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Phrase(s): give someone up for dead
1. Lit. to give up hope for someone who is dying; to abandon a dying person as already dead. • The cowboys gave up their comrade for dead and rode off. • We gave up the poor old man for dead and went to telephone the police. 2. Fig. to abandon hope for someone to appear or arrive. • We were delighted to see you. We had almost given you up for dead. • After an hour, they gave up their guest for dead.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs