meaning - "Give up" versus "give in"


Do give up and give in imply different meanings?



Answer



Give up and give in do have similar meanings that are very close to surrender. However, compare the examples of give up and give in from the Merriam-Webster dictionary:



  • don't give up on the project

  • forced to give up his job

  • refused to give up her efforts

  • give in and have some chocolate

  • after withstanding hours of begging, their father finally gave in and let them go to the amusement park

  • give in his resignation


Notice how the examples of give in express something that happens after insistence or entreaty. This doesn't happen in the examples of give up, where the meaning is closer to quit and abandon.


EDIT: It should be noted that the last example of give in above ("give in his resignation"), in particular, is actually a case where it means deliver, submit or hand in. It therefore illustrates a definition of give in that is very different than give up. Another example of give in with that meaning, from dictionary.com:



  • please give in your timecards


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