give up

What it means

To stop trying to do something, usually because it's too difficult or you've lost hope. It can also mean to stop a habit, like smoking or coffee, or to surrender something you value.

Examples

• Don't give up — you're almost finished with the project!
• She gave up smoking last year and feels much healthier now.
• After three failed attempts, he gave up on learning the guitar.
• We had to give up our apartment when the rent doubled.

Where it comes from

Separable when there's an object: 'give up chocolate' or 'give it up'. Used alone, it means to surrender or quit entirely. The phrase has been in English since the 1300s and originally meant 'to hand over' — the modern sense of abandoning effort grew from that.

Related phrasal verbs