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Get vs. Give — What's the Difference?

By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 30, 2024
Get emphasizes receiving or obtaining something, while give focuses on transferring or providing something to others.
Get vs. Give — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Get and Give

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Key Differences

Get often involves acquiring or coming into possession of something, whether it be through purchasing, receiving as a gift, or achieving. For example, you might get a new book, get a job, or get a surprise. It can also involve understanding or grasping concepts. On the other hand, give is about the act of offering or providing something to another, whether it be tangible items like gifts or intangible like advice or attention. Giving implies a movement away from the giver towards someone or something else. This can include giving gifts, giving time, or giving effort towards a cause.
While get can suggest an effort or action towards acquiring or understanding, it also implies a benefit or addition to oneself or one's situation. For instance, getting a promotion benefits the individual. In contrast, give often entails a degree of selflessness or generosity, as it involves offering or dedicating something of the giver's to another, such as giving to charity, which benefits others.
In terms of interaction, to get something might require asking, earning, or purchasing, which involves an action directed towards gaining something from another source or situation. Whereas, to give, the action is directed outward, indicating a transfer or provision of something from oneself to another party, reflecting an outward flow of resources or care.
Get can also denote comprehension or acceptance of an idea, such as in "I get what you're saying." This use highlights an internal process of understanding or agreement. Conversely, give can imply flexibility or concession in discussions, as in giving ground during negotiations, showcasing an external action of compromise or adjustment.
Additionally, the context and nuance of get and give can shift based on their usage in idiomatic expressions. "To get going" suggests starting or initiating action, emphasizing personal involvement or benefit. Meanwhile, "to give up" implies cessation or surrender, focusing on the relinquishment or offering up of something.
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Comparison Chart

Primary Action

Acquiring, receiving, or understanding
Transferring, providing, or offering

Direction

Towards oneself
Away from oneself

Implication

Benefit, gain, or comprehension
Generosity, provision, or concession

Interaction Required

Asking, earning, or purchasing
Offering, dedicating, or conceding

Example Usage

"I need to get a new charger."
"I will give you my old charger."

Compare with Definitions

Get

To acquire or receive.
I managed to get his signature after the concert.

Give

To provide or supply.
The teacher will give us the exam results tomorrow.

Get

To reach or arrive at a place.
We got to the station just in time.

Give

To present voluntarily without expectation of something in return.
He decided to give his old books to the library.

Get

To cause something to be done.
Get your homework done before dinner.

Give

To make a gesture of offering.
She gave a nod in agreement.

Get

To become or come to be.
She got very interested in science.

Give

To allow or concede.
The negotiation ended when both sides agreed to give a little.

Get

To understand.
Did you get the joke he told earlier?

Give

To grant or bestow.
The president will give the award to the winner.

Get

Come to have (something); receive
I got a letter from him the other day
What kind of reception did you get?

Give

Freely transfer the possession of (something) to (someone)
He gave the papers back
The cheque given to the jeweller proved worthless
She gave him presents and clothes

Get

Succeed in attaining, achieving, or experiencing; obtain
He got a teaching job in California
I need all the sleep I can get

Give

Cause or allow (someone or something) to have or experience (something); provide with
You gave me such a fright
This leaflet gives our opening times

Get

Reach or cause to reach a specified state or condition
I need to get my hair cut
He'd got thinner
It's getting late
You'll get used to it

Give

Carry out or perform (a specified action)
He gave the counter a polish
I gave a bow

Get

Come, go, or make progress eventually or with some difficulty
Nigel got home very late
He hadn't got very far with the book yet

Give

Yield as a product or result
Milk is sometimes added to give a richer cheese

Get

See have

Give

Concede (something) as valid or deserved in respect of (someone)
Give him his due

Get

Catch or apprehend (someone)
The police have got him

Give

State or put forward (information or argument)
He did not give his name

Get

Understand (an argument or the person making it)
What do you mean? I don't get it

Give

Alter in shape under pressure rather than resist or break
That chair doesn't give

Get

Acquire (knowledge) by study; learn
That knowledge which is gotten at school

Give

Capacity to bend or alter in shape under pressure
Plastic pots that have enough give to accommodate the vigorous roots

Get

An animal's offspring.

