Choose the correct word to complete the sentence. After much confrontation…

CONCEPT

Phrasal verbs formed with "give" change meaning completely depending on the particle that follows: give in, give out, give away, and give off are four distinct idioms with different senses — surrendering, distributing or running out, donating or revealing, and emitting, respectively.

APPLICATION

The sentence describes "much confrontation" — sustained conflict or resistance. The natural outcome of prolonged resistance is eventually to stop resisting, so "gave in" — meaning yielded or surrendered under pressure after opposition — is exactly the sense the sentence needs.

CROSS-CHECK — why each other option is not correct

• "give out" means to distribute something (give out prizes) or, for a supply or device, to become exhausted or stop working — it does not describe yielding in a dispute.

• "give away" means to donate something free of charge or unintentionally reveal a secret — neither sense fits a confrontation being resolved by surrender.

• "give off" means to emit or produce something such as heat, light, or a smell — it describes emission, not conceding a conflict.

Only "gave in" carries the sense of yielding after resistance, so it correctly completes the sentence.