give (someone) up for lost
idiom
: to decide that someone cannot be helped or saved
He was desperately ill, and most of the doctors had given him up for lost.
Cite this Entry
“Give (someone) up for lost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/give%20%28someone%29%20up%20for%20lost. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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