give up — to stop trying to do something; to surrender or abandon an effort
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to stop trying to do something; to surrender or abandon an effort
Pronunciation (IPA): /ɡɪv ʌp/
Example Sentences
- My mom said she'd give up chocolate, but I found three candy bars in her purse.
- I wanted to give up learning English, but then I realized I'd never understand K-pop lyrics.
- Don't give up on your goals just because of one failure.
give up
VERB[/ɡɪv ʌp/]
to stop trying to do something; to surrender or abandon an effort
Exhausted from the steep climb, he decided to give up just below the summit.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Old English 'gifan' (to give) combined with 'up' from Old English 'upp' (upward). The phrase emerged in Middle English as a metaphorical extension, where 'give up' originally meant to literally hand over or surrender something, later evolving to mean abandoning effort or resistance.
Breakdown
give (Old English 'gifan', to hand over or provide) + up (Old English 'upp', upward/away) = give up (to surrender, abandon, or cease effort)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My mom said she'd give up chocolate, but I found three candy bars in her purse.”
“I wanted to give up learning English, but then I realized I'd never understand K-pop lyrics.”
“Don't give up on your goals just because of one failure.”
“She finally gave up trying to teach her cat to fetch.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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