Meaning trap
give up
surrender to authorities
To formally surrender oneself or someone else to the police or another authority, often after being sought or pursued.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To formally surrender oneself or someone else to the police or another authority, often after being sought or pursued.
'give up' also has the more basic meaning 'stop trying'; this is the advanced sense.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- After weeks on the run, the suspect finally gave himself up to the police.crime
- In some cases, fugitives choose to give themselves up rather than face the stress of constant pursuit.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: give yourself/someone up (to someone)
WrongHe gave up to the police.
RightHe gave himself up to the police.
This sense needs a reflexive object: 'give yourself/himself up'. Bare 'give up' means quit.
Patterngive yourself/someone up (to someone)
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Give yourself up' is the natural phrasing for surrendering. 'Surrender oneself to the authorities' is legalistic.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
give + oneself + uphimself upthemselves upthe suspect upto the police
Don't confuse it
Unlike the B1 senses ('stop trying' or 'quit a habit'), this sense involves surrendering to an authority, not ceasing an effort or habit.
Related
- give up (stop trying) — 'give up' also has the more basic meaning 'stop trying'; this is the advanced sense.