(a) To give alms, gifts, etc., give something voluntarily, make a gift; give generously (to sb.); give alms, gifts, etc. (to sb.) in response to a request; also, in partitive construction: ~ of, give of (one’s means, goods, etc. to sb.); (b) to give (sth. material) gratuitously and unconditionally, transfer ownership or possession of (an object, property, etc.) without recompense, give (alms, a gift, etc.), bestow;—usu. with indirect obj.; also iron.; ~ awei, give (sth.) away; (c) to convey ownership of (sth. material to sb.) in response to a request or plea, grant; give (sb. a requested gift); (d) to convey ownership of (sth. material) for the accomplishment of a specified purpose or cause, contribute; donate (money, a gift, etc. to a religious house, God, etc.); (e) to convey ownership of (sth. material, sth. to sb.) in accord with or in violation of a bequest; distribute (an estate); also, alienate (property from the heirs or possessor); (f) to assign future ownership or disposition of (goods, property, etc.) by testament; bequeath (sth. to sb.); also, promise (sb. sth.) [1st & 2nd quots.]; also in fig. context [quot. a1500(?a1450)]; (g) to reward (an inferior) with (sth., a woman), give (sb. sth.) in response to some service or good deed, in the hope of cultivating fame, etc.; also used iron.; also, reward (sb.) for services rendered (as distinct from rendering payment owed) [quot. c1300(c1250)]; ~ mede (reward); (h) to supply (sth.) as a dowry; dower (sb.) with (sth.); (i) to give (sb. sth. as an award or a prize), award (sb. a prize); (j) in proverbs and prov. expressions.

(a) To bestow (sth. immaterial), confer (possession of sth., a privilege, title, benefice, an office, etc.); grant jurisdiction over (a kingdom, bishopric, etc.), put (an institution, a city, jurisdiction, etc.) into someone’s charge; grant (authority, power, etc.);—usu. with indirect obj.; also, confer (the right to a specified coat of arms on sb. or a guild); (b) to gift (sb. with freedom); (c) to convey (property, rights, privileges, jurisdiction over a bishopric, district, etc.) by formal instrument;—usu. with to phrase and person as obj. of prep.; also in fig. context; (d) to reward with (sth. immaterial), give as a reward; of God: give (a place in heaven, the grace of a good end, etc.) as a reward; give (a reward); also fig.;—usu. with indirect obj.; (e) of a person: to award (victory to sb. or sth.), adjudge; also, grant (preeminence to sb.); (f) to forgive (sb. a debt).

(a) To give (comfort, help, mercy, etc.), grant (forgiveness, pardon, respite, etc.), render (judgment), pass (sentence); of God: give (grace);—usu. with indirect obj.; also, with inf. or clause: give (sb. respite, grace, comfort, etc. to do sth.); give (sb. respite that sb. do sth.), pass (judgment that sth. should occur), etc.; (b) to grant (sb. leave or license), give (sb. permission); also, with inf. or clause: grant (sb. leave to so sth., that sb. do sth., etc.); (c) in oaths, asseverations, prayers, imprecations, etc.;—freq. with inf. or clause: god yeve him ivel grace; god yeve that oure ende be god; yeve us so his wille to don; etc.

