Word.ws English Dictionary

gives someone a break

gives someone a break is the third-person singular simple present indicative of give someone a break.

Meaning of give someone a break

Verb

give someone a break (third-person singular simple present gives someone a break, present participle giving someone a break, simple past gave someone a break, past participle given someone a break)

  1. (idiomatic, imperative) To stop harassing or demanding from someone.
    • “Oh, give me a break, sport. You want to pick my brain but you're not going ^([sic]) give me anything in return? What's up with that?”2003, Alecia Alexander, Everybody's a Critic, page 105
  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: To allow someone a respite.
  3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: To provide someone with an opportunity for advancement.

Questions about gives someone a break

What is gives someone a break the third-person singular simple present indicative of?
Gives someone a break is the third-person singular simple present indicative of give someone a break.

Words near gives someone a break in the dictionary

  1. gives paw
  2. gives pursuit
  3. gives rise to
  4. gives somebody time
  5. gives someone a bloody nose
  6. gives someone a break
  7. gives someone a hand
  8. gives someone a hard time
  9. gives someone a lift
  10. gives someone a piece of one's mind
  11. gives someone a ring

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: gives someone a break (page history and authors); give someone a break (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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