give

Related to give: give up

give an ear (to one)

To listen to one, especially when they are discussing a problem. Sorry I'm late, I had to give an ear to Jane. She's been going through a lot lately. Thank you for giving an ear, I feel much better now that I've gotten that off my chest. Please give an ear to Ian, who will be updating us about the last quarter.
See also: ear, give

give free rein to (one)

To give one complete freedom to do what one wants or chooses. "Rein" refers to the reins of a horse. Can you believe the boss gave free rein to me? Finally, I can present a campaign with my own vision!
See also: free, give, rein

give full rein to (one)

To give one complete freedom to do what one wants or chooses. "Rein" refers to the reins of a horse. Can you believe the boss gave full rein to me? Finally, I can present a campaign with my own vision!
See also: full, give, rein
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

give

/lend an ear
To pay close attention; listen attentively.

give

free/full rein to
To release from restraints; allow to go unchecked: gave free rein to her emotions.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See:
  • (Can I) give you a lift?
  • (not) care a hoot
  • (not) give a fig
  • (not) give a toss
  • (not) give two hoots
  • (one) doesn't give a hoot (about something)
  • (one) doesn't give a rip (about something)
  • (one) won't give up without a fight
  • (something) gives me life
  • Don't give me any of your lip!
  • Don't give up the day job
  • Friendsgiving
  • Give a beggar a horse, and he'll ride it to death.
  • Give an inch and he'll take a mile
  • Give credit where credit is due
  • Give enough rope and he'll hang himself
  • Give it a rest!
  • Give it all you've got!
  • Give it the gun
  • Give it time
  • Give it up!
  • Give me a break!
  • Give me a call
  • Give me a chance!
  • Give me a rest!
  • Give me five!
  • Give me liberty, or give me death!
  • Give me skin!
  • Give me some skin!
  • Give my best to
  • Give us the tools, and we will finish the job
  • Give us the tools, and we will finish the job.
  • Giving Tuesday
  • He gives twice who gives quickly
  • I don't give a fuck
  • I don't/couldn't give a monkey's
  • I won't give up without a fight
  • I('ll) give you that
  • I/I'll give you that
  • It is better to give than to receive
  • Like I really give a shit!
  • Silence gives consent
  • Something’s got to give
  • Think nothing of it
  • What gives (with someone or something)?
  • What gives?
  • You give up too easy
  • You must have mistaken me for someone who gives a shit
  • a fool may give a wise man counsel
  • allow (one) free rein
  • allow (one) full rein
  • back of one's hand
  • back of one's hand, to give (someone) the
  • bear witness to (something)
  • bear/give witness
  • benefit of the doubt, to give/have the
  • bum's rush, to give/get the
  • chapter and verse, cite/give
  • cold shoulder, to give/show the
  • deep six
  • dirty look, give a
  • don't give (something) a second thought
  • don't give (something) another thought
  • don't give me any of your lip
  • don't give me that
  • don't give me that line
  • don't give me that story
  • don't give me that!
