- the ability of something to bend or stretch under pressure
- The shoes may seem tight at first, but the leather has plenty of give in it.
Word OriginOld English giefan, gefan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch geven and German geben.Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
Idioms
See give in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionarygive and take
- the quality of being willing to accept what somebody else wants and give up some of what you want
- If the dispute is to be resolved there must be some give and take.
- Marriage is a give-and-take relationship.
- an exchange of words or ideas
- to encourage a lively give and take
Check pronunciation:
give