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

Give away a little social capital and you can keep all the financial capital for yourself, and even lower your tax bill in the process.

From New York Times • May 23, 2022

Q. Re: Give away the dog: I agree with Prudie’s advice, but with a few additional suggestions: First, document everything.

From Slate • Apr. 24, 2018

Give away nice things you don’t want as gifts, such as china or table linens or books, as opposed to buying new items.

From Washington Post • Oct. 12, 2017

Give away too much in a review and it's a spoiler; too little and the review becomes hamstrung by its own tight-lipped refusal to divulge.

From The Guardian • Sep. 22, 2010

Give away everything in Mani's name,—your house, your money, your carriage, and your land—such burdens are too heavy for me!’

From Mashi and Other Stories by Tagore, Rabindranath

Related Words

• devote
• donate
• hand out