Give

To make a present of
We gave her flowers for her birthday.

Get

A person whom the speaker dislikes or despises.

Give

To place in the hands of; pass
Give me the scissors.

Get

To come into possession or use of; receive
Got a cat for her birthday.

Give

To deliver in exchange or recompense; pay
Gave five dollars for the book.

Get

To meet with or incur
Got nothing but trouble for her efforts.

Give

To let go for a price; sell
Gave the used car away for two thousand dollars.

Get

To go after and obtain
Got a book at the library.
Got breakfast in town.

Give

To administer
Give him some cough medicine.

Get

To go after and bring
Get me a pillow.

Give

To convey by a physical action
Gave me a punch in the nose.

Get

To purchase; buy
Get groceries.

Give

To inflict as punishment
Was given life imprisonment for the crime.

Get

To acquire as a result of action or effort
He got his information from the internet. You can't get water out of a stone.

Give

To bestow, especially officially; confer
The Bill of Rights gives us freedom of speech.

Get

To earn
Got high marks in math.

Give

To accord or tender to another
Give him your confidence.

Get

To accomplish or attain as a result of military action.

Give

To put temporarily at the disposal of
Gave them the cottage for a week.

Get

To obtain by concession or request
Couldn't get the time off.
Got permission to go.

Give

To entrust to another, usually for a specified reason
Gave me the keys for safekeeping.

Get

To arrive at; reach
When did you get home?.

Give

To communicate, convey, or offer for conveyance
Give him my best wishes. Give us the latest news.

Get

To reach and board; catch
She got her plane two minutes before takeoff.

Give

To endure the loss of; sacrifice
Gave her son to the war.
Gave her life for her country.

Get

To succeed in communicating with, as by telephone
Can't get me at the office until nine.

Give

To devote or apply completely
Gives herself to her work.

Get

To become affected with (an illness, for example) by infection or exposure; catch
Get the flu.
Got the mumps.

Give

To furnish or contribute
Gave their time to help others.

Get

To be subjected to; undergo
Got a severe concussion.

Give

To offer in good faith; pledge
Give me your word.

Get

To receive as retribution or punishment
Got six years in prison for tax fraud.

Give

To allot as a portion or share.

Get

To sustain a specified injury to
Got my arm broken.

Give

To bestow (a name, for example).

Get

To perceive or become aware of by one of the senses
Get a whiff of perfume.
Got a look at the schedule.

Give

To attribute (blame, for example) to someone; assign.

Get

To gain or have understanding of
Do you get this question?.

Give

To award as due
Gave us first prize.

Get

To learn (a poem, for example) by heart; memorize.

Give

To emit or utter
Gave a groan.
Gave a muted response.

Get

To find or reach by calculating
Get a total.
Can't get the answer.

Give

To submit for consideration, acceptance, or use
Give an opinion.
Give an excuse.

Get

To procreate; beget
“Is my life given me for nothing but to get children and work to bring them up?” (D.H. Lawrence).

Give

To proffer to another
Gave the toddler my hand.

Get

To cause to become or be in a specified state or condition
Got the children tired and cross.
Got the shirt clean.

Give

To perform for an audience
Give a recital.

Get

To make ready; prepare
Get lunch for the family.

Give

To present to view
Gave the sign to begin.

Get

To cause to come or go
Got the car through traffic.

Give

To offer as entertainment
Give a dinner party.

Get

To cause to move or leave
Get me out of here!.

Give

To propose as a toast.

Get

To cause to undertake or perform; prevail on
Got the guide to give us the complete tour.

Give

To be a source of; afford
His remark gave offense. Music gives her pleasure.

Get

To take, especially by force; seize
The detective got the suspect as he left the restaurant.

