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Phrase(s): give out
1. to wear out and stop; to quit operating. • My old bicycle finally gave out. • I think that your shoes are about ready to give out. 2. to be depleted. • The paper napkins gave out, and we had to use paper towels. • The eggs gave out, and we had to eat cereal for breakfast for the rest of the camping trip., Phrase(s): give something out
1. Lit. to distribute something; to pass something out. • The teacher gave the test papers out. • The teacher gave out the papers. 2. Fig. to make something known to the public. • When will you give the announcement out? • The president gave out the news that the hostages had been released.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
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1. Allow to be known, declare publicly, as in They gave out that she was ill. [Mid-1300s] 2. Send forth, emit, as in The machine gave out a steady buzzing. [Mid-1400s] 3. Distribute, as in They gave out surplus food every week. [c. 1700] 4. Stop functioning, fail; also, become exhausted or used up. For example, The motor gave out suddenly, or My strength simply gave out. [First half of 1500s]
American Heritage Idioms