1
general::
Phrase(s): give oneself up (to someone or something)
1. Lit. to surrender to someone or something. • Fran gave herself up to the disease. • Walter gave himself up to the police. 2. Fig. to devote oneself to someone or something; to give oneself over to someone or something. • She gave herself up to her children and their care. • Fran gave herself up to tennis. • Jane refused to give herself up to weight lifting, which is a full-time hobby., Phrase(s): give someone or something up (for lost)
to abandon someone or something as being lost; to quit looking for someone or something that is lost. • After a week we had given the cat up for lost when suddenly she appeared. • We gave up the cat for lost., Phrase(s): give something up
1. to forsake something; to stop using or eating something. • I gave coffee up because of the caffeine. • They advised me to give up sugar in all forms. 2. to quit doing something. • Oh, give it up! You’re not getting anywhere. • You should give up smoking., Phrase(s): give someone or something up (to someone)
to hand someone or something over to someone; to relinquish claims on someone or something in favor of someone else. • We had to give the money we found up to the police. • We gave up the money to the police., Phrase(s): give up
to quit; to quit trying. • I give up! I won’t press this further. • Are you going to give up or keep fighting?, Phrase(s): give up (on someone or something)
to give up trying to do something with someone or something, such as being friendly, giving advice, managing, etc. • I gave up on jogging. My knees went bad. • Gloria tried to be friendly with Kelly, but finally gave up.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
2
general::
1. Surrender, as in The suspect gave himself up. [1100s] 2. Stop doing or performing something, as in They gave up the search, or She gave up smoking almost thirty years ago. [c. 1600] 3. Part with, relinquish, as in They gave up their New York apartment, or We gave up all hope of finding the lost tickets. [Mid-1500s] 4. Lose hope for, as in We had given you up as lost. [Late 1500s] 5. Admit defeat, as in I give up? what's the right answer? [c. 1600] 6. give up on. Abandon, lose one's faith in, as in I gave up on writing a novel, or She gave up on religion years ago. [Colloquial; second half of 1900s] Also see GIVE ONESELF UP TO.
American Heritage Idioms