GIVING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does giving mean? 

• GIVING (noun)
  The noun GIVING has 3 senses:

1. the act of giving

2. the imparting of news or promises etc.

3. disposing of property by voluntary transfer without receiving value in return

  Familiarity information: GIVING used as a noun is uncommon.

• GIVING (adjective)
  The adjective GIVING has 1 sense:

1. given or giving freely

  Familiarity information: GIVING used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GIVING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of giving

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

gift; giving

Hypernyms ("giving" is a kind of...):

share-out; sharing (a distribution in shares)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "giving"):

oblation; offering (the act of contributing to the funds of a church or charity)

bestowal; bestowment; conferment; conferral (the act of conferring an honor or presenting a gift)

accordance; accordance of rights (the act of granting rights)

endowment (the act of endowing with a permanent source of income)

charity (an activity or gift that benefits the public at large)

contribution; donation (act of giving in common with others for a common purpose especially to a charity)

alms-giving; almsgiving (making voluntary contributions to aid the poor)

Derivation:

give (give food to)

give (transfer possession of something concrete or abstract to somebody)

give (contribute to some cause)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The imparting of news or promises etc.

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

giving his word of honor seemed to come too easily

Hypernyms ("giving" is a kind of...):

conveyance; impartation; imparting (the transmission of information)

Derivation:

give (offer in good faith)

give (convey or reveal information)

give (transmit (knowledge or skills))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Disposing of property by voluntary transfer without receiving value in return

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

the alumni followed a program of annual giving

Hypernyms ("giving" is a kind of...):

disposal; disposition (the act or means of getting rid of something)

Derivation:

give (transfer possession of something concrete or abstract to somebody)

give (give as a present; make a gift of)

give (contribute to some cause)

• GIVING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Given or giving freely

Synonyms:

big; bighearted; bounteous; bountiful; freehanded; giving; handsome; liberal; openhanded

Context example:

her fond and openhanded grandfather

Similar:

generous (willing to give and share unstintingly)

 Context examples 

"I shall take the cream and the muffings," added Amy, heroically giving up the article she most liked.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Dark brown dust lanes snake across the galaxy’s bright arms and center, giving it a mottled appearance.

(Lonely Galaxy Lost in Space, NASA)

The well-preserved skull of Vintana sertichi is giving researchers their first clear insights into the life habits and relationships of gondwanatherians.

(Scientists discover fossil of bizarre groundhog-like mammal on Madagascar, NSF)

On the other hand, if we had fired through the hedge and wounded him he would soon have been on the top of us—to say nothin' of giving ourselves away.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Researchers say they have discovered a gene mutation that slows the metabolism of sugar in the gut, giving people who have the mutation a distinct advantage over those who do not.

(Gene mutation points to new way to fight diabetes, obesity, heart disease, National Institutes of Health)

One hates to be officious, to be giving bad impressions, making mischief.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Instruments used by Ocean Observatories Initiative scientists are giving us new opportunities to understand the inner workings of this volcano and the mechanisms that trigger volcanic eruptions in many environments.

(Underwater volcano's fiery eruption captured in detail by seafloor observatory, NSF)

She generally came at the hour when Mr. Rivers was engaged in giving his daily catechising lesson.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

The first interstellar object ever seen in our solar system, named ‘Oumuamua, is giving scientists a fresh perspective on the development of planetary systems.

(New Study Shows What Interstellar Visitor ‘Oumuamua Can Teach Us, NASA)

These measurements will provide information down to where the upper and lower atmospheres meet, giving scientists a full profile of the upper tier.

(Mars Mission Spacecraft Enters Orbit around Red Planet, NASA)