Give

To cause to catch or be subject to (a disease or bodily condition)
The draft gave me a cold.

Get

(Informal) To overcome or destroy
The ice storm got the rose bushes.

Give

To guide or direct, as by persuasion or behavior. Used with an infinitive phrase
You gave me to imagine you approved of my report.

Get

To evoke an emotional response or reaction in
Romantic music really gets me.

Give

To yield or produce
Cows give milk.

Get

To annoy or irritate
What got me was his utter lack of initiative.

Give

To bring forth or bear
Trees that give fruit.

Get

To present a difficult problem to; puzzle
“It's the suspect's indifference that gets me,” the detective said.

Give

To produce as a result of calculation
5 × 12 gives 60.

Get

(Informal) To hit or strike
She got him on the chin. The bullet got him in the arm.

Give

To manifest or show
Gives promise of brilliance.
Gave evidence of tampering.

Get

(Baseball) To put out or strike out
Got the batter with a cut fastball.

Give

To carry out (a physical movement)
Give a wink.
Give a start.

Get

To begin or start. Used with the present participle
I have to get working on this or I'll miss my deadline.

Give

To permit one to have or take
Gave us an hour to finish.

Get

To have current possession of. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present
We've got plenty of cash.

Give

To take an interest to the extent of
"My dear, I don't give a damn" (Margaret Mitchell).

Get

(Nonstandard) To have current possession of. Used in the past tense form with the meaning of the present
They got a nice house in town.

Give

To make gifts or donations
Gives generously to charity.

Get

To have as an obligation. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present
I have got to leave early. You've got to do the dishes.

Give

To yield to physical force
The sail gave during the storm.

Get

(Nonstandard) To have as an obligation. Used in the past tense with the meaning of the present
They got to clean up this mess.

Give

To collapse from force or pressure
The roof gave under the weight of the snow.

Get

To become or grow to be
Eventually got well.

Give

To yield to change
Both sides will have to give on some issues.

Get

To be successful in coming or going
When will we get to Dallas?.

Give

To afford access or a view; open
The doors give onto a terrace.

Get

To be able or permitted
Never got to see Europe.
Finally got to work at home.

Give

(Slang) To be in progress; happen
What gives?.

Get

To be successful in becoming
Get free of a drug problem.

Give

Capacity or inclination to yield under pressure.

Get

Used with the past participle of transitive verbs as a passive voice auxiliary
Got stung by a bee.

Give

The quality or condition of resilience; springiness
"Fruits that have some give ... will have more juice than hard ones" (Elizabeth Schneider).

Get

To become drawn in, entangled, or involved
Got into debt.
Get into a hassle.

Give

(ditransitive) To move, shift, provide something abstract or concrete to someone or something or somewhere.

Get

(Informal) To depart immediately
Yelled at the dog to get.

Give

To transfer one's possession or holding of (something) to (someone).
I gave him my coat.
I gave my coat to the beggar.
When they asked, I gave my coat.

Get

To work for gain or profit; make money
Do you feel as though you're exhausting yourself getting and not making enough for spending?.

Give

To make a present or gift of.
I'm going to give my wife a necklace for her birthday.
She gave a pair of shoes to her husband for their anniversary.
He gives of his energies to the organization.

Get

Progeny; offspring
A thoroughbred's get.

Give

To pledge.
I gave him my word that I'd protect his children.

Get

Chiefly British Slang git2.

Give

To provide (something) to (someone), to allow or afford.
I gave them permission to miss tomorrow's class.
Please give me some more time.

Get

(Sports) A return, as in tennis, on a shot that seems impossible to reach.

Give

To cause (a sensation or feeling) to exist in.
It gives me a lot of pleasure to be here tonight.
The fence gave me an electric shock.
My mother-in-law gives me nothing but grief.

Get

A document presented by a husband to his wife whereby a divorce is effected between them according to Jewish religious law.

