give up

give up

Meaning

• to stop trying to figure something out
• to stop trying to do something
• to declare defeat
• to yield control to someone else
• to abandon yourself to a feeling
• to stop doing something (like a bad habit)

Example sentences

1. John was so tired of trying to fix the stove that he decided to give up and phone an electrician.
2. I can't figure out this mathematical equation, even though I have been working on it for days, I am just going to give up.
3. I have been on this diet for almost two days, I am so hungry that I cannot stand it, I am going to give up and eat that piece of cake.
4. Peter has decided to give up smoking in order to live a healthier lifestyle.
5. We gave up the wallet that we picked up in front of the movie theatre to the police, so that they could find the owner.
6. My best friend has been in such a bad mood the last few weeks that I have decided to give up on her.

Origin

The origin of the word can be traced back hundreds of years, there are even mentions of it in the St James Bible. However, in this sense (to give up) it seems as if originated in the 17^th century.