  • don't give up the day job
  • don't give up the ship
  • don't give up your day job
  • don't give/care a rap for
  • don’t give a hoot
  • don’t give a rip
  • enough rope, give someone
  • enough rope, to give (someone)
  • evil eye
  • fig, not care/give/worth a
  • flip (one) the bird
  • flip/give/shoot somebody the bird
  • get (the) what for
  • get a dirty look (from someone)
  • get a fix on
  • get a hammering
  • get a line on
  • get a pasting
  • get a roasting
  • get a thick ear
  • get credit for
  • get gray hair from
  • get the OK
  • get the all-clear
  • get the ax
  • get the cold shoulder
  • get the freeze
  • get the low-down
  • get the nod
  • get the push
  • get the run of (some place)
  • get the runaround
  • get the shivers
  • get the silent treatment
  • give
  • give (a) preference to (someone or something)
  • give (full) vent to (something)
  • give (one's) all
  • give (one's) best
  • give (one's) ear (to someone)
  • give (one's) eye teeth for (something)
  • give (one's) eyeteeth
  • give (one's) eyeteeth for (something)
  • give (one's) ground
  • give (one's) head for the washing
  • give (one's) life
  • give (one's) love to (someone)
  • give (one's) mind to (something)
  • give (one's) name to (something)
  • give (one's) right arm
  • give (one's) tuppence (worth)
  • give (one's) two cents
  • give (one's) two cents' worth
  • give (one's) two penn'orth
  • give (one's) two pennies (worth)
  • give (one's) twopence (worth)
  • give (one) (one's) dues
  • give (one) (one's) freedom
  • give (one) (one's) head
  • give (one) (one's) marching orders
  • give (one) (one's) walking papers
  • give (one) (the right of/to) first refusal
  • give (one) (the) clearance to (do something)
  • give (one) (the) clearance to have (something)
  • give (one) (the) what for
  • give (one) Bondi
  • give (one) Hail Columbia
  • give (one) Jesse
  • give (one) a (good) bawling out
  • give (one) a (good) talking to
  • give (one) a (good) working over
  • give (one) a bad time
  • give (one) a bang
  • give (one) a bell
  • give (one) a big hand
  • give (one) a big send-off
  • give (one) a blank check
  • give (one) a bloody nose
  • give (one) a break
  • give (one) a bum steer
  • give (one) a bumpy ride
  • give (one) a buzz
  • give (one) a call
  • give (one) a charge
  • give (one) a dirty look
  • give (one) a dose of (one's) own medicine
  • give (one) a fair crack of the whip
  • give (one) a fair shake
  • give (one) a fix
  • give (one) a fix of (something)
  • give (one) a free hand
  • give (one) a fresh start
  • give (one) a hammering
  • give (one) a hard time
  • give (one) a heads up
  • give (one) a heart attack
  • give (one) a kick
  • give (one) a leg up
  • give (one) a line
  • give (one) a makeover
  • give (one) a melvin
  • give (one) a mouthful
  • give (one) a pain
  • give (one) a pass
  • give (one) a pasting
  • give (one) a ring
  • give (one) a roasting
  • give (one) a rocket
  • give (one) a rough idea (about something)
  • give (one) a rough idea of (something)
  • give (one) a rough ride
  • give (one) a rough time
  • give (one) a run for (one's) money
  • give (one) a shot at (someone or something)
  • give (one) a shout
  • give (one) a start
  • give (one) a strong hold on (someone)
  • give (one) a taste of (one's) own medicine
  • give (one) a thick ear
  • give (one) a tinkle
  • give (one) a tongue-lashing
  • give (one) a turn
  • give (one) a wedgie
  • give (one) a/the feel of (something)
  • give (one) a/the jump on (someone or something)
  • give (one) an account of (someone or something)
  • give (one) an earful
  • give (one) an easy ride
  • give (one) an even break
  • give (one) an inch and (one) will take a mile
  • give (one) an/the advantage over (someone or something)
  • give (one) an/the edge on (someone or something)
  • give (one) an/the edge over (someone or something)
  • give (one) beans
  • give (one) both barrels
  • give (one) carte blanche
  • give (one) enough rope
  • give (one) enough rope to hang (one)self
  • give (one) enough rope to hang (oneself)
  • give (one) food for thought
  • give (one) free rein
  • give (one) full rein
  • give (one) furiously to think
  • give (one) gray hair
  • give (one) grief
  • give (one) gyp
  • give (one) half a chance
  • give (one) head
  • give (one) heart failure
  • give (one) hell
  • give (one) ideas
  • give (one) itchy feet
