English Dictionary |
GIVE UP
Pronunciation (US): | ![]() | (GB): | ![]() |
IPA (US): | ![]() |
Dictionary entry overview: What does give up mean?
• GIVE UP (verb)
The verb GIVE UP has 12 senses:
1. lose (s.th.) or lose the right to (s.th.) by some error, offense, or crime
2. give up with the intent of never claiming again
3. give up in the face of defeat of lacking hope; admit defeat
4. put an end to a state or an activity
5. give up what is not strictly needed
6. part with a possession or right
7. leave (a job, post, or position) voluntarily
8. relinquish possession or control over
9. give up or agree to forgo to the power or possession of another
10. stop maintaining or insisting on; of ideas or claims
11. allow the other (baseball) team to score
Familiarity information: GIVE UP used as a verb is familiar.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
Lose (s.th.) or lose the right to (s.th.) by some error, offense, or crime
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
forego; forfeit; forgo; give up; throw overboard; waive
Context example:
forfeited property
Hypernyms (to "give up" is one way to...):
abandon (forsake, leave behind)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "give up"):
lapse (let slip)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Sense 2
Meaning:
Give up with the intent of never claiming again
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
abandon; give up
Context example:
We gave the drowning victim up for dead
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "give up"):
foreswear; quit; relinquish; renounce (turn away from; give up)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Sense 3
Meaning:
Give up in the face of defeat of lacking hope; admit defeat
Classified under:
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities
Synonyms:
chuck up the sponge; drop by the wayside; drop out; fall by the wayside; give up; quit; throw in; throw in the towel
Context example:
In the second round, the challenger gave up
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s PP
Sense 4
Meaning:
Put an end to a state or an activity
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
cease; discontinue; give up; lay off; quit; stop
Context example:
Quit teasing your little brother
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "give up"):
drop; knock off (stop pursuing or acting)
leave off (stop using)
sign off (cease broadcasting; get off the air; as of radio stations)
retire; withdraw (withdraw from active participation)
pull the plug (prevent from happening or continuing)
close off; shut off (stem the flow of)
cheese (used in the imperative (get away, or stop it))
call it a day; call it quits (stop doing what one is doing)
break (give up)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s VERB-ing
Sentence example:
They give up moving
Sense 5
Meaning:
Give up what is not strictly needed
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
dispense with; give up; part with; spare
Context example:
he asked if they could spare one of their horses to speed his journey
Hypernyms (to "give up" is one way to...):
give (transfer possession of something concrete or abstract to somebody)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Sense 6
Meaning:
Part with a possession or right
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
free; give up; release; relinquish; resign
Context example:
resign a claim to the throne
Hypernyms (to "give up" is one way to...):
give; hand; pass; pass on; reach; turn over (place into the hands or custody of)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "give up"):
give; sacrifice (endure the loss of)
derequisition (release from government control)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Sense 7
Meaning:
Leave (a job, post, or position) voluntarily
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
give up; renounce; resign; vacate
Context example:
The chairman resigned when he was found to have misappropriated funds
Hypernyms (to "give up" is one way to...):
leave office; quit; resign; step down (give up or retire from a position)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "give up"):
abdicate; renounce (give up, such as power, as of monarchs and emperors, or duties and obligations)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Sense 8
Meaning:
Relinquish possession or control over
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
cede; deliver; give up; surrender
Context example:
The squatters had to surrender the building after the police moved in
Hypernyms (to "give up" is one way to...):
gift; give; present (give as a present; make a gift of)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "give up"):
yield up (surrender, as a result of pressure or force)
sell (give up for a price or reward)
sign away; sign over (formally assign ownership of)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Sense 9
Meaning:
Give up or agree to forgo to the power or possession of another
Classified under:
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities
Synonyms:
give up; surrender
Context example:
The last Taleban fighters finally surrendered
Hypernyms (to "give up" is one way to...):
yield (cease opposition; stop fighting)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "give up"):
abnegate (surrender (power or a position))
concede (acknowledge defeat)
capitulate (surrender under agreed conditions)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Sense 10
Meaning:
Stop maintaining or insisting on; of ideas or claims
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Synonyms:
abandon; give up
Context example:
Both sides have to give up some claims in these negotiations
Verb group:
ease up; give; give way; move over; yield (move in order to make room for someone for something)
break; cave in; collapse; fall in; founder; give; give way (break down, literally or metaphorically)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "give up"):
sell out (abandon one's principles for expedience or financial gain)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Sense 11
Meaning:
Allow the other (baseball) team to score
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
allow; give up
Context example:
give up a run
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Sense 12
Meaning:
Stop consuming
Classified under:
Verbs of eating and drinking
Synonyms:
give up; kick
Context example:
give up alcohol
Hypernyms (to "give up" is one way to...):
dispense with; forego; foreswear; forgo; relinquish; waive (do without or cease to hold or adhere to)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s VERB-ing
Context examples
It was the imprudence which had brought things to extremity, and obliged her brother to give up every dearer plan in order to fly with her.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
"You can't know how hard it is for me to give up Meg," she continued with a little quiver in her voice.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
Catherine went every five minutes to the clock, threatening on each return that, if it still kept on raining another five minutes, she would give up the matter as hopeless.
(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)
And again she earnestly conjured me to give up all thoughts of going out with her brother.
(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)
One does not give up a god easily, and so with White Fang.
(White Fang, by Jack London)
You are extremely kind, said Jane; but I cannot give up my early walk.
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
Not yet, however, in spite of her disappointment in her husband, did Mrs. Bennet give up the point.
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
Captain Benwick must give up his room to them, and get another bed elsewhere; and the whole was settled.
(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)
It can allow them to give up insulin shots.
(Pancreas Transplantation, NIH)
Nothing should prevail on him to give up his engagement.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
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