1 A2 neutral
To give something to someone without charging money for it.
"The bakery gives away leftover bread at the end of each day."
separable
give away
A2 neutral separable transitive
To give something to someone for free, to reveal a secret unintentionally, or to escort a bride at a wedding.
In plain English
To give something for free, accidentally tell a secret, or walk with a bride to the altar.
What does "give away" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To accidentally reveal a secret, surprise, or piece of information.
"Don't give away the ending — I haven't finished the book yet!"
“
Don't give away the game.
— Common idiomatic expression; widely cited in English-language literature and journalism
separable
3 B1 idiomatic neutral
To escort a bride down the aisle and formally hand her to the groom in a wedding ceremony.
"Her uncle gave her away at the wedding because her father had passed away."
separable
4 B1 idiomatic neutral
To betray someone or something that was meant to be kept hidden.
"His nervous laugh gave him away — everyone knew he was lying."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To give something and send it away from yourself — transparent for the 'donate' sense.
Actually means
To give something for free, accidentally tell a secret, or walk with a bride to the altar.
Usage tip
Very versatile phrasal verb. The 'reveal a secret' sense is often used with 'the ending,' 'the surprise,' or 'the plot.' In the wedding sense, traditionally the father gives away the bride, though modern ceremonies vary this. Common in both British and American English.
Words that pair with "give away"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
secret ending prize free samples bride position
How to conjugate "give away"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
give away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
gives away
he/she/it
Past simple
gave away
yesterday
Past participle
given away
have + pp
-ing form
giving away
continuous
Hear "give away" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "give away" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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