[give pause]{v. phr.} To cause you to stop and think; make you doubtor worry. •/The heavy monthly payments gave Mr. Smith pause in his plans tobuy a new car./ •/The bad weather gave Miss Carter pause about driving toNew York City./

[give place to] See: GIVE RISE TO.

[give rein to] or [give free rein to] {v. phr.} To remove allrestrictions or limitations from someone or something. •/When she wrote herfirst mystery novel, the talented novelist gave rein to her imagination./

[give rise to]{v. phr.} To be the reason for; cause. •/A branchfloating in the water gave rise to Columbus' hopes that land was near./•/John’s black eye gave rise to rumors that he had been in a fight./

[give someone his rights] or [read someone his rights] {v. phr.},{informal} 1. The act of advising arrested criminals that they have theright to remain silent and that everything they say can be held against them ina court of law; that they have the right to the presence of an attorney duringquestioning and that if they can’t afford one and request it, an attorney willbe appointed for them by the State. •/The cops gave Smith his rightsimmediately after the arrest./ 2. To sever a relationship by telling someonethat he or she can go and see a divorce lawyer or the like. •/Sue gave Mikehis rights before she slammed the door in his face./ Compare: READ THE RIOTACT.

[give the air] See: GIVE THE BOUNCE(1).

[give the ax]{v. phr.}, {colloquial} 1. Abruptly to finish arelationship. •/She gave me the ax last night./ 2. To fire an employee in acurt manner. •/His boss gave John the ax last Friday./

[give the benefit of the doubt]{v. phr.} To believe (a person) isinnocent rather than guilty when you are not sure. •/The money was stolen andJohn was the only boy who had known where it was, but the teacher gave him thebenefit of the doubt./ •/George’s grade was higher than usual and he mighthave cheated, but his teacher gave him the benefit of the doubt./

[give the bounce] or [give the gate] {v. phr.}, {slang} 1. or[give the air] To stop being a friend or lover to (a person); separatefrom. •/Mary gave John the bounce after she saw him dating another girl./•/Bill and Jane had an argument and Bill is giving her the gate./ 2. or[give the sack] also [give the hook] To fire from a job; dismiss.•/The ball team gave Joe the gate because he never came to practice./Contrast: GET THE BOUNCE.

[give the creeps] See: THE CREEPS.

[give the devil his due]{v. phr.} To be fair, even to someone who isbad; tell the truth about a person even though you don’t like him, •/I don’tlike Mr. Jones, but to give the devil his due, I must admit that he is a goodteacher./

[give the gate] See: GIVE THE BOUNCE.

[give the glad eye]{v. phr.}, {slang} To give (someone) awelcoming look as if saying "come over here, I want to talk to you." •/I wassurprised when Joe gave me the glad eye./

[give the go-by]{v. phr.} To pay no attention to a person; avoid.•/John fell in love with Mary, but she gave him the go-by./ •/The boyraised his hand to answer the question, but the teacher gave him the go-by./Compare: THE RUNAROUND.

[give the high sign] See: HIGH SIGN.

[give the hook] See: GIVE THE BOUNCE(2).

[give the lie to]{v. phr.}, {literary} 1. To call (someone) aliar. •/The police gave the lie to the man who said that he had been at homeduring the robbery./ 2. To show (something) to be false; prove untrue.•/The boy’s dirty face gave the lie to his answer that he had washed./

[give the sack] See: GIVE THE BOUNCE(2).

[give the shirt off one’s back]{v. phr.}, {informal} To give awaysomething or everything that you own. •/He’d give you the shirt off hisback./

[give the show away]{v. phr.} To reveal a plan or information that issupposed to be secret. •/You have read further in the book than I have, butplease don’t tell me where the treasure was buried; otherwise you’d be givingthe show away./

[give the slip]{v.} To escape from (someone); run away fromunexpectedly; sneak away from. •/An Indian was following, but Boone gave himthe slip by running down a hill./ •/Some boys were waiting outside theschool to beat up Jack, but he gave them the slip./

[give signs of] See: SHOW SIGN(S) OF; SHOW NO SIGN OF.

[give the willies]{v. phr.} To cause someone to be uncomfortable,fearful, or nervous. •/Sue hates to camp out in a tent; the buzzing of themosquitoes gives her the willies./

[give thought to]{v. phr.} To consider; think about. •/Have yougiven any thought to the question of how to sell Grandpa’s old house?/Contrast: GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT.

[give to understand]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To make a personthink that something is true but not tell him; suggest; hint. •/Mr. Johnsongave Billy to understand that he would pay him if he helped him clean theyard./ 2. To make a person understand by telling him very plainly or boldly.•/Frank was given to understand in a short note from the boss that he wasfired./

[give up]{v.} 1a. To stop trying to keep; surrender; yield. •/Thedog had the ball in his mouth and wouldn’t give it up./ •/Jimmy is givingup his job as a newsboy when he goes back to school./ Compare: GIVE ONESELFUP, HAND OVER, LET GO(1a). Contrast: HOLD ON TO. 1b. To allow; permit. •/Fordgave 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 togive 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 bythe doctors after the accident, but he lived just the same./ •/When Marydidn’t come by nine o’clock, we gave her up./ •/I couldn’t do the puzzle soI gave it up./ 4. To stop trying; quit; surrender. •/The war will be overwhen one of the countries gives up./ •/The other team gave up after wescored three touchdowns./ Compare: GIVE IN(2), RESIGN ONESELF, THROW IN THESPONGE.

[give (one) up for]{v. phr.} To abandon hope for someone or something.•/After Larry had not returned to base camp for three nights, his fellowmountain climbers gave him up for dead./

[give up the ghost]{v. phr.} To die; stop going. •/After a longillness, the old woman gave up the ghost./ •/The motor turned over a fewtimes and gave up the ghost./

[give up the ship]{v. phr.} To stop fighting and surrender; stoptrying or hoping to do something. •/"Don’t give up the ship, John," said hisfather when John failed a test./

[give voice]{v. phr.}, {formal} To tell what you feel or think;especially when you are angry or want to object. — Used with "to". •/Thestudents gave voice to their pleasure over the new building./ •/LittleWillie gave voice to his pain when the dog bit him by crying loudly./Compare: CRY OUT, SPEAK OUT.

[give way]{v.} 1. To go back; retreat. •/The enemy army is givingway before the cannon fire./ Compare: FALL BACK. 2. To make room, get out ofthe way. •/The children gave way and let their mother through the door./Compare: MAKE WAY. 3. To lose control of yourself; lose your courage or hope;yield. •/Mrs. Jones didn’t give way during the flood, but she was veryfrightened./ Compare: GIVE UP, LOSE ONE’S HEAD. 4. To collapse; fail. •/Theriver was so high that the dam gave way./ •/Mary’s legs gave way and shefainted./ Compare: GIVE OUT(4), LET GO(1a). 5. To let yourself be persuaded;give permission. •/Billy kept asking his mother if he could go to the moviesand she finally gave way./ Compare: GIVE IN.