Phrase guide

give way

verb · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To yield to persistent persuasion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The mother gave way to her crying child.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To collapse or break under physical stresses.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • After years of neglect, the rusty old bridge could give way at any time.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To be followed, succeeded, or replaced by.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Winter gave way to spring.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To give precedence to other road users.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • At the crossing, cars must give way to pedestrians.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To allow another person to intervene to make a point or ask a question whilst one is delivering a speech.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • "Yes, I will give way."

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To allow the expression of (a pent-up emotion, grief, etc.).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To begin rowing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: imperative

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

stop operating or functioning

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The engine finally went
  • The car died on the road
  • The bus we travelled in broke down on the way to town
  • The coffee maker broke
  • The engine failed on the way to town
  • her eyesight went after the accident

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fail, go bad, die, give out, conk out, go, break, break down

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change

Narrower terms: crash, go down, blow out, burn out, blow, misfire, malfunction, misfunction

9

verb

Meaning 9

end resistance, as under pressure or force

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The door yielded to repeated blows with a battering ram

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: yield

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change

10

verb

Meaning 10

move in order to make room for someone for something

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The park gave way to a supermarket
  • `Move over,' he told the crowd

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: move over, give, ease up, yield

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: move

11

verb

Meaning 11

break down, literally or metaphorically

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The wall collapsed
  • The business collapsed
  • The dam broke
  • The roof collapsed
  • The wall gave in
  • The roof finally gave under the weight of the ice

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: collapse, fall in, cave in, give, break, founder

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change

Narrower terms: implode, go off, buckle, crumple, flop, break, slump, slide down, sink

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

82 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: отстъпвам (otstǎpvam) — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Finnish: antaa periksi — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • French: abandonner — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • German: nachgeben — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • German: weichen — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Hungarian: enged — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Hungarian: meghátrál — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Ingrian: antiissa — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Italian: darla su — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Italian: darla vinta — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Italian: cedere — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Māori: ngawhere — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Māori: auheke — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Polish: ustąpić — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Polish: ustępować — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Russian: уступа́ть (ustupátʹ) — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Russian: уступи́ть (ustupítʹ) — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Spanish: dar el brazo a torcer — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Swedish: ge med sig — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Swedish: ge efter — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Welsh: rhoi i mewn — to yield to persistent persuasion
  • Bulgarian: поддавам (poddavam) — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Finnish: sortua — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • French: céder — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • German: nachgeben — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • German: weichen — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Hungarian: lesüllyed — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Hungarian: behorpad — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Hungarian: betörik — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Hungarian: beszakad — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Italian: collassare — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Italian: cadere — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Italian: cedere — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Latin: fatiscō — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Māori: ngaeki — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Māori: tautuku — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Māori: maroro — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Romanian: ceda — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Russian: поддава́ться (poddavátʹsja) — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Russian: подда́ться (poddátʹsja) — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Swedish: ge vika — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Swedish: ge efter — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Ukrainian: піддава́тися (piddavátysja) — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Ukrainian: підда́тися (piddátysja) — to collapse or break under physical stress
  • Finnish: antaa periksi — to be followed by
  • Finnish: tehdä tilaa — to be followed by
  • French: céder la place à — to be followed by
  • French: laisser la place à — to be followed by
  • Hungarian: átadja a helyét — to be followed by
  • Italian: cedere posto — to be followed by
  • Italian: lasciare posto — to be followed by
  • Italian: fare posto — to be followed by
  • Polish: ustępować miejsca — to be followed by
  • Polish: ustąpić miejsca — to be followed by
  • Swedish: ge vika — to be followed by
  • Bulgarian: давам път (davam pǎt) — to give precedence to other road users
  • Chinese Mandarin: 讓路 /让路 (rànglù) — to give precedence to other road users
  • Cocos Islands Malay: kasi jalan — to give precedence to other road users
  • Danish: vige — to give precedence to other road users
  • Danish: holde tilbage — to give precedence to other road users
  • Dutch: verleen voorrang — to give precedence to other road users
  • Finnish: väistää — to give precedence to other road users
  • French: céder le passage — to give precedence to other road users
  • Hungarian: elsőbbséget ad — to give precedence to other road users
  • Italian: dare la precedenza — to give precedence to other road users
  • Italian: cedere il passo — to give precedence to other road users
  • Malay: beri laluan — to give precedence to other road users
  • Polish: ustąpić pierwszeństwa — to give precedence to other road users
  • Romanian: ceda trecerea — to give precedence to other road users
  • Russian: уступа́ть доро́гу (ustupátʹ dorógu) — to give precedence to other road users
  • Russian: уступи́ть доро́гу (ustupítʹ dorógu) — to give precedence to other road users
  • Russian: пропуска́ть (propuskátʹ) — to give precedence to other road users
  • Russian: пропусти́ть (propustítʹ) — to give precedence to other road users
  • Spanish: ceder el paso — to give precedence to other road users
  • Swahili: toa njia — to give precedence to other road users
  • Swedish: väja — to give precedence to other road users
  • Turkish: yol vermek — to give precedence to other road users
  • Welsh: rhoi ffordd — to give precedence to other road users
  • Yakut: суолла биэр (suolla bier) — to give precedence to other road users
  • Bulgarian: давам думата (davam dumata) — to allow another person to intervene to make a point or ask a question whilst one is delivering a speech
  • Bulgarian: дам думата (dam dumata) — to allow another person to intervene to make a point or ask a question whilst one is delivering a speech
  • Hungarian: átadja a szót — to allow another person to intervene to make a point or ask a question whilst one is delivering a speech