(a) To provide; provide (for sb.); also, in partitive construction: ~ of, provide (for sb.) some of (sth.); also, of the earth: provide (for sb.) of (its fruits); (b) to provide (the necessities of life), supply (daily sustenance, shelter, worldly goods, etc.), make available; also fig.; provide (a sum of money, a commodity);—usu. with indirect obj.; also, of Christ: provide (mankind) with (good things); (c) to provide (a son for a woman or a people), give (sb. offspring or descendants); also, provide (a king for sb.), supply (human beings to populate the earth); (d) to furnish (equipment, battle gear, etc. to sb.); also fig. and in fig. context; ~ seiles, furnish speed (to a navy); (e) to furnish (an example, a model), serve as (an exemplar); also, set (a precedent);—freq. with indirect obj.; also, with inf. or clause: furnish (an example or a model to sb. to do sth., how one should do sth., etc.); ~ ensaumple (essample, exaumple, fore-bisne) [see also ensaumple n. 4b.(b)]; (f) to furnish (an opportunity, impediment, a cause, means, etc.);—usu. with indirect obj.; also, with inf. or clause: furnish (sb. a reason, justification, an occasion, etc. to do sth.); furnish (a cause or an occasion that sth. be done); ~ profite (utilite), be useful (for doing sth.); (g) to endow with (life, a soul, faculty, quality, reason, etc.); be responsible for (natural endowments, behavioral or temperamental traits, a talent, an aptitude);—usu. with indirect obj.; also, furnish (light, beams to the sun, stars to the heavens, etc.); also, with inf. or clause: endow (sb.) with (reason, free will, etc. to do sth.); endow (sb.) with (free choice whether he will do sth.).

To spare (sb., someone’s life).

(a) To make payment, pay; also, in partitive construction: ~ of, pay tribute from (one’s goods); (b) to pay (an exaction, a rent, tax, tribute, etc.); pay (money or the equivalent) for some consideration, as in a bribe, discharge of a debt, payment of wages, etc.; also fig.; make (payment for sth. done), pay (money for a purchase); also, pay (a sum as recompense, interest, etc.);—usu. with indirect obj.; (c) to exchange (sb. or sth. for sb. or sth. else), trade; give up (sth. in favor of sth. else); ~ for; (d) to give (sth.) in return for something given or done; give (sth. on condition that sth. is done); repay (evil for good, hate for love, etc.);—usu. with indirect obj.; also fig.; also, restore (sth. to its rightful owner); ~ ayen; (e) to sell (sb. or sth. to sb.), supply in exchange for money; also, sell (sth. for money); also fig. [last quot.]; (f) to restore (to sb. or sth. a faculty, quality, health, etc. that has been diminished or lost).

In phrases, freq. negative, indicating disdain, indifference, or disregard: (a) ne ~ nought of, ne ~ no-thing of, ~ no del of, etc., to give nothing for (sb. or sth.), care nothing for, have no interest in, have no regard for, pay no heed to; ~ litel (litel charge, litel tale, etc.) of, give little for (sb. or sth.), care little about, have little concern for; no ~ of, care nothing about (sb. or sth.); also, with inf.: ~ nought, have no concern (about doing sth.), scruple not (to do sth.); (b) ~ not a bene (pulled hen, etc.) of, ~ nought a lek for, ne ~ nought a strau (on gos winge, etc.) of, ne ~ a torde for, etc., to give not a bean (plucked hen, goose wing, leek, turd, etc.) for (sb. or sth., God), have no concern for, regard as worthless, pay no heed to; (c) ~ no force, to pay no heed; pay no heed (to sth.), care not (about sth.); also, with inf. or clause: have no concern (to do sth., what occurred, etc.); ~ litel tale, care little (how sth. is); ~ not a mite, ne ~ a gras, care not a bit (though sth. happen).

(a) To convey temporary possession of (sth.) on loan, lend; also fig.; ~ oute bi eschaunge, ~ in leninge, ~ to usure, etc.; (b) to hand over (sth., oneself) as a pledge or an earnest; deliver (a hostage) in pledge; pledge (one’s word); also, wager (sth.);—freq. with indirect obj.; (c) to give (a woman in marriage), arrange the betrothal or marriage of (a woman); give (sb. a woman as wife or companion); provide (a husband for one’s daughter); also, grant (sb. a lover) [quot. c1385]; of Nature: provide (a mate for every fowl); (d) to entrust or commit (sb. or sth.) into someone’s charge or keeping; entrust (sb. or sth. to sb.); refl. entrust oneself (to someone’s grace), throw oneself (upon someone’s mercy); ~ in kepinge (to kepen, unto your governaunce, etc.); (e) to delegate (authority, judgment, etc. to sb.); also, confer (a badge or token of authority on sb.), bestow; with inf.: commission (sb. to do sth.), delegate, authorize; ~ in honde, give (sb.) the responsibility (to do sth.).

