give away

British  

verb

1. to donate or bestow as a gift, prize, etc

2. to sell very cheaply

3. to reveal or betray (esp in the phrases give the game or show away )

4. to fail to use (an opportunity) through folly or neglect

5. to present (a bride) formally to her husband in a marriage ceremony

6. informal to give up or abandon (something)

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noun

1. a betrayal or disclosure of information, esp when unintentional

2. something given, esp with articles on sale, at little or no charge to increase sales, attract publicity, etc

3. journalism another name for freesheet

4. a radio or television programme characterized by the award of money and prizes

5. (modifier)

   1. very cheap (esp in the phrase giveaway prices )

   2. free of charge

      a giveaway property magazine

give away Idioms  

1. Make a gift of, bestow, as in I decided to give away all my plants . [c. 1400]

2. Present a bride to the groom in a marriage ceremony, as in Her father gave Karen away . [c. 1700]

3. Reveal or make something known, often unintentionally; also, betray or expose someone. For example, She gave away her true feelings , or He gave away his accomplices . This idiom is sometimes put as give oneself away , as in If you don't want the family to know about your gambling, don't give yourself away by spending your winnings . [Late 1800s]

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Example Sentences

Raj Bhakta, a former “Apprentice” contestant, wants to give away the Green Mountain College campus he bought in 2020.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

"You can give away lots of points, but if you're £5 dearer than your competitor, people will swap anyway."

From BBC • May 10, 2026

Don’t give away your husband’s retirement fund before you know what might happen next.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

“Eat Me,” directed by Caitlin Sullivan, plays cat and mouse with its audience, not wanting to give away its secrets.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

So that’s what I was doing—watching my mother give away her plants—when Holling Hoodhood came up the street carrying a brown paper bag.

From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt

Related Words

• devote
• donate
• hand out