  • give (one) pause
  • give (one) pause for thought
  • give (one) running shoes
  • give (one) skin
  • give (one) some skin
  • give (one) some slack
  • give (one) some/any lip
  • give (one) something to think about
  • give (one) static
  • give (one) the (old) heave-ho
  • give (one) the OK
  • give (one) the air
  • give (one) the all-clear
  • give (one) the ax(e)
  • give (one) the bag
  • give (one) the benefit of (something)
  • give (one) the big e
  • give (one) the bird
  • give (one) the boot
  • give (one) the bum's rush
  • give (one) the cold shoulder
  • give (one) the creeps
  • give (one) the devil
  • give (one) the evil eye
  • give (one) the eye
  • give (one) the fig
  • give (one) the finger
  • give (one) the flick (pass)
  • give (one) the freeze
  • give (one) the gears
  • give (one) the glad hand
  • give (one) the go-by
  • give (one) the green light
  • give (one) the hairy eyeball
  • give (one) the hard sell
  • give (one) the heave-ho
  • give (one) the heebie-jeebies
  • give (one) the inside track
  • give (one) the kiss of life
  • give (one) the low-down
  • give (one) the old heave-ho
  • give (one) the once-over
  • give (one) the pink slip
  • give (one) the pip
  • give (one) the push
  • give (one) the raspberry
  • give (one) the runaround
  • give (one) the sack
  • give (one) the screaming abdabs
  • give (one) the shaft
  • give (one) the shits
  • give (one) the shivers
  • give (one) the shove
  • give (one) the silent treatment
  • give (one) the slip
  • give (one) the willies
  • give (one) the works
  • give (one) tit for tat
  • give (one) to believe
  • give (one) to understand
  • give (one) trouble
  • give (one) up as a bad job
  • give (one) what's coming (to one)
  • give (oneself or someone) a pat on the back
  • give (oneself) airs
  • give (oneself) away
  • give (oneself) over to (someone or something)
  • give (someone or something) a bad name
  • give (someone or something) a black eye
  • give (someone or something) a chance
  • give (someone or something) a hand
  • give (someone or something) a shellacking
  • give (someone or something) a wide berth
  • give (someone or something) best
  • give (someone or something) the benefit of the doubt
  • give (someone or something) the nod
  • give (someone or something) the run of (some place)
  • give (someone or something) up for dead
  • give (someone or something) up for lost
  • give (someone) (a bit of) curry
  • give (someone) (a lot of) stick
  • give (someone) (one's) word
  • give (someone) a big head
  • give (someone) a blank look
  • give (someone) a blank stare
  • give (someone) a dig
  • give (someone) a dingle
  • give (someone) a fit
  • give (someone) a lift
  • give (someone) a minute
  • give (someone) a nudge
  • give (someone) a piece of (one's) mind
  • give (someone) a red face
  • give (someone) a ribbing
  • give (someone) a second
  • give (someone) a second chance
  • give (someone) an inch and (someone) (will) take a mile
  • give (someone) an inch and (someone) (will) take a yard
  • give (someone) an inch and they'll take a mile
  • give (someone) an inkling (of something)
  • give (someone) an out
  • give (someone) an/the itch for (something)
  • give (someone) an/the itch to (do something)
  • give (someone) another chance
  • give (someone) credit
  • give (someone) face
  • give (someone) fits
  • give (someone) no quarter
  • give (someone) the air
  • give (someone) the back of (one's) hand
  • give (someone) the brush-off
  • give (someone) the business
  • give (someone) the can
  • give (someone) the chair
  • give (someone) the elbow
  • give (someone) the first crack at (something)
  • give (someone) the fright of (someone's) life
  • give (someone) the gate
  • give (someone) the go-ahead
  • give (someone) the high sign
  • give (someone) the hook
  • give (someone) the horn
  • give (someone) the length of (one's) tongue
  • give (someone) the lowdown (on something)
  • give (someone) the rough side of (one's) tongue
  • give (someone) the royal treatment
  • give (someone) the sele of the day
  • give (someone) the shake
  • give (someone) the shakes
  • give (someone) the shirt off (one's) back
  • give (someone) the stink eye
  • give (someone) the third degree
  • give (someone) the time of day, not to/won't
  • give (someone) the word
  • give (someone) what for, to
  • give (someone/something) the once-over, to
