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

give an eye to someone • give someone the eye
give an eye to someone —look after a person; give attention
to smb.: Now go into the garden and give an eye to the chil-
dren.
give someone the eye —
1
. (also: give someone the big eye) look
at a person with an open display of romantic interest: He was
standing over by the bar and kept giving me the eye. 2. look
at smb. in a way that shows that one is angry with that person:
It was time to go — Dave was tired and I was sure the nurse
was giving me the eye.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase give someone the eyeroll— roll one’s eyes upward in
annoyance at what another person is saying: It does make my
doctor give me the eyeroll sometimes, but he understands me
very well.
give and take • give or take
give and take —
1
. willingness to compromise (in the hope
of obtaining a satisfactory agreement, etc.): With a bit of give
and take you can both make sure your home doesn’t suffer. 2.
a lively talk or debate, especially one filled with ridicule: Addi-
son’s sensitive modesty disqualified him for the rough give-
and-take of mixed society.
give or take —apart from a few things; except for a few peo-
ple: All the children were present, give or take one or two who
were ill.
give credence to something • lend credibility to
something
give credence to something —
1
. put trust in smth.; believe
smth.: The jury gave credence to these claims and awarded
Lawrence just compensation. 2. make smth. appear more con-
vincing: This gave credence to the hypothesis that Israel had
not shared with Washington all the information.
lend credibility to something — = give credence to something
2: By quoting other writers, you lend credibility and support
to your own ideas.