to give out

—| B1-B2 (intermediate) |—

In North American English, this word typically means:

PHRASAL VERB:

1. to distribute

2. to lose the ability to physically support oneself

EXAMPLES

1. “For Valentine’s Day, my older brother gave out candy and Valentines to all his close friends, his significant other, and my parents and me.”

2. “The third shelf of the bookshelf in our living room has so many books on it that I swear it is going to give out at any moment.”

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What have you given out before? Do you typically give something out at work? Maybe your legs have given out after a long run or swim? Tell me about it in the comments below.

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ASSOCIATED WORDS

Some synonyms of “to give out” include:

• PHRASAL VERB:

  • to hand out (standard)

  • to deal out (informal)

• VERB:

  • to distribute (formal)

An opposite of “to give out” includes:

• PHRASAL VERB:

  • to take back (informal)

• COLLOCATION:

  • to regain possession (formal)

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