Give

To carry out (a physical interaction) with (something).
I want to give you a kiss.
She gave him a hug.
I'd like to give the tire a kick.
I gave the boy a push on the swing.
She gave me a wink afterwards, so I knew she was joking.

Get

A divorce effected by a get.

Give

To pass (something) into (someone's hand, etc.).
Give me your hand.
On entering the house, he gave his coat to the doorman.

Get

(ditransitive) To obtain; to acquire.
I'm going to get a computer tomorrow from the discount store.
Lance is going to get Mary a ring.

Give

To cause (a disease or condition) in, or to transmit (a disease or condition) to.
My boyfriend gave me chlamydia.
He was convinced that it was his alcoholism that gave him cancer.

Get

(transitive) To receive.
I got a computer from my parents for my birthday.
You need to get permission to leave early.
He got a severe reprimand for that.

Give

(transitive) To provide, as, a service or a broadcast.
They're giving my favorite show!

Get

To have. See usage notes.
I've got a concert ticket for you.

Give

(ditransitive) To estimate or predict (a duration or probability) for (something).
I give it ten minutes before he gives up.
I give it a 95% chance of success.
I'll give their marriage six months.

Get

(transitive) To fetch, bring, take.
Can you get my bag from the living-room, please?
I need to get this to the office.

Give

(intransitive) To yield or collapse under pressure or force.
One pillar gave, then more, and suddenly the whole floor pancaked onto the floor below.

Get

(copulative) To become, or cause oneself to become.
I'm getting hungry; how about you?
I'm going out to get drunk.

Give

(intransitive) To lead (onto or into).
The master bedroom gives onto a spacious balcony.

Get

(transitive) To cause to become; to bring about.
That song gets me so depressed every time I hear it.
I'll get this finished by lunchtime.
I can't get these boots off (or on).

Give

To provide a view of.
His window gave the park.

Get

(transitive) To cause to do.
Somehow she got him to agree to it.
I can't get it to work.

Give

To exhibit as a product or result; to produce; to yield.
The number of men, divided by the number of ships, gives four hundred to each ship.

Get

(transitive) To cause to come or go or move.
I got him to his room.

Give

To cause; to make; used with the infinitive.

Get

To adopt, assume, arrive at, or progress towards (a certain position, location, state).
The actors are getting into position.
When are we going to get to London?
I'm getting into a muddle.
We got behind the wall.

Give

To cause (someone) to have; produce in (someone); effectuate.

Get

(transitive) To cover (a certain distance) while travelling.
To get a mile

Give

To allow or admit by way of supposition; to concede.
He can be bad-tempered, I'll give you that, but he's a hard worker.

Get

(intransitive) To begin (doing something or to do something).
We ought to get moving or we'll be late.
After lunch we got chatting.
I'm getting to like him better now.

Give

To attribute; to assign; to adjudge.

Get

(transitive) To take or catch (a scheduled transportation service).
I normally get the 7:45 train.
I'll get the 9 a.m. [flight] to Boston.

Give

To communicate or announce (advice, tidings, etc.); to pronounce or utter (an opinion, a judgment, a shout, etc.).
The umpire finally gave his decision: the ball was out.

Get

(transitive) To respond to (a telephone call, a doorbell, etc).
Can you get that call, please? I'm busy.

Give

To grant power, permission, destiny, etc. (especially to a person); to allot; to allow.

Get

To be able, be permitted, or have the opportunity (to do something desirable or ironically implied to be desirable).
I'm so jealous that you got to see them perform live!
The finders get to keep 80 percent of the treasure.
Great. I get to clean the toilets today.

Give

(reflexive) To devote or apply (oneself).
The soldiers give themselves to plunder.
That boy is given to fits of bad temper.

Get

To be told; be the recipient of (a question, comparison, opinion, etc.).
"You look just like Helen Mirren." / "I get that a lot."

Give

(obsolete) To become soft or moist.

Get

(informal) To be. Used to form the passive of verbs.
He got bitten by a dog.