  • give (something) (one's) all
  • give (something) (one's) best shot
  • give (something) a facelift
  • give (something) a go
  • give (something) a lick and a promise
  • give (something) a miss
  • give (something) a once-over
  • give (something) a pass
  • give (something) a rest
  • give (something) a try
  • give (something) against (one)
  • give (something) back (to someone) with interest
  • give (something) for (something)
  • give (something) full play
  • give (something) the (old) college try
  • give (something) the thumbs down
  • give (something) the thumbs up
  • give (something) thought
  • give (something) to (one) on a (silver) platter
  • give (something) to (one) on a plate
  • give (something) to (someone)
  • give (something) under (the) threat of (something)
  • give (something) weight
  • give 110%
  • give Hail Columbia
  • give a bad account of (oneself)
  • give a bad name to
  • give a bad name to (someone or something)
  • give a bad name to, to
  • give a bang
  • give a basket
  • give a bawling out
  • give a black eye to (someone or something)
  • give a blank check
  • give a blank check to (one)
  • give a blank look
  • give a damn (about someone or something)
  • give a dig
  • give a dog a bad name
  • give a dog a bad name and hang him
  • give a fuck
  • give a fuck about (someone or something)
  • give a fuck about someone/something
  • give a good account of
  • give a good account of (oneself)
  • give a good account of oneself
  • give a good account of yourself
  • give a hand
  • give a hard time
  • give a lead
  • give a lift
  • give a line
  • give a little
  • give a man enough rope and he will hang himself
  • give a new lease of life
  • give a pain
  • give a piece of mind
  • give a rah-rah speech
  • give a rat's arse
  • give a red face
  • give a ring
  • give a shit
  • give a shit about (someone or something)
  • give a shit about someone/something
  • give a shite
  • give a sneck posset
  • give a try
  • give a wide berth
  • give a wide berth to (someone or something)
  • give a wide berth to, to
  • give an account
  • give an account of (someone or something)
  • give an account of (someone or something) to (someone)
  • give an account to (someone)
  • give an arm and a leg (for something)
  • give an arm and a leg for
  • give an arm and a leg for something
  • give an ear (to one)
  • give an inch
  • give an inch and they'll take a mile
  • give and take
  • give anything (for something)
  • give as good as one gets
  • give as good as you get
  • give away
  • give away the shop
  • give away the store
  • give back
  • give bad marks to
  • give bad marks to (someone or something)
  • give battle
  • give best shot
  • give birth
  • give birth to
  • give birth to (someone or something)
  • give cause for
  • give cause for (something)
  • give chapter and verse
  • give chase
  • give chase (to someone or something)
  • give color to (something)
  • give credence to
  • give credence to (someone or something)
  • give credit
  • give credit to (someone)
  • give credit where credit is due
  • give currency
  • give currency (to something)
  • give ear to
  • give ear to (someone or something)
  • give evidence of
  • give evidence of (something)
  • give eyeteeth
  • give for
  • give forth (something)
  • give forth with
  • give forth with (something)
  • give free rein to
  • give free rein to (one)
  • give full rein to (one)
  • give ground
  • give head
  • give heed to (something)
  • give hell to
  • give her the bells and let her fly
  • give him enough rope and he'll hang himself
  • give hostage to fortune
  • give in
  • give in to (someone or something)
  • give in to (someone)
  • give it (one's) best shot
  • give it a burl
  • give it a rest
  • give it a shot
  • give it a whirl
  • give it all you've got
  • give it laldy
  • give it large
  • give it one's best shot
  • give it one's best shot, to
  • give it some stick
  • give it some welly
  • give it time
  • give it to
  • give it to (one)
  • give it to (one) straight
  • give it to me straight
  • give it to someone
  • give it up
  • give it your best shot
  • give it/her the gun
  • give leg bail
  • give lip service to (something)
  • give me
  • give me (someone or something) any day/time
  • give me a break
  • give me five!
  • give me some sugar
  • give me something/somebody
  • give me strength
  • give me strength!