(a) In partitive construction: ~ of, to give some of (sth.) for another’s use or consumption; give some of (sth. to sb.); (b) to serve (sb. food, drink, a drink, etc.), give (an animal its fodder, sth. as feed); also fig.; offer (sb. as if food for an animal) [1st quot.]; feed (sb., someone’s flesh, etc. to birds of prey); also, provide (water for drinking or washing), furnish; med. & veter. diet (sb., an animal) with (specified diet, certain foods), feed (a patient specified food or drink); ~ drinke (drinche), give (sb.) drink; also, fig. soak (sth.) [quot. ?1440, 1st]; ~ milk, nurse (a young child); also fig.; (c) in constructions with inf.: ~ (to, for to) drinken, to give (sb.) to drink; have (sb.) drink (sth.), let (sb.) drink (sth.); ~ (to, for to, at) eten, give (sb.) to eat; let (sb.) eat (sth.); ~ (to, at) souken, give suck, suckle; also, give (a young child, the young of an animal) suck, suckle, nurse; also fig.; (d) chiefly med. & veter. to administer (a medicine, medicinal herb, potion, etc.) internally; give (a patient, an animal, etc. sth. medicinal) to eat or drink;—also without obj. [1st quot.]; ~ (to) drinken, give (a patient sth.) to drink, have (a patient) drink (sth.); also, give (sth.) to drink [quot. a1500, 1st]; (e) eccl. & theol. to administer (the Eucharistic host to sb.), give (communion); also, administer (the chrism) in the sacrament of baptism or extreme unction; of Christ: offer (his body in the Eucharist); (f) to offer or allow the use of (one’s body to sb.) in a sexual relationship; also, proffer (one’s breast) to suckle a child.

(a) To hand (sb.) over into the custody of (sb.), deliver (sb. to sb. else); release (a captive to his people) [1st quot.]; also, hand over (a corpse) for burial; ~ over; ~ to dom, hand (sb.) over to judgment; (b) to hand over (sth., an animal) into the physical custody of (sb.); also, hand (sb. sth.) for some purpose; turn over (to sb. a riderless horse) on the field; hand over (a surrendered city to sb.); (c) to bring out (sth. kept in reserve) for use, bring forth so as to hand over.

To extend (one’s hand to sb.) in accord, in the dance, etc.; also, put out (one’s hands to be bound), stretch out.

(a) To dedicate (one’s child to God) by placing him in the service of a Jewish priest; also, offer up (one’s voluntary poverty, chastity, etc. to God) as a gift; eccl. offer (a religious service to Mary); (b) to devote (oneself, one’s heart, etc. to God, Christ, the Virgin Mary, a pagan deity, etc.); dedicate, give over entirely; also, put oneself at the disposal of (sb.); with inf.: devote oneself (to serve God, be Christ’s servant, etc.); (c) to sacrifice (sb. to an idol); offer (a sacrifice or an offering to God or an idol); also, present (an action) as an offering; present (sth.) as an offering (to sb. or God); (d) of a wife: to give (her virginity to her husband); also, in proverb, of a woman: ?give (her pudendum to a lover); ~ togeder, of a married couple: give (their bodies to each other) mutually.

In phrases: (a) ~ to (til, unto), to devote (oneself, one’s body or heart) to (sth., an action, activity, occupation, a practice, way of life, etc.), pursue actively; also, refl. cultivate the company of (a certain kind of person) [quot. a1425(?a1400), 2nd]; with inf.: devote (one’s heart to doing sth.); refl. give oneself over (to doing sth.); (b) ~ to (til, unto), of a person, the heart: to be inclined to (sb. or sth.), be favorably disposed; also, incline (sb., one’s heart to sb.); ~ ayenes, be ill-disposed toward (an action); (c) ben) yeven to (with), to be) characterized by (a vice, an evil, etc.), be) dedicated to the pursuit of (violence), be) disposed or inclined to; also, with inf.: be disposed (to do sth.), have a propensity.