Give

(obsolete) To shed tears; to weep.

Get

(transitive) To become ill with or catch (a disease).
I went on holiday and got malaria.

Give

(obsolete) To have a misgiving.

Get

To catch out, trick successfully.
He keeps calling pretending to be my boss—it gets me every time.

Give

(slang) To be going on, to be occurring; what gives?
Your outfit is giving!

Get

To perplex, stump.
That question's really got me.

Give

The amount of bending that something undergoes when a force is applied to it; a tendency to yield under pressure; resilence.
This chair doesn't have much give.
There is no give in his dogmatic religious beliefs.

Get

(transitive) To find as an answer.
What did you get for question four?

Give

To bestow without receiving a return; to confer without compensation; to impart, as a possession; to grant, as authority or permission; to yield up or allow.
For generous lords had rather give than pay.

Get

To bring to reckoning; to catch (as a criminal); to effect retribution.
The cops finally got me.
I'm gonna get him for that.

Give

To yield possesion of; to deliver over, as property, in exchange for something; to pay; as, we give the value of what we buy.
What shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?

Get

(transitive) To hear completely; catch.
Sorry, I didn't get that. Could you repeat it?

Give

To yield; to furnish; to produce; to emit; as, flint and steel give sparks.

Get

(transitive) To getter.
I put the getter into the container to get the gases.

Give

To communicate or announce, as advice, tidings, etc.; to pronounce; to render or utter, as an opinion, a judgment, a sentence, a shout, etc.

Get

To beget (of a father).

Give

To grant power or license to; to permit; to allow; to license; to commission.
It is given me once again to behold my friend.
Then give thy friend to shed the sacred wine.

Get

(archaic) To learn; to commit to memory; to memorize; sometimes with out.
To get a lesson;
To get out one's Greek lesson

Give

To exhibit as a product or result; to produce; to show; as, the number of men, divided by the number of ships, gives four hundred to each ship.

Get

Used with a personal pronoun to indicate that someone is being pretentious or grandiose.
Get her with her new hairdo.

Give

To devote; to apply; used reflexively, to devote or apply one's self; as, the soldiers give themselves to plunder; also in this sense used very frequently in the past participle; as, the people are given to luxury and pleasure; the youth is given to study.

Get

To go, to leave; to scram.

Give

To set forth as a known quantity or a known relation, or as a premise from which to reason; - used principally in the passive form given.

Get

To make acquisitions; to gain; to profit.

Give

To allow or admit by way of supposition.
I give not heaven for lost.

Get

(transitive) To measure.
Did you get her temperature?

Give

To attribute; to assign; to adjudge.
I don't wonder at people's giving him to me as a lover.

Get

(dated) Offspring.

Give

To excite or cause to exist, as a sensation; as, to give offense; to give pleasure or pain.

Get

Lineage.

Give

To pledge; as, to give one's word.

Get

A difficult return or block of a shot.

Give

To cause; to make; - with the infinitive; as, to give one to understand, to know, etc.
But there the duke was given to understandThat in a gondola were seen togetherLorenzo and his amorous Jessica.

Get

(informal) Something gained; an acquisition.

Give

To afford a view of; as, his window gave the park.
Whatsoever we employ in charitable uses during our lives, is given away from ourselves.
I fear our ears have given us the bag.
One that gives out himself Prince Florizel.
Give out you are of Epidamnum.
The Babylonians had given themselves over to all manner of vice.
He has . . . given upFor certain drops of salt, your city Rome.
I'll not state themBy giving up their characters.

Get

A git.

Give

To give a gift or gifts.

Get

(Judaism) A Jewish writ of divorce.

Give

To yield to force or pressure; to relax; to become less rigid; as, the earth gives under the feet.

Get

Jet, the mineral.

Give

To become soft or moist.

Get

Fashion; manner; custom.

Give

To move; to recede.
Now back he gives, then rushes on amain.

Get

Artifice; contrivance.

