"Gimme a second." Gimme is a contraction of "give me." It is informal, fast, and common in speech. It is not written in formal English. It is used in dialogue, in texting, and in everyday conversation. It is a word of demand, but a soft one. It is not aggressive. It is just quick.

Gimme has been in English since the 1800s. It appears in folk songs and blues. "Gimme a break" is a phrase of exasperation. "Gimme five" is a request for a high five. "Gimme a kiss" is affectionate. The word changes meaning with the object. But the structure is always the same: give me.

Related contractions

• Lemme: let me.
• Gonna: going to.
• Wanna: want to.
• Dunno: don't know.

Gimme is not rude. It is efficient. It saves a syllable. In a fast conversation, that matters. It is a word that fits in the mouth. It is a word that gets things done. It is not for a job interview. It is for friends, family, and the dog.