Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To reveal or disclose a secret or information, often unintentionally: To make known something that was hidden or meant to be kept private.
   • To donate or bestow something as a gift: To give something to someone without expecting payment.
   • To formally present a bride to her groom during a wedding ceremony: A traditional role, typically performed by the bride's father.

Usage and Examples

• Revealing a secret:
  • His nervous smile gave away the fact that he was lying.
  • Be careful not to give away the ending of the movie.
• Donating something:
  • She decided to give away all her old clothes to charity.
  • The company is giving away free samples at the event.
• In a wedding ceremony:
  • The father of the bride will give away his daughter at the altar.

Advanced Usage

• "to give oneself away": To reveal one's own true feelings, intentions, or guilt through one's behavior.
  • He tried to act calm, but his trembling hands gave him away.
• "a giveaway" (noun): Something that reveals a secret, or something given for free.
  • Her surprised expression was a dead giveaway.
  • The tote bag was a promotional giveaway.

Variants and Related Words

• Giveaway (n): 1. Something that reveals or betrays a secret. 2. Something given free, especially as part of a promotion.
• Giver (n): A person who gives.

Synonyms

• Disclose: To make new or secret information known.
• Reveal: To make previously unknown information known to others.
• Donate: To give money or goods for a good cause.
• Bestow: To confer or present (an honor, right, or gift).

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Give back: To return something to its owner.
  • Please give back the book when you're finished.
• Give in: To yield or surrender.
  • After hours of arguing, he finally gave in.
• Give out: 1. To distribute. 2. To stop functioning.
  • They were giving out leaflets on the street. The engine gave out after 200,000 miles.

Related Idioms

• "Give the game away": To reveal a secret or a plan, ruining an element of surprise or deception.
  • One glance at the scoreboard would give the game away.

Verb

1. give away information about somebody
   • He told on his classmate who had cheated on the exam
2. formally hand over to the bridegroom in marriage; of a bride by her father
3. make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret
   • The auction house would not disclose the price at which the van Gogh had sold
   • The actress won't reveal how old she is
   • bring out the truth
   • he broke the news to her
   • unwrap the evidence in the murder case
4. make a gift of
   • She gave away her antique furniture