Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
give up
give up phrasal verb (see also give)
1. give something ↔ up to stop doing something, especially something that you do regularly:
Darren has decided to give up football at the end of this season.
She gave up her job and started writing poetry.
give up doing something
I gave up going to the theatre when I moved out of London.
Why don’t you give up smoking?
2. to stop trying to do something:
We spent half an hour looking for the keys, but eventually gave up and went home.
I give up. What’s the answer?
You shouldn’t give up so easily.
give up doing something
I gave up trying to persuade him to continue with his studies.
give something ↔ up
She has still not given up the search.
The ground was too hard to dig so I gave it up as a bad job (=stopped trying because success seemed unlikely).
3. give yourself/somebody up to allow yourself or someone else to be caught by the police or enemy soldiers:
The siege ended peacefully after the gunman gave himself up.
give yourself/somebody up to
In the end, his family gave him up to the police.
4. give up something to use some of your time to do a particular thing:
I don’t mind giving up a couple of hours a week to deal with correspondence.
5. give something/somebody ↔ up to give something that is yours to someone else:
The family refused to give up any of their land.
She was put under tremendous pressure to give the baby up.
give something/somebody ↔ up to
I would always give my seat up to an elderly person on the bus.
6. give somebody ↔ up to end a romantic relationship with someone, even though you do not really want to:
I knew deep down that I should give him up.
7. give somebody up for dead/lost etc to believe that someone is dead and stop looking for them:
The ship sank and the crew were given up for dead.
8. give it up for somebody spoken informal used to ask people to ↑applaud someone
⇨ give up the ghost at ghost1(5)
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
give up
ˌgive ˈup derived
to stop trying to do sth
• They gave up without a fight.
• She doesn't give up easily.
• I give up— tell me the answer.
Main entry: givederived
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
give up — phrasal verb with give / ɡɪv / verb ( gave , given )
to stop trying to guess:
You'll never guess the answer - do you give up?
I give up - how many were there?
give up sth — phrasal verb with give / ɡɪv / verb ( gave , given )
to stop owning and using something:
They were forced to give up their home because they couldn't pay the mortgage.
give up hope to stop hoping that a particular thing will happen:
We still haven't given up hope of finding her alive.
give up (sth) — phrasal verb with give / ɡɪv / verb ( gave , given )
B2 to stop doing something before you have finished it, usually because it is too difficult:
[ + -ing verb ] I've given up try ing to help her.
give (sth) up — phrasal verb with give / ɡɪv / verb ( gave , given )
B1 If you give up a habit, such as smoking, or something such as alcohol, you stop doing it or using it:
[ + -ing verb ] I gave up smok ing two years ago.
Don't offer him a cigarette, he's trying to give up.
give sth up — phrasal verb with give / ɡɪv / verb ( gave , given )
B1 to stop doing a regular activity or job:
[ + -ing verb ] He's given up driv ing since his illness.
We're going to give up our sports club membership after this year.
give it up for sb used to ask people to clap their hands to show their enjoyment or approval of a performance:
Ladies and gentlemen, will you give it up for Danny Jones.
© Cambridge University Press 2013
Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
give up
1) PHRASAL VERB If you give up something, you stop doing it or having it.
[V P n/-ing] Coastguards had given up all hope of finding the two divers alive.
[V P] ...smokers who give up before 30. [Also V n P]
2) PHRASAL VERB If you give up, you decide that you cannot do something and stop trying to do it.
[V P] After a fruitless morning sitting at his desk he had given up.
3) PHRASAL VERB If you give up your job, you resign from it.
[V P n/-ing (not pron)] She gave up her job to join her husband's campaign...
[V P n/-ing (not pron)] He is thinking of giving up teaching. [Also V n P, V P]
4) PHRASAL VERB If you give up something that you have or that you are entitled to, you allow someone else to have it.
[V P n (not pron)] Georgia refuses to give up any territory...
[V P n (not pron)] One of the men with him gave up his place on the bench. [Also V n P]
5) PHRASAL VERB If you give yourself up, you let the police or other people know where you are, after you have been hiding from them.
[V pron-refl P] A 28-year-old man later gave himself up and will appear in court today. [Also V n P]
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary
give up [phrasal verb]
1 : to stop an activity or effort : to admit that you cannot do something and stop trying : quit
• He vowed that he would never give up.
• I give up! I don't know what more I can do to please my girlfriend!
• “How many prime numbers are there between 1 and 100? Well, do you give up?” “OK, I give up!”
2 give (something) up or give up (something)
a : to stop having, doing, or using (something)
• He was forced to give up his job.
• She refused to give up trying.
• My doctor urged me to give up smoking/cigarettes.
• Rescuers have not yet given up hope that more survivors will be found.
• He gave up his seat to an elderly woman. [=he got out of his seat so that an elderly woman could sit there]
b : to stop trying to do (something)
• We did our best to repair the engine, but in the end we had to give it up as impossible.
c sports : to allow (a score, a hit, etc.) by an opposing team or player
• The defense gave up two touchdowns in the first quarter.
• The pitcher didn't give up a hit till the ninth inning.
3 give (yourself) up : to surrender (yourself) as a prisoner
• The fugitive eventually gave himself up (to the police/authorities).
4 give (someone) up
a : to stop trying to improve the condition of (someone) because it seems hopeless
• The teacher gave him up as a hopeless case.
• The doctors gave him up for dead. [=the doctors said that he was certain to die]
b : to stop having hope of seeing (someone)
• We'd given you up (for lost) hours ago!
5 give (yourself) up to (something) : to allow (yourself) to be fully affected by, controlled by, or involved in (something)
• He gave himself up to despair.
• She gave herself up completely to her work.
6 give up on (someone)
a : to stop trying to improve the condition of (someone)
• He has gotten in trouble many times, but his parents have never given up on him.
• Please don't give up on me. I promise I'll do better.
b : to stop having hope of seeing (someone)
• We'd given up on you hours ago!
7 give up on (something) : to stop trying to do or achieve (something)
• They have given up on their plan to build a new factory.
• She hasn't given up on trying to convince her husband to buy a new car.