give the word

Meanings

1. To communicate or signal to another that an action or event is allowed to commence or should be commenced, usually but not necessarily by linguistic communication.

Etymology

From the concept of using a certain word used as a signal to others that they are allowed to commence on some event. While the term originally meant that a pre-decided word was to be used, the term has since evolved to mean giving allowance for an event to commence in general, not necessarily by a specific word.