share

1 verb

1 USE EQUALLY (I, T) to have or use something that other people also have or use at the same time: We don't have enough books for everyone, so you'll have to share. | share sth: The last bus had gone, so the three of us shared a taxi. | share sth with sb: I shared a room with her at college. | shared house/flat BrE (=with people not related to each other living in it)

—see between 2

2 LET SB USE STH (T) to let someone have or use something that belongs to you: Even as a kid he'd never share his toys. | share sth with: I shared my lunch with a few hungry pigeons.

3 DIVIDE also share sth out (T) to divide something between two or more people: share sth between/among sb: At his death, his property was shared out between his children.

4 SAME INTEREST/OPINION ETC (T) to have the same opinion, experience, feeling etc as someone else: I share your concern about this. | share in sth: His daughters did not share in his happiness. | share sth with sb: Stubbornness was a characteristic he shared with his mother. | share an interest (=have the same interest in something as someone else)

5 RESPONSIBILITY (T) to be equally responsible for doing something, paying for something etc: I own the house, but we share the bills. | We all share some blame for the mess-up.

6 TELL SB STH (I, T) to tell other people about an idea, secret, problem etc: It's always better to share your worries. | share sth with sb: Are you going to share the joke with us? | share especailly AmE: If you feel the need to share we're all listening.

7 share and share alike spoken used to say that you should share things fairly and equally between everyone

2 noun

1 PART OF STH (singular) the part of something that belongs to you, or that should be paid for or done by you

(+ of/in): I gave them my share of the bill and left. | a share in the profits | do your share (=do your part of a job, duty etc that you share with other people): I do my share of the housework.

2 flat/house share BrE a situation in which people who are not related to each other live together

3 your (fair) share

a) as much or more of something as you could reasonably expect to have: She's had more than her fair share of bad luck this year. | You've sure had your share of problems, haven't you?

b) as much as everyone else: Don't worry - you'll get your fair share. | I've made my share of mistakes.

4 share in your part in an activity, event etc: Employees are always given a share in decision-making.

5 FINANCIAL (C) one of the equal parts into which the ownership of a company is divided

(+ in): He decided to sell his shares in Allied Chemicals. | share offer/issue (=a time when shares in a company are sold or begin to be sold) —compare stock 1 (3)

6 FARM TOOL (C) old-fashioned a ploughshare

—see also: the lion's share lion (3), timeshare — sharing noun (U)