fa-
ther gives the bride away.
give the devil her due Go to give the devil
his due.
give the devil his due and give the devil
her due to give your foe proper credit
(for something). (This usually refers to
a person who has been evil—like the
devil.) She’s generally impossible, but I
have to give the devil her due. She bakes a
terrific cherry pie. John may cheat on
his taxes and yell at his wife, but he keeps
his car polished. I’ll give the devil his due.
give the game away to reveal a plan or
strategy. (Informal.) Now, all of you
have to keep quiet. Please don’t give the
game away. If you keep giving out hints,
you’ll give the game away.
give up the ghost to die; to release one’s
spirit. (Considered formal or humorous.)
The old man sighed, rolled over, and
gave up the ghost. I’m too young to give
up the ghost.
give vent to his frustration because he had
been warned to keep quiet.
give voice to something to express a feeling
or an opinion in words; to speak out
about something. The bird gave voice
to its joy in the golden sunshine. All the
people gave voice to their anger at
Congress.
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