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

give it to someone • give it to someone straight
give it to someone —scold smb. harshly: Later, in a private
eye-to-eye discussion, with no witnesses to overhear, Slavsky
really gave it to me.
give it to someone straight—tell smth. to a person directly:
So I gave it to him straight: I’m broke, and there’s no way I
can pay the hospital fees.
give a promise
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give notice • take notice
give notice —
1
. notify or warn a person with regard to smth.:
I had been given notice that the home I’m living in was going
up for sale. 2. dismiss smb. from employment: A person who
is given notice can easily become demoralized. It takes time
to accept the situation…. 3. notify the employer about quit-
ting one’s position: His cook-boy, who had worked for him
twelve years, gave notice that month.
take notice—
1
. perceive smth.; pay attention to smth.: I did
not take notice that the horse was almost dead when I took
him. 2. take smth. seriously; heed smth.: I just hope people
will take notice of the warnings and do not drink and drive.
give of one’s best • give someone best
give of one’s best—(also: do one’s best) do all one can; do smth.
as well as one can: He wasn’t the cleverest member of the com-
mittee, but he gave of his best.
give someone best—(UK) admit to being wrong ; admit
defeat: I give you best. I was mistaken about the whole thing.
give one’s arm to someone • give one’s hand to
someone
give one’s arm to someone —(also: offer one’s arm to someone)
allow a person to walk arm-in-arm or lean on one’s arm: He
turned his back on Alfred, gave his arm to Mrs. Langham and
advanced into the hotel.
give one’s hand to someone —(of a woman) agree to marry a
man: He fails, however, to win Miss Lillerton, who gives her
hand to a smooth young curate instead.