Give

To shed tears; to weep.
Whose eyes do never giveBut through lust and laughter.

Get

Offspring; progeny; as, the get of a stallion.

Give

To have a misgiving.
My mind gives ye're reservedTo rob poor market women.

Get

A divorce granted by a Rabbi in accordance with Jewish law; also, the document attesting to the divorce.

Give

To open; to lead.
This, yielding, gave into a grassy walk.
They gave back and came no farther.
The Scots battalion was enforced to give in.
This consideration may induce a translator to give in to those general phrases.
Rooms which gave upon a pillared porch.
The gloomy staircase on which the grating gave.
It would be well for all authors, if they knew when to give over, and to desist from any further pursuits after fame.

Get

To procure; to obtain; to gain possession of; to acquire; to earn; to obtain as a price or reward; to come by; to win, by almost any means; as, to get favor by kindness; to get wealth by industry and economy; to get land by purchase, etc.

Give

The elasticity of something that can be stretched and returns to its original length

Get

Hence, with have and had, to come into or be in possession of; to have.
Thou hast got the face of man.

Give

Cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense;
She gave him a black eye
The draft gave me a cold

Get

To beget; to procreate; to generate.
I had rather to adopt a child than get it.

Give

Be the cause or source of;
He gave me a lot of trouble
Our meeting afforded much interesting information

Get

To obtain mental possession of; to learn; to commit to memory; to memorize; as to get a lesson; also with out; as, to get out one's Greek lesson.
It being harder with him to get one sermon by heart, than to pen twenty.

Give

Transfer possession of something concrete or abstract to somebody;
I gave her my money
Can you give me lessons?
She gave the children lots of love and tender loving care

Get

To prevail on; to induce; to persuade.
Get him to say his prayers.

Give

Convey or reveal information;
Give one's name

Get

To procure to be, or to cause to be in any state or condition; - with a following participle.
Those things I bid you do; get them dispatched.

Give

Convey, as of a compliment, regards, attention, etc.; bestow;
Don't pay him any mind
Give the orders
Give him my best regards
Pay attention

Get

To betake; to remove; - in a reflexive use.
Get thee out from this land.
He . . . got himself . . . to the strong town of Mega.

Give

Organize or be responsible for;
Hold a reception
Have, throw, or make a party
Give a course

Get

To make acquisition; to gain; to profit; to receive accessions; to be increased.
We mourn, France smiles; we lose, they daily get.

Give

Convey or communicate; of a smile, a look, a physical gesture;
Throw a glance
She gave me a dirty look

Get

To arrive at, or bring one's self into, a state, condition, or position; to come to be; to become; - with a following adjective or past participle belonging to the subject of the verb; as, to get sober; to get awake; to get beaten; to get elected.
To get rid of fools and scoundrels.
His chariot wheels get hot by driving fast.

Give

Give as a present; make a gift of;
What will you give her for her birthday?

Get

Come into the possession of something concrete or abstract;
She got a lot of paintings from her uncle
They acquired a new pet
Get your results the next day
Get permission to take a few days off from work

Give

Bring about;
His two singles gave the team the victory

Get

Enter or assume a certain state or condition;
He became annoyed when he heard the bad news
It must be getting more serious
Her face went red with anger
She went into ecstasy
Get going!

Give

Dedicate;
Give thought to
Give priority to
Pay attention to

Get

Cause to move; cause to be in a certain position or condition;
He got his squad on the ball
This let me in for a big surprise
He got a girl into trouble

Give

Give or supply;
The cow brings in 5 liters of milk
This year's crop yielded 1,000 bushels of corn
The estate renders some revenue for the family

Get

Receive a specified treatment (abstract);
These aspects of civilization do not find expression or receive an interpretation
His movie received a good review
I got nothing but trouble for my good intentions

Give

Tell or deposit (information) knowledge;
Give a secret to the Russians
Leave your name and address here

Get

Reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress;
She arrived home at 7 o'clock
She didn't get to Chicago until after midnight

Give

Bring about;
The trompe l'oeil-illusion establishes depth

Get

Go or come after and bring or take back;
Get me those books over there, please
Could you bring the wine?
The dog fetched the hat

Give

Leave with; give temporarily;
Can I give you my keys while I go in the pool?
Can I give you the children for the weekend?

