Give up or give in?

[Gosia9]

Dear Teacher,
I have a problem with understanding the meaning between "give up" and "give in". I read that they both meant "surrender". Is there a mistake when I use "give up" instead of "give in"?
On this site I read the sentence "The robber went to the police station and gave himself in". I also read the sentence " After the hostages had been in capivity for two weeks, the terrorists finally decided to give themselves up to the police". What is the difference between these two sentences?
Thank you in advance.

[2006]

Originally Posted by Gosia9

Dear Teacher,
I have a problem with understanding the meaning between "give up" and "give in". I read that they both meant "surrender". Is there a mistake when I use "give up" instead of "give in"?
On this site I read the sentence "The robber went to the police station and gave himself in". I would only say '...gave himself up.' I don't think we ever say 'give (him)(her)(my)(...)self in'. At least now I can't think of any situation in which we might say it.
I also read the sentence " After the hostages had been in capivity for two weeks, the terrorists finally decided to give themselves up to the police". What is the difference between these two sentences? No difference, again I would only say 'give themselves up'.
Thank you in advance.

2006

[David L.]

"The robber went to the police station and gave himself in". I also read the sentence " After the hostages had been in capivity for two weeks, the terrorists finally decided to give themselves up to the police". What is the difference between these two sentences?

"The robber went to the police station and gave himself in"
'gave himself in(to police custody)' is correct, but not a common expression. More common would be, 'turned himself in to the police'.

However, had the police surprised him whilst he was robbing some house and he tried to escape by running, but saw himself surrounded, nowhere else that he could run to get away, then he would have little choice but to 'give up'.
With the hostages, there was a direct confrontation/stand-off with the police, and finally, after two weeks, they 'gave up', they stopped holding their hostages captive, and probably gave up demanding something like, the release of political prisoners somewhere.
On the other hand, if all the demands of the terrorists had been met, political prisoners released and what have you, we would have said, "The authorities gave in to the terrorists' demands."

[baqarah131]

You give yourself up to the police.
You can say "I give up" if you don't know the answer to a question:

How many Californians does it take to change a light bulb?
I give up. [I can't guess.]
One to do the work and 20 to meditate on the experience!

Or, if you're try to accomplish something, and you keep on failing, and you decide to quit, you can say: I give up.

Or, if you decide not to do something anymore:

I'm getting fat. I'll have to give donuts and muffins.
It's time for you to give up smoking.

You give in to a demand when you finally agree to what someone wants:
My kids nagged me to go to McDonald's, and I finally gave in.

Never give up your studies in English!
edward

[belly_ttt]

I think that give in and give up are the same and therefore can be used in every situation?
By the way, how to bookmark a topic if we are not the one who answer or start that thread?