Meaning of Idiom ‘Give Someone a Break’
1. To give someone a break means to stop putting pressure on them, stop criticizing them, or being unkind to them. 1Ayto, John. Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms. Oxford: Oxford U, 2010.,2McCarthy, Michael. Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms. Cambridge University Press, 2002
2. Alternatively, to give someone a break means to help them in a way that gives them a chance at success; to give someone special consideration. 3Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
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Examples Of Use
“Give Wayne a break,” said Sam. “It’s his first day on the job. I remember you weren’t much better on your first day.”
“Look, give her a break. She’s only seven years old. She doesn’t understand all your rules.”
“I just need a little more time to come up with the money,” said Ray. “If you can just give me a break I know I can have the rent by Friday.”
“Your Uncle Frank asked me to give you a break. Since we’ve been friends for decades, I’m going to do what he asked. But, believe me, you are not going to get any special treatment around here. You’d better be on time and work hard.”
Origin
Used since around 1900.
The word break is used in this and other expressions to mean a chance, opportunity, or consideration.
More Idioms Starting with G
More Break Idioms
More Give Idioms
- Give Me a Break
- Give Your Right Arm (for something)
- Give Your Eye Teeth (for something)
- Flip Someone Off
- Give Someone the Benefit of a Doubt
- Arm and a Leg, an
- Give Someone a Mouthful
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Sources
| ↲ 1 | Ayto, John. Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms. Oxford: Oxford U, 2010. |
| ↲ 2 | McCarthy, Michael. Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms. Cambridge University Press, 2002 |
| ↲ 3 | Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013. |