  • give me/gimme (a) five
  • give my best to (someone)
  • give notice
  • give odds
  • give odds that
  • give odds that (something will happen)
  • give of
  • give of (oneself or something)
  • give of oneself
  • give off
  • give offense to
  • give on
  • give one
  • give one freedom
  • give one one’s pounds
  • give one's eyeteeth
  • give one's eyeteeth for, to
  • give one's right arm, to
  • give oneself over to
  • give oneself up
  • give or take
  • give out
  • give out with (something)
  • give out with something
  • give over
  • give pap with a hatchet
  • give pause
  • give pause for thought
  • give pause to (one)
  • give pause to someone
  • give pause to, to
  • give place to
  • give place to somebody/something
  • give preference to (someone or something)
  • give preference to somebody/something
  • give props to (one)
  • give rein to
  • give rein to (someone or something)
  • give right arm
  • give rise to
  • give rise to (something)
  • give rise to something
  • give shape to (something)
  • give shape to something
  • give short shrift
  • give some lip
  • give some skin
  • give some sugar
  • give some thought to
  • give somebody a bell
  • give somebody a big hand
  • give somebody a break
  • give somebody a buzz
  • give somebody a hand
  • give somebody a leg-up
  • give somebody a piece of your mind
  • give somebody a ring
  • give somebody a rocket
  • give somebody a rough, hard, bad, etc. time
  • give somebody a shout
  • give somebody a taste/dose of their own medicine
  • give somebody a turn
  • give somebody an inch
  • give somebody enough rope
  • give somebody five
  • give somebody grief
  • give somebody gyp
  • give somebody half a chance
  • give somebody hell
  • give somebody ideas
  • give somebody something to think about
  • give somebody stick
  • give somebody the benefit of the doubt
  • give somebody the elbow
  • give somebody the evil eye
  • give somebody the finger
  • give somebody the hairy eyeball
  • give somebody the heave-ho
  • give somebody the nod
  • give somebody the runaround
  • give somebody the shaft
  • give somebody the slip
  • give somebody the willies/heebie-jeebies/creeps
  • give somebody their due
  • give somebody their head
  • give somebody their marching orders
  • give somebody their walking papers
  • give somebody to believe/understand...
  • give somebody what for
  • give somebody your word
  • give somebody/get a dirty look
  • give somebody/get a hammering
  • give somebody/get a pasting
  • give somebody/get a roasting
  • give somebody/get a thick ear
  • give somebody/get the OK/okay
  • give somebody/get the all-clear
  • give somebody/get the boot
  • give somebody/get the bum's rush
  • give somebody/get the cold shoulder
  • give somebody/get the green light
  • give somebody/get the hump
  • give somebody/get the low-down
  • give somebody/get the push
  • give somebody/get the sack
  • give somebody/get the shivers
  • give somebody/get the silent treatment
  • give somebody/get what for
  • give somebody/get/have the run of something
  • give somebody/have a bumpy ride
  • give somebody/something a wide berth
  • give somebody/something a/the once-over
  • give somebody/something short shrift
  • give somebody/something up as a bad job
  • give somebody/something up for lost
  • give somebody/yourself a pat on the back
  • give someone
  • give someone (the) rundown
  • give someone Bondi
  • give someone a bell
  • give someone a big hand
  • give someone a black eye
  • give someone a bloody nose
  • give someone a break
  • give someone a buzz
  • give someone a dig
  • give someone a fit
  • give someone a good talking to
  • give someone a good working over
  • give someone a leg up
  • give someone a melvin
  • give someone a mouthful
  • give someone a pain
  • give someone a piece of your mind
  • give someone a ring
  • give someone a run for their money
  • give someone a talking to
  • give someone a taste of their own medicine
  • give someone a thick ear
  • give someone a tongue-lashing
  • give someone a working over
  • give someone an earful
  • give someone an even break
  • give someone an inch
  • give someone an inch and they'll take a mile
  • give someone beans
  • give someone both barrels
  • give someone enough rope
  • give someone enough rope to hang themselves
  • give someone five
  • give someone free rein
  • give someone furiously to think
  • give someone grief
  • give someone gyp
  • give someone heart failure
  • give someone hell
  • give someone his or her due
  • give someone his or her head
  • give someone his/her head, to
  • give someone or something a run for their money
  • give someone or something a wide berth
  • give someone or something best
  • give someone skin
  • give someone the air
  • give someone the ax
  • give someone the ax, to
  • give someone the benefit of
  • give someone the benefit of the doubt
  • give someone the big e
  • give someone the bird
  • give someone the brushoff
  • give someone the bum's rush
  • give someone the business
  • give someone the cold shoulder
  • give someone the creeps
  • give someone the elbow
  • give someone the evil eye
  • give someone the eye
  • give someone the finger
  • give someone the flick
  • give someone the gate
  • give someone the gears
  • give someone the glad hand
  • give someone the go-by
  • give someone the hairy eyeball
  • give someone the nod
  • give someone the once-over
  • give someone the pip
  • give someone the push
  • give someone the raspberry
  • give someone the rough side of your tongue
  • give someone the runaround
  • give someone the screaming abdabs
  • give someone the shaft
  • give someone the silent treatment
  • give someone the slip
  • give someone the third degree
  • give someone the time of day
  • give someone the works
  • give someone their head
  • give someone their marching orders
  • give someone their walking papers
  • give someone up
  • give someone up for lost