Get

Of mental or physical states or experiences;
Get an idea
Experience vertigo
Get nauseous
Undergo a strange sensation
The chemical undergoes a sudden change
The fluid undergoes shear
Receive injuries
Have a feeling

Give

Emit or utter;
Give a gulp
Give a yelp

Get

Take vengeance on or get even;
We'll get them!
That'll fix him good!
This time I got him

Give

Endure the loss of;
He gave his life for his children
I gave two sons to the war

Get

Achieve a point or goal;
Nicklaus had a 70
The Brazilian team got 4 goals
She made 29 points that day

Give

Place into the hands or custody of;
Hand me the spoon, please
Turn the files over to me, please
He turned over the prisoner to his lawyers

Get

Cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner;
The ads induced me to buy a VCR
My children finally got me to buy a computer
My wife made me buy a new sofa

Give

Give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause;
She committed herself to the work of God
Give one's talents to a good cause
Consecrate your life to the church

Get

Succeed in catching or seizing, especially after a chase;
We finally got the suspect
Did you catch the thief?

Give

Give (as medicine);
I gave him the drug

Get

Come to have or undergo a change of (physical features and attributes);
He grew a beard
The patient developed abdominal pains
I got funny spots all over my body
Well-developed breasts

Give

Give or convey physically;
She gave him First Aid
I gave him a punch in the nose

Get

Be stricken by an illness, fall victim to an illness;
He got AIDS
She came down with pneumonia
She took a chill

Give

Bestow;
Give hommage
Render thanks

Get

Communicate with a place or person; establish communication with, as if by telephone;
Bill called this number and he got Mary
The operator couldn't get Kobe because of the earthquake

Give

Bestow, especially officially;
Grant a degree
Give a divorce
This bill grants us new rights

Get

Give certain properties to something;
Get someone mad
She made us look silly
He made a fool of himself at the meeting
Don't make this into a big deal
This invention will make you a millionaire
Make yourself clear

Give

Move in order to make room for someone for something;
The park gave way to a supermarket
`Move over,' he told the crowd

Get

Move into a desired direction of discourse;
What are you driving at?

Give

Give food to;
Feed the starving children in India
Don't give the child this tough meat

Get

Grasp with the mind or develop an undersatnding of;
Did you catch that allusion?
We caught something of his theory in the lecture
Don't catch your meaning
Did you get it?
She didn't get the joke
I just don't get him

Give

Contribute to some cause;
I gave at the office

Get

Attract and fix;
His look caught her
She caught his eye
Catch the attention of the waiter

Give

Break down, literally or metaphorically;
The wall collapsed
The business collapsed
The dam broke
The roof collapsed
The wall gave in
The roof finally gave under the weight of the ice

Get

Reach with a blow or hit in a particular spot;
The rock caught her in the back of the head
The blow got him in the back
The punch caught him in the stomach

Give

Estimate the duration or outcome of something;
He gave the patient three months to live
I gave him a very good chance at success

Get

Reach by calculation;
What do you get when you add up these numbers?

Give

Execute and deliver;
Give bond

Get

Acquire as a result of some effort or action;
You cannot get water out of a stone
Where did she get these news?

Give

Deliver in exchange or recompense;
I'll give you three books for four CDs

Get

Purchase;
What did you get at the toy store?

Give

Afford access to;
The door opens to the patio
The French doors give onto a terrace

Get

Perceive by hearing;
I didn't catch your name
She didn't get his name when they met the first time

Give

Present to view;
He gave the sign to start

Get

Suffer from the receipt of;
She will catch hell for this behavior!

