A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

give someone a shake
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someone one’s word 2: I give you the word of a man whose word
once meant something — I am playing square with you now.
give someone short change • give someone small
change
give someone short change —(also: shortchange someone) 
1
. give
a person less than the correct amount of money: After several
rounds of drinks had been served, Sullivan accused Cook of
giving him short change. 2. treat a person unfairly by not giv-
ing him what he deserves: The group feel they are given short
change when it comes to being noticed.
give someone small change —give smb. coins of low denom-
ination: By mistake, I gave some small change, in euros, to
the waitress. She pointed this out to me and I forked out the
pennies that were needed.
give someone stick • take a stick to someone
give someone stick —(UK coll.) rebuke or reprimand a person:
She really gave him stick about the way he made a mess of the
contract negotiations.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase give it some stick—(UK coll., of a vehicle) put more force
into it; speed it up: Peter gave it some stick and cleared the hill
with no problems.
take a stick to someone —hit a person: Gossip columnists had
their tongues set a wagging when Jiri took a stick to his pro-
ducer in a hotel lobby
give someone the big eye • look at someone with
big eyes
give someone the big eye —(coll.) look at a person with an
open display of romantic interest (also: give someone the eye):
I can feel my dander rise watching him give her the big eye.
look at someone with big eyes—(also: look at someone wide-
eyed) stare at a person in surprise: “Are we having a son?” he
asked, looking at her with big eyes shining from happiness.