  • give someone what for
  • give someone/something a wide berth
  • give someone/something the finger
  • give someone/something the green light
  • give someone/something the once-over
  • give something a facelift
  • give something a miss
  • give something a once-over
  • give something a rest
  • give something a whirl
  • give something the old college try
  • give something the thumbs down
  • give something the thumbs up
  • give something up as a bad job
  • give something your best shot
  • give something/someone the heave-ho
  • give static
  • give teeth to
  • give teeth to (something)
  • give thanks for small blessings
  • give thanks for small mercies
  • give the (whole) show away
  • give the all-clear
  • give the benefit of the doubt
  • give the devil his due
  • give the devil his/her due
  • give the eye
  • give the finger
  • give the game away
  • give the gate
  • give the glad eye
  • give the go-by
  • give the heave-ho
  • give the lie to
  • give the lie to (something)
  • give the lie to something
  • give the lie to, to
  • give the mitten
  • give the nod to
  • give the raspberry
  • give the shaft
  • give the shake
  • give the shirt off back
  • give the shirt off one's back
  • give the shirt off one's back, to
  • give the show away
  • give the slip
  • give the wall
  • give the word
  • give them hell
  • give thought to (something)
  • give tit for tat
  • give to
  • give to understand
  • give tongue
  • give tongue to
  • give trouble
  • give under threat of
  • give up
  • give up (something) as a bad job
  • give up as lost
  • give up for dead
  • give up for lost
  • give up hope
  • give up on (someone or something)
  • give up the cause
  • give up the fight
  • give up the ghost
  • give up the ghost, to
  • give up the struggle
  • give vent to
  • give vent to something
  • give voice to
  • give voice to (something)
  • give voice to something
  • give way
  • give way to
  • give way to (someone or something)
  • give weight to
  • give weight to (something)
  • give wing to
  • give wing to (something)
  • give with
  • give with (something)
  • give with one hand and take away with the other
  • give with something
  • give witness to (something)
  • give you a lift?
  • give you the willies
  • give your eye teeth for
  • give your eye teeth for something/to do something
  • give your head a shake
  • give your mind to something
  • give your name to
  • give your right arm
  • give yourself airs
  • give yourself/put on airs
  • give/allow somebody/something free/full rein
  • give/lose ground
  • give/pay heed
  • give/send my love to somebody
  • gives as good as (one) gets
  • go ahead
  • got to give
  • grant no quarter
  • green light, get/give the
  • hard time
  • have a bumpy ride
  • have a fit
  • have a rough ride
  • have an easy ride
  • have an out
  • have the run of (some place)
  • have/give somebody a rough/an easy ride
  • heave-ho, give the
  • in the works
  • leg up, a
  • lend an ear (to one)
  • lend color to
  • like I (really) give a shit
  • lip service
  • lip service, to give/pay
  • lot of give-and-take
  • name after
  • never give a sucker an even break
  • never give a sucker an even chance
  • not budge an inch
  • not budge/give/move an inch
  • not care (a) tuppence
  • not care a hoot (about something)
  • not care two hoots about
  • not care/give a damn
  • not care/give a hoot
  • not care/give tuppence for/about somebody/something
  • not care/give/worth a fig, to
  • not give
  • not give (a) tuppence
  • not give (one) the time of day
  • not give (someone or something) houseroom
  • not give (something) a second thought
  • not give (something) another thought
  • not give a continental
  • not give a damn
  • not give a damn about (someone or something)
  • not give a fig
  • not give a fig about (someone or something)
  • not give a hang (about something)
  • not give a hoot
  • not give a hoot (about something)
  • not give a monkey's
  • not give a monkey's fart (about something)
  • not give a rap about (someone or something)
  • not give a rat's arse (about something)
  • not give a rat's ass
  • not give a rat's ass for/about (something or someone)
  • not give a shit
  • not give a shit (about something)
  • not give a shite (about something)
  • not give a stuff
  • not give a tinker's curse
  • not give a tinker's cuss
  • not give a tinker's damn
  • not give a tinker's damn about (someone or something)
  • not give a toss
  • not give an inch
  • not give anyone the time of day
  • not give house room
  • not give it another thought
  • not give somebody the time of day
  • not give somebody/something houseroom
  • not give someone house room
  • not give someone the time of day
  • not give something houseroom
  • not give two pins (about something)
  • not give twopence
  • old college try, (give it) the
  • pain in the neck
  • pat on the back
  • pay heed to (something)
  • pay lip service to something
  • piece of one's mind
  • piece of one's mind, (to give someone) a
  • put on airs
  • run for one's money, (give) a
  • sack, to get/give the
  • send (one's) love to (someone)
  • shake off
  • shoot (one) the bird
  • short shrift, give
  • short shrift, to get/give
  • sneck posset
  • some people don't know when to quit
  • some people just don't know when to give up
  • something's got to give
  • song and dance, (to give someone) a
  • talk to
  • the creeps
  • the works
  • third degree, to give/get the
  • try at
  • what for
  • what's cooking
  • what's with
  • when life gives you lemons, make lemonade
  • would give (someone) the shirt off (one's) back
  • would give your eye teeth
  • would give your right arm for
  • would give your right arm for something/to do something
  • would not give someone the time of day
  • wouldn't give someone the time of day
References in classic literature
He listened with some degree of interest to what I had to say, but did not give me anything.
