give (one) a break

give (one) a break

1. To make a concession or allowance for one. I just need someone at this company to give me a break. I'll take any job here, even cleaning the bathrooms.2. A plea for someone else to stop doing something annoying or troublesome. Guys, I told you I needed you to be quiet for five minutes while I made a call, and you couldn't even do it for 10 seconds! Give me a break, will you?3. A scoffing retort to something that seems unbelievable or ridiculous. You, the night owl, are getting up at 5 AM tomorrow? Give me a break!See also: break, give

Give me a break!

 and Gimme a break! 1. Inf. Don't be so harsh to me!; Give me another chance! I'm sorry! I'll do better! Give me a break! I was only late once! Give me a break! 2. Inf. That is enough, you're bothering me!; Stop it! Do you have to go on and on? Give me a break! Give me a break, you guys! That's enough of your bickering! 3. Inf. I don't believe you!; You don't expect anyone to believe that! You say a gorilla is loose in the city? Gimme a break! Tom said he was late again because the back stairs caved in. His boss said, "Gimme a break!"See also: give

give someone a break

1. Give someone a chance or special consideration. For example, She begged the professor for an extension on her term paper, saying " Please give me a break." [c. 1900] Also see get a break. 2. give me a break. Stop trying to fool or upset or bother me. For example, Don't tell me the party's been postponed again-give me a break! This interjection is usually uttered with semihumorous exasperation. [Slang; late 1900s] See also: break, give, someone

give me a break

INFORMAL, mainly AMERICANCOMMON1. You use give me a break after someone has said or done something to show that you think that they are being very annoying or ridiculous. The news item ended with comments from `South Australian feminists' who were `satisfied' by the finding. Give me a break! Why do they have to quote feminists on a decision that concerns the rights of all women? Why can't they quote mothers, teachers, nurses, or dancers?2. You use give me a break to tell someone to stop criticizing or annoying you and leave you alone. Anxious families on the estate begged youngsters, `Give us a break', after dozens of cars were wrecked by the gangs.See also: break, give

give me a break!

used to express contemptuous disagreement or disbelief about something that has been said.See also: give

give someone a break

stop putting pressure on someone about something. informalSee also: break, give, someone

give me a ˈbreak!

(spoken) used when somebody wants somebody else to stop doing or saying something that is annoying, or to stop saying something that is not true: I didn’t mean it like that, so give me a break!See also: give

give somebody a ˈbreak

give somebody a chance; not judge somebody too harshly: Give the lad a break — it’s only his second day on the job.See also: break, give, somebody

Gimme a break!

verbSee Give me a break!See also: gimme

Give me a break!

and Gimme a break!1. exclam. That is enough!; Stop it! Do you have to go on and on? Give me a break! 2. exclam. Don’t be so harsh!; Give me a chance! I’m sorry! I’ll do better! Give me a break! 3. and GMAB exclam. & comp. abb. I don’t believe it!; You don’t really think I believe that! Come on, GMAB! How dumb do you think I am! See also: give

give me a break

That’s preposterous, you can’t expect me to believe that. This exasperated reply to a statement, usually made half-jokingly, dates from the second half of the 1900s. For example, “She’s planning a luncheon at the Ritz? Give me a break!” This expression is not the same as to give someone a break, meaning to give someone an opportunity or special consideration, which dates from about 1900.See also: break, give