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• give-up
  give-up

  noun

  something conceded or relinquished; concession.
• give up
  give up

  verb

  to abandon hope (for)

give-up

American  

[giv-uhp] / ˈgɪvˌʌp /

noun

1. something conceded or relinquished; concession.

   Labor has balked at any more give-ups in the contract talks.

2. Stock Exchange.

   1. a commission shared among two or more stockbrokers.

   2. a part of a commission that constitutes a single such share.

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give up British  

verb

1. to abandon hope (for)

2. (tr) to renounce (an activity, belief, etc)

   I have given up smoking

3. (tr) to relinquish or resign from

   he gave up the presidency

4. (tr; usually reflexive) to surrender

   the escaped convict gave himself up

5. (tr) to reveal or disclose (information)

6. (intr) to admit one's defeat or inability to do something

7. (tr; often passive or reflexive) to devote completely (to)

   she gave herself up to caring for the sick

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give up Idioms  

1. Surrender, as in The suspect gave himself up . [1100s]

2. Stop doing or performing something, as in They gave up the search , or She gave up smoking almost thirty years ago . [c. 1600]

3. Part with, relinquish, as in They gave up their New York apartment , or We gave up all hope of finding the lost tickets . [Mid-1500s]

4. Lose hope for, as in We had given you up as lost . [Late 1500s]

5. Admit defeat, as in I give up—what's the right answer? [c. 1600]

6. give up on . Abandon, lose one's faith in, as in I gave up on writing a novel , or She gave up on religion years ago . [ Colloquial ; second half of 1900s] Also see give oneself up to .

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Etymology

Origin of give-up

First recorded in 1965–70; noun use of verb phrase give up

Example Sentences

Give up on getting credit and focus your efforts on executing the “boss’s ideas,” which in some cases might actually be your own.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

I knew what to do: Give up my favorite snack.

From Salon • Dec. 30, 2023

He felt he had to make a decision: Give up a typical high school experience and social life, or sacrifice a possible career playing the sport he loves.

From Washington Post • Mar. 22, 2023

Give up, once and for all, on the Delta tunnel project.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2022

Give up her evenings and weekends and friends—all the elements of her old world—and replace them with KIPP.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• allowance
• compensation
• discount
• kickback
• payment
• rebate
• reimbursement
• repayment
• restitution