I had placed this sum in my will for your school, but deem it wiser to give it to you while I live.
The next day a letter came from two ladies who were then travelling in Italy, saying that they had decided to give us the money for such a chapel as we needed.
Up From Slavery
There are two of the most beautiful parts still behind, which this story gives some idea of, and lets us into the parts of them, but they are either of them too long to be brought into the same volume, and indeed are, as I may call them, whole volumes of themselves, viz.: 1.
But her husband's life, being written by a third hand, gives a full account of them both, how long they lived together in that country, and how they both came to England again, after about eight years, in which time they were grown very rich, and where she lived, it seems, to be very old, but was not so extraordinary a penitent as she was at first; it seems only that indeed she always spoke with abhorrence of her former life, and of every part of it.
The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders
Then Ripple told how she had wandered round the world in search of them, how the Seasons had most kindly helped her on, by giving Sun-beam, Breeze, Leaf, and Flake; and how, through many dangers, she had come at last to ask of them the magic flame that could give life to the little child again.
"We cannot give the flame you ask, for each of us must take a part of it from our own breasts; and this we will not do, for the brighter our bosom-fire burns, the lovelier we are.
give me each a little light from your own breasts, and surely they will glow the brighter for this kindly deed; and I will thankfully repay it if I can." As thus she spoke, the Queen, who had spied out a chain of jewels Ripple wore upon her neck, replied,--
Flower Fables
"Sir, give me something; you are not, surely, the poorest man here; you seem to be a chief, foremost among them all; therefore you should be the better giver, and I will tell far and wide of your bounty.
Get out, into the open part of the court, {145} or I will give you Egypt and Cyprus over again for your insolence and importunity; you have begged of all the others, and they have given you lavishly, for they have abundance round them, and it is easy to be free with other people's property when there is plenty of it."
On this Ulysses began to move off, and said, "Your looks, my fine sir, are better than your breeding; if you were in your own house you would not spare a poor man so much as a pinch of salt, for though you are in another man's, and surrounded with abundance, you cannot find it in you to give him even a piece of bread."
Odyssey
The sight, you may be sure, was something uncouth to our Spaniards, who were, to give them a just character, men of the most calm, sedate tempers, and perfect good humour, that ever I met with: and, in particular, of the utmost modesty: I say, the sight was very uncouth, to see three naked men and five naked women, all together bound, and in the most miserable circumstances that human nature could be supposed to be, viz.
"For," says he, "I am sure we ought to sentence them to the gallows;" and with that he gives an account how Will Atkins, one of the three, had proposed to have all the five Englishmen join together and murder all the Spaniards when they were in their sleep.
Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe
"My brother," pursued the barber, "was so much absorbed in his dreams that he actually did give a kick with his foot, which unluckily hit the basket of glass.
On hearing the cause of these loud wails the lady turned to her attendant and said to him, "Give him whatever you have got with you." The man obeyed, and placed in my brother's hands a purse containing five hundred pieces of gold.
Arabian Nights