To give out is to hand copies to everyone, or to finally stop working. Give out the papers, my knees gave out, the power gave out.
The two senses are far apart and only the subject tells you which is meant, since a person gives out leaflets and a machine simply gives out. It also means to emit, as a fire gives out heat.
1phrasegive outTo hand copies to everyone; also, to finally stop working.
“The teacher asked me to give out the worksheets to the class.”
give out is a distributing.
Also accepted in games: hand out, distribute
Give plus out, matched by similar compounds across the Germanic languages.
Cognate with German ausgeben (“spend, pay, output”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Phrasal Verbs