Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (Aus.) to stop, to give up, to abandon.

1949		L. Glassop Lucky Palmer 37: It’s about time you mugs woke up to yourself. You’re not in the race to get in without a ticket. Why don’t you give the game away?
1957		G. Kersh Fowlers End (2001) 175: Silent, did you say? Give it away. And variety, I think you said? A corpse.
1957		‘Nino Culotta’ They’re a Weird Mob (1958) 153: No rabbits appeared. ‘Give ut away,’ Joe said.
1960		‘Nino Culotta’ Cop This Lot 103: Spend the week-end with yer old man, an’ then give ut away, eh?
1988		McGill Dict. of Kiwi Sl. 50/1: give it away to abandon, often in exasperation; eg ‘Give it away, Sean, it’s just not worth it.’.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. [as cit. 1988].
2006		B. Matthews Intractable [ebook] After five attempts trying to position ourselves at the Governor’s office while a truck entered or exited the jail we had to give it away.

2. (US) of a woman or male or female prostitute, to permit sexual intercourse for free.

1950		Hal Ellson Tomboy (1952) 163: I don’t give it away unless I love a boy.
1956		J. Stearn Sisters of the Night 21: If we’re not willing to give it away, we won’t sell it at any price.
1965		H. Rhodes Chosen Few (1966) 81: She told Darly she was a fool to give it away to a poor spook.
1969		‘Iceberg Slim’ Mama Black Widow 72: I should stop giving it away and sell it.
1976		P. Conroy Great Santini (1977) 312: If I’d have known she was giving it away free, I’d have played hide the banana with her myself.
1986–7		Maledicta IX 145: Lily Law despises these moneymakers somewhat less than the bliss-ninnies (as Christopher Isherwood called them) who are admittedly gay or bent and give it away.
1990		R. Campbell Sweet La-La Land (1999) 36: One thing he really liked about her, she didn’t give it away to anybody.