give up

/ɡɪv ʌp/
phrasal verbIntermediatephrasal verb
informal

To stop trying to do something because it is too difficult or because you have failed.

After many failed attempts, he decided to give up learning to play the guitar.

Sau nhiều lần cố gắng không thành công, anh ấy quyết định bỏ học chơi đàn guitar.

She gave up smoking last year and hasn't had a cigarette since.

Cô ấy đã bỏ hút thuốc lá năm ngoái và không hút thuốc từ đó.

💡

This phrasal verb is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, though it is more frequently used in informal speech.

Collocations

give up easilybỏ cuộc dễ dànggive up hopebỏ hy vọnggive up on someonebỏ cuộc với ai đó

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

give inphrasal verb
to surrender or yield to pressure
give outphrasal verb
to distribute or to become exhausted

💡Pro Tip

Common Usage

'Give up' is often used to express the act of stopping an activity or effort, especially when it is no longer feasible or worthwhile.

Gold Rule

Transitive and Intransitive Use

Remember that 'give up' can be used both with and without an object. For example, 'She gave up her dream' (transitive) and 'He gave up' (intransitive).

📖Word Origin

The phrase 'give up' is a combination of the verb 'give' and the preposition 'up', where 'up' functions as an adverbial particle modifying the verb 'give' to indicate cessation or surrender.

📝Usage Notes

The phrasal verb 'give up' can be used both transitively (with an object) and intransitively (without an object). For example, 'She gave up her job' (transitive) and 'He gave up' (intransitive).

Word Breakdown

give
to hand over or relinquish
root
+
up
indicates cessation or surrender
particle
English Dictionary