Laxi Dictionary

American Dictionary

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Definition give up in American English

give up phrasal verb

phrasal verb
1

to stop doing something that you do regularly

Example

His wife finally persuaded him to give up smoking.

Example

Giving up his job was the last thing we expected him to do.

Synonyms and related words
give up cut out swear off
1.1

to stop thinking or believing something

Example

It was a difficult time, but we never gave up hope.

Example

He had given up the idea of marriage altogether.

Synonyms and related words
change your mind see reason/sense adapt
1.2

to stop doing something that you are trying hard to do

Example

We've given up trying to persuade them to change.

Example

Decide what you want and then don't give up until you've achieved it.

Synonyms and related words
stop break off give up
2

to allow someone to have something that was yours

Example

The new arrangement would mean giving up some of their political independence.

Example

They agreed to give half their office up to the temporary staff.

Synonyms and related words
give up sacrifice surrender
2.1

to use your time for one activity instead of another

Example

Taking this course will mean giving up a lot of my spare time.

Synonyms and related words
give up cut out swear off
3

if you give yourself up, you allow yourself to be arrested by the police

Synonyms and related words
apprehend apprehension arrest
4

if you give something up as lost, you believe that you will not find it and you stop looking for it

Example

The men who were still in the boat had given him up for dead.

Synonyms and related words
accessible among draw a blank
Definition give up in American English