give up

give up

to quit; to quit trying. •

I give up! I won't press this further.

•

Are you going to give up or keep fighting?

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{v.} 1a. To stop trying to keep; surrender; yield. * /The dog had the ball in his mouth and wouldn't give it up./ * /Jimmy is giving up his job as a newsboy when he goes back to school./ Compare: GIVE ONESELF UP, HAND OVER, LET GO(1a). Contrast: HOLD ON TO. 1b. To allow; permit. * /Ford gave up two walks in the first inning./ 2. To stop doing or having; abandon; quit. * /The doctor told Mr. Harris to give up smoking./ * /Jane hated to give up her friends when she moved away./ Compare: LEAVE OFF, PART WITH. 3. To stop hoping for, waiting for, or trying to do. * /Johnny was given up by the doctors after the accident, but he lived just the same./ * /When Mary didn't come by nine o'clock, we gave her up./ * /I couldn't do the puzzle so I gave it up./ 4. To stop trying; quit; surrender. * /The war will be over when one of the countries gives up./ * /The other team gave up after we scored three touchdowns./ Compare: GIVE IN(2), RESIGN ONESELF, THROW IN THE SPONGE.