Give

Perform for an audience;
Pollini is giving another concert in New York

Get

Receive as a retribution or punishment;
He got 5 years in prison

Give

Be flexible under stress of physical force;
This material doesn't give

Get

Leave immediately; used usually in the imperative form;
Scram!

Give

Propose;
He gave the first of many toasts at the birthday party

Get

Reach and board;
She got the bus just as it was leaving

Give

Legal use: accord by verdict;
Give a decision for the plaintiff

Get

Irritate;
Her childish behavior really get to me
His lying really gets me

Give

Manifest or show;
This student gives promise of real creativity
The office gave evidence of tampering

Get

Evoke an emotional response;
Brahms's `Requiem' gets me every time

Give

Offer in good faith;
He gave her his word

Get

Apprehend and reproduce accurately;
She really caught the spirit of the place in her drawings
She got the mood just right in her photographs

Give

Submit for consideration, judgment, or use;
Give one's opinion
Give an excuse

Get

In baseball: earn or achieve a base by being walked by the pitcher;
He drew a base on balls

Give

Guide or direct, as by behavior of persuasion;
You gave me to think that you agreed with me

Get

Overcome or destroy;
The ice storm got my hibiscus
The cat got the goldfish

Give

Allow to have or take;
I give you two minutes to respond

Get

Be a mystery or bewildering to;
This beats me!
Got me--I don't know the answer!
A vexing problem
This question really stuck me

Give

Inflict as a punishment;
She gave the boy a good spanking
The judge gave me 10 years

Get

Take the first step or steps in carrying out an action;
We began working at dawn
Who will start?
Get working as soon as the sun rises!
The first tourists began to arrive in Cambodia
He began early in the day
Let's get down to work now

Give

Occur;
What gives?

Get

Undergo (as of injuries and illnesses);
She suffered a fracture in the accident
He had an insulin shock after eating three candy bars
She got a bruise on her leg
He got his arm broken in the scuffle

Give

Proffer (a body part);
She gave her hand to her little sister

Get

Make children;
Abraham begot Isaac
Men often father children but don't recognize them

Common Curiosities

Is get always a selfish action?

Not necessarily. While get focuses on acquisition for oneself, it can also mean understanding or achieving something beneficial in a broader sense.

How can one use give in a sentence?

"I plan to give my old laptop to someone who needs it."

Do get and give always imply physical actions?

No, both can imply intangible actions, such as getting an idea (understanding) or giving advice.

Can give be used to indicate a loss?

Yes, in contexts like giving up or giving in, it signifies a relinquishment or concession, which can be perceived as a loss.

How do get and give relate in transactions?

In transactions, one party gets (receives) goods or services, while the other gives (provides) them.

Can get imply effort?

Yes, getting something often implies an effort towards acquisition, like getting a degree.

Can the meaning of get and give change in idiomatic expressions?

Yes, idiomatic expressions can significantly alter the meanings, making them context-dependent.

What does it mean to get something?

To get something means to acquire, receive, or become the owner or recipient of that item or information.

Does give always require generosity?

While give often implies generosity, it can also be used in contexts requiring or implying obligation or duty.

How do get and give function in social relationships?

They signify reciprocal actions where getting might mean receiving support, and giving involves offering support.

Can get and give be used in abstract contexts?

Absolutely. Both can be used abstractly, such as getting an idea (understanding) or giving someone hope.

Is it possible to both get and give in the same action?

Yes, in some interactions, one party gets something while simultaneously giving something else, like in trade.

Are there situations where get and give are used together?

Yes, for example, "I'll give you my notes if you can get me a coffee."

Can get and give be synonymous in any context?

In some contexts, they might seem interchangeable, especially in informal barter situations, but generally, they maintain distinct meanings focusing on receiving versus providing.

How do get and give relate to power dynamics?

Giving can imply a position of power or abundance, able to provide or bestow, whereas getting might suggest dependence or need.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Tayyaba Rehman
Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj Arif
Urooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.

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