1 A2 neutral
To distribute something to several people.
"The volunteers gave out sandwiches and coffee to the homeless."
separable
give out
B1 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To distribute something to a group of people, to stop working or functioning, or to come to an end.
In plain English
To hand things to many people, or to stop working or run out of energy.
What does "give out" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To stop working, functioning, or having enough energy.
"After the marathon, his legs gave out and he collapsed on the finish line."
inseparable
3 B1 neutral
To come to an end or be used up entirely.
"The food supplies gave out after three days in the wilderness."
inseparable
4 B2 neutral
To emit a sound, smell, or signal.
"The alarm gave out a high-pitched beep every thirty seconds."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To give something outward, away from a central point — transparent for the distribution sense.
Actually means
To hand things to many people, or to stop working or run out of energy.
Usage tip
Multiple senses make this a very useful and frequently encountered phrasal verb. The 'distribute' sense is transitive and separable. The 'stop working' sense (engines, legs, voice) is intransitive. Widely used in both British and American English.
Words that pair with "give out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
leaflets information , supplies engine legs voice
How to conjugate "give out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
give out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
gives out
he/she/it
Past simple
gave out
yesterday
Past participle
given out
have + pp
-ing form
giving out
continuous
Hear "give out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "give out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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