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View synonyms for give it to

give it to



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Idioms and Phrases

Punish or reprimand, as in Dad really gave it to Tom for coming in so late . This expression, implying a physical or verbal attack, dates from the late 1500s. Also see give someone hell . In more recent times the expression gave rise to give it to someone straight , meaning “to tell someone something candidly and directly.” For example, I asked the doctor to give it to use straight about Mother's condition .

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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give it one's best shotgive me a break