give

1. verb

1)

she gave them $2000

Syn:

present with, provide with, supply with, furnish with, let someone have; hand (over to), offer, proffer; award, grant (to), bestow on/upon, accord, confer on, make over to; donate to, contribute to

Ant:

receive, take

2)

can I give him a message?

Syn:

convey to, pass on to, impart to, communicate to, transmit to; send, deliver (to), relay to; tell (to)

3)

a baby given into their care

Syn:

entrust, commit, consign, assign; formal commend

4)

she gave her life for them

Syn:

sacrifice, give up, relinquish; devote, dedicate

5)

he gave her time to think

Syn:

allow, permit, grant, accord; offer

6)

this leaflet gives our opening times

Syn:

show, display, set out, indicate, detail, list

7)

they gave no further trouble

Syn:

cause, make, create, occasion

8)

garlic gives flavor

Syn:

produce, yield, afford, impart, lend

9)

she gave a party

Syn:

organize, arrange, throw, host, hold, have, provide

10)

Dominic gave a bow

Syn:

perform, execute, make, do

11)

she gave a shout

Syn:

utter, let out, emit, produce, make

12)

he gave Larry a beating

Syn:

administer, deliver, deal, inflict, impose

13)

the door gave

Syn:

give way, cave in, collapse, break, fall apart; bend, buckle

2. noun, informal

there isn't enough give in the jacket

- give away

- give in

- give off

- give out

- give up

Syn:

elasticity, flexibility, stretch, stretchiness; slack, play

••

give, afford, award, bestow, confer, donate, grant

You give a birthday present, grant a favor, bestow charity, and confer an honor. While all of these verbs mean to convey something or transfer it from one's own possession to that of another, the circumstances surrounding that transfer dictate which word is the best one. Give is the most general, meaning to pass over, deliver, or transmit something (give him encouragement). Grant implies that a request or desire has been expressed, and that the receiver is dependent on the giver's discretion (grant permission for the trip). Award suggests that the giver is in some sense a judge, and that the thing given is deserved (award a scholarship), while bestow implies that something is given as a gift and may imply condescension on the part of the giver (bestow a large sum of money on a needy charity). To confer is to give an honor, a privilege, or a favor; it implies that the giver is a superior (confer a knighthood; confer a college degree). Donate implies that the giving is to a public cause or charity (donate a painting to the local art museum), and to afford is to give or bestow as a natural consequence (the window afforded a fine view of the mountains).