give over

verb

gave over; given over; giving over; gives over

transitive verb

1

: cease

2

: entrust

3

a

: to yield without restraint or control : abandon

gave themselves over to laughter

b

: to set apart for a particular purpose or use

4

archaic : to pronounce incurable

intransitive verb

British : to cease an activity : stop

told him to give over and let me alone

—Brendan Behan

Synonyms

• break
• break off
• break up
• can [slang]
• cease
• cut off
• cut out
• desist (from)
• discontinue
• drop
• end
• halt
• knock off
• lay off
• leave off
• pack (up or in)
• quit
• shut off
• stop

Examples of give over in a Sentence

his wife suggested that he give over working such long hours if it was making him so unhappy

gave over his entire savings to an investor

Recent Examples on the Web

Harry is not the only claimant, former Labour Party deputy leader Tom Watson is also suing, and there will be separate portions given over to each of their specific cases. —Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024

Seventy thousand square feet—representing an increase of 50 percent—will be given over to galleries, which will host works from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. —News Desk, Artforum, 10 Dec. 2024

The other thing that really has changed for me is noticing how much of our culture and public space is given over to selling. —Esha Chhabra, TIME, 27 Nov. 2024

But covering a few months of a subscription is the gift that gives over and over again. —Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1