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• give-and-take
  give-and-take

  noun

  the practice of dealing by compromise or mutual concession; cooperation.
• give and take
  give and take

  The practice of compromise, as in Every contract involves some give and take . This expression was first recorded in 1778, although the verbal idiom, to give and take , was used from the early 1500s.

give-and-take

American  

[giv-uhn-teyk] / ˈgɪv ənˈteɪk /

noun

1. the practice of dealing by compromise or mutual concession; cooperation.

2. good-natured exchange of talk, ideas, etc.

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give-and-take British  

noun

1. mutual concessions, shared benefits, and cooperation

2. a smoothly flowing exchange of ideas and talk

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verb

1. to make mutual concessions

give and take Idioms  

1. The practice of compromise, as in Every contract involves some give and take . This expression was first recorded in 1778, although the verbal idiom, to give and take , was used from the early 1500s.

2. Lively exchange of ideas or conversation, as in The legislature is famous for raucous give and take . [Second half of 1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of give-and-take

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

give-and-take give and take

Pacific security researcher Maima Koro said typical notions of give-and-take diplomacy missed the point.

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

She guides her clients to prompt AI to engage in the natural give-and-take of a conversation instead of asking it to generate a full script.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

Every member of this cast holds their own, granted, but Morgan and Radcliffe’s onscreen give-and-take earns Arthur’s slow, steady acceptance into Reggie’s weird, lovely family dynamic.

From Salon ● Jun. 20, 2026

It’s this beautiful give-and-take of a group of friends because life just doesn’t stop life-ing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2025

But there was a difference between suppressing the publication of research findings and restricting the personal give-and-take among scientists that was indispensable for scientific progress.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

But Meg is a true comedian in that she understands not only how to improvise within the lane of the scene, but also the give and take.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

Then, on a hot D.C. morning, usually in June, extremely consequential opinions pop up on the court’s website that give and take the rights of millions of Americans.

From Slate ● Jul. 15, 2026

Sam and Mary give and take in equal measure, wrapped in a continuum made from red silk.

From Salon ● Apr. 24, 2026

Guardiola appreciates those that give and take continuously, but if that is not clearly expressed, relationships can fracture even without a clear conflict.

From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2026

He had a tightrope walker’s feel for the land beneath him—its surface tension, the give and take of things.

From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien

Related Words

• banter
• reciprocity