English

Etymology

Written form of a reduction of "give me"

Pronunciation

Verb

gimme

1. Give me.

   Gimme the ball.

See also

• lemme

Noun

1. something easily obtained

   It's a gimme.

2. A tap-in putt, usually a couple inches from the cup.

   Don't count two strokes for that - it was a gimme, if I wasn't holding the flag with my other hand, for the next players waiting on the hole, it would have gone in.

See also

• wannabe

A gimme in golf is a shot that the other players agree can count automatically without actually being played.

When a player has only a short putt left to play, other players may grant a gimme, i.e. one stroke is counted, but the ball is not actually played. A gimme is a time-saving convention under the tacit assumption that the putt would not have been missed, e.g., if the ball landed right next to the hole.

"Gimmes" are not allowed by the rules in stroke play, but this is often practiced in casual matches. However, in match play, either player may formally concede a stroke, a hole, or the entire match at any time, and this may not be refused or withdrawn. A player in match play will generally concede a tap-in or other short putt by his or her opponent.

The origin of the phrase is that it is an obvious contraction of "give me."

Gimme is also an abbrieviation of 'give me' sometimes used by people in conversation.