giveaway

[ giv-uh-wey ]
See synonyms for giveaway on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. an act or instance of giving something away.

  2. something that is given away, especially as a gift or premium: A pocket calculator was offered as a giveaway with every new subscription to the magazine.

  1. a radio or television program on which prizes are given away to contestants in a question-and-answer game.

  2. a tax law or other legislation designed to benefit one segment of the population, one area or state, etc.: a giveaway that benefited only the very rich.

  3. an unscrupulous deal, especially one that benefits some while defrauding others.

  4. Sports. any careless loss of possession of a ball, puck, etc., or other offensive lapse that leads to a score by the opponent.

adjective
  1. constituting a giveaway: a giveaway newspaper.

Origin of giveaway

1
1870–75, Americanism; noun use of verb phrase give away

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use giveaway in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for give away

give away

verb(tr, adverb)
  1. to donate or bestow as a gift, prize, etc

  2. to sell very cheaply

  1. to reveal or betray (esp in the phrases give the game or show away)

  2. to fail to use (an opportunity) through folly or neglect

  3. to present (a bride) formally to her husband in a marriage ceremony

  4. Australian and NZ informal to give up or abandon (something)

noungiveaway
  1. a betrayal or disclosure of information, esp when unintentional

  2. mainly US and Canadian something given, esp with articles on sale, at little or no charge to increase sales, attract publicity, etc

  1. journalism another name for freesheet

  2. mainly US and Canadian a radio or television programme characterized by the award of money and prizes

  3. (modifier)

    • very cheap (esp in the phrase giveaway prices)

    • free of charge: a giveaway property magazine

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with giveaway

giveaway

Make a gift of, bestow, as in I decided to give away all my plants. [c. 1400]

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.