Lesson 27: Idioms with GIVE

Introductory Quiz
Guess the correct meaning of each idiom from the context. It's OK if you get a lot
of answers wrong – what’s important is to do your best in trying to figure it out!

1) Sorry I missed the meeting - could you give me a rundown of what was
discussed?

Give someone a rundown means...

A. explain a summary
B. provide notes
C. remind the person

2) I don't like walking past that abandoned old house at night. It gives me the
creeps.

Give me the creeps means...

A. cause me to get lost

B. make me scared/uncomfortable
C. result in anger

3) After waiting for the repairman for over an hour, my mother called his
supervisor and gave him a piece of her mind.

Give someone a piece of your mind means...

A. make a suggestion
B. strongly criticize
C. talk about an experience

4) The mayor gives lip service to plans to provide affordable housing, but he
keeps approving the construction of luxury apartments.
www.espressoenglish.net
© Shayna Oliveira 2012
Give lip service to something means...

A. constantly delay until the future

B. express support that is not sincere
C. talk a lot about

5) I charged my cell phone an hour ago, and the battery's already gone dead.
What gives?

What gives? means...

A. can you give me something?

B. what should I do?
C. what's the problem?

6) There's no standardized curriculum; the director gives the teachers free

rein in the classroom.

Give someone free rein means...

A. allow them to have complete control

B. gives them good advice
C. provide them with free resources

7) I just wanted to give you a heads up that the store will be closed
tomorrow - it's a holiday.

Give someone a heads up means...

A. alert or warn them

B. encourage them
C. tell them to go away

8) I stupidly lost some money gambling, and my wife has been giving me
grief about it.

www.espressoenglish.net
© Shayna Oliveira 2012
Give someone grief means...

A. criticize or tease
B. feel rather sad
C. force someone to apologize

9) My girlfriend gave me a dirty look when I told our friends a story about
her that was rather embarrassing.

Give someone a dirty look means...

A. look at them angrily

B. look at them with sexual desire
C. lose respect for the person

10) I just want a job I enjoy. I don't give a fig about the salary.

Not give a fig means...

A. not ask
B. not care
C. not have experience

www.espressoenglish.net
© Shayna Oliveira 2012
Explanation
To give someone a rundown (A) means to tell them a summary of the details
about a situation. Sometimes this expression is used more for giving a basic
summary, and other times it's used for explaining details. But in both cases, it
means to tell the other person information that he/she doesn't know yet.

If something gives you the creeps, (B) it makes you scared or uncomfortable.
It gives you a cold feeling of horror. Another way to say this is "it gives me the
willies."

When you give someone a piece of your mind, (B) you make strong
criticisms. You don't try to make the criticisms diplomatic or gentle, you
express them very directly. You usually give someone a piece of your mind
when you're annoyed or angry about something.

To give lip service to something (B) means to express support that is not
sincere. In other words, you talk about it like you support or agree with it, but
you don't take any action, or your actions are different from what you said.

The expression What gives? (C) is an informal way to ask, “What's the
problem?” or “What went wrong?” It is often used when you are somewhat
surprised that the problem occurred, or annoyed at a problem.

To give somebody free rein (A) means to give them complete control,
complete freedom to do whatever they want. Reins are the straps used to
control a horse, so if you loosen the reins, you allow the horse to go wherever
it wants.

www.espressoenglish.net
© Shayna Oliveira 2012
If you give somebody a heads up, (A) it means you alert them or warn them
about something that will happen in the future. It could be something bad, or
it could be something neutral - like giving a coworker a heads up that a
meeting was rescheduled.

To give someone grief (A) means to criticize or tease the person. We usually
give people grief about bad or stupid things that person did. It can be more
serious (criticizing angrily) or it can be more light-hearted (playfully teasing
and reminding).

If you give someone a dirty look, (A) it means you look at the person angrily.
It's common to give someone a dirty look when they are doing something we
disapprove of, but we don't want to say it directly - we want them to see our
angry facial expression and understand that they should stop or that they've
done something bad.

When you don't give a fig about something, (B) it means you completely
don't care about it. There are several other expressions for this. “I don't give a
fig” is more neutral or innocent, and “I don't give a damn/crap/shit” are
stronger and more offensive.

www.espressoenglish.net
© Shayna Oliveira 2012
Practice Quiz
Choose the correct idiom to complete each sentence:

don't give a fig give me a dirty look give me free rein

give him a piece of my mind give me a heads up give me grief
give lip service give me a rundown give me the creeps
what gives?

1. I just had my keys in my hand, and now I can't find them -

______________________
2. It's been three months and he still hasn't paid back the money I lent
him. Next time I see him, I'm going to ______________________.
3. My manager says he trusts my judgment, so he'll ______________________ on
this project.
4. Nate and Kathy are so inconsiderate. They ______________________ about
other people's feelings.
5. OK, I'm ready to help with the party preparation. ______________________ of
what you have planned so far.
6. Oops - I borrowed my sister's jacket and then spilled red wine on it. I
know she's going to ______________________ about this.
7. Some religious leaders ______________________ to morals and rules but don't
follow them personally.
8. Teachers always ______________________ when I contradict or correct them
in front of the class.
9. We'll meet in front of the bus station at 4. Please ______________________ if
your plans change.
10. I refuse to buy a house next to a graveyard. All those tombstones
______________________.
www.espressoenglish.net
© Shayna Oliveira 2012
Answers are at the end of this lesson.

Short-Answer Exercises
1. What's one thing that gives you the creeps?
2. Describe a time you've given someone a piece of your mind.
3. When was the last time someone gave you a heads up?
4. Talk about a situation when someone gave you grief.
5. What's something you don't give a fig about?
If you want correction / feedback, you can e-mail me your writing at
homework@espressoenglish.net

Practice Quiz Answers

1. what gives?
2. give him a piece of my mind
3. give me free rein
4. don't give a fig
5. give me a rundown
6. give me grief
7. give lip service
8. give me a dirty look
9. give me a heads up
10. give me the creeps

www.espressoenglish.net
© Shayna Oliveira 2012