to receive or come to have possession, use, or enjoyment of: to get a birthday present; to get a pension.
2.
to cause to be in one's possession or succeed in having available for one's use or enjoyment; obtain; acquire: to get a good price after bargaining; to get oil by drilling; to get information.
3.
to go after, take hold of, and bring (something) for one's own or for another's purposes; fetch: Would you get the milk from the refrigerator for me?
4.
to cause or cause to become, to do, to move, etc., as specified; effect: to get one's hair cut; to get a person drunk; to get a fire to burn; to get a dog out of a room.
5.
to communicate or establish communication with over a distance; reach: You can always get me by telephone.
6.
to hear or hear clearly: I didn't get your last name.
7.
to acquire a mental grasp or command of; learn: to get a lesson.
8.
to capture; seize: Get him before he escapes!
9.
to receive as a punishment or sentence: to get a spanking; to get 20 years in jail.
10.
to prevail on; influence or persuade: We'll get him to go with us.
11.
to prepare; make ready: to get dinner.
12.
(esp. of animals) to beget.
13.
Informal. to affect emotionally: Her pleas got me.
14.
to hit, strike, or wound: The bullet got him in the leg.
15.
Informal. to kill.
16.
Informal. to take vengeance on: I'll get you yet!
17.
to catch or be afflicted with; come down with or suffer from: He got malaria while living in the tropics. She gets butterflies before every performance.
18.
Informal. to puzzle; irritate; annoy: Their silly remarks get me.
19.
Informal. to understand; comprehend: I don't get the joke. This report may be crystal-clear to a scientist, but I don't get it.
–verb (used without object)
20.
to come to a specified place; arrive; reach: to get home late.
21.
to succeed, become enabled, or be permitted: You get to meet a lot of interesting people.
22.
to become or to cause oneself to become as specified; reach a certain condition: to get angry; to get sick.
23.
(used as an auxiliary verb fol. by a past participle to form the passive): to get married; to get elected; to get hit by a car.
24.
to succeed in coming, going, arriving at, visiting, etc. (usually fol. by away, in, into, out, etc.): I don't get into town very often.
25.
to bear, endure, or survive (usually fol. by through or over): Can he get through another bad winter?
26.
to earn money; gain.
27.
Informal. to leave promptly; scram: He told us to get.
28.
to start or enter upon the action of (fol. by a present participle expressing action): to get moving; Get rolling.
–noun
29.
an offspring or the total of the offspring, esp. of a male animal: the get of a stallion.
30.
a return of a ball, as in tennis, that would normally have resulted in a point for the opponent.
31.
BritishSlang.
a.
something earned, as salary, profits, etc.: What's your week's get?
b.
a child born out of wedlock.
—Verb phrases
32.
get about,
a.
to move about; be active: He gets about with difficulty since his illness.
b.
to become known; spread: It was supposed to be a secret, but somehow it got about.
c.
to be socially active: She's been getting about much more since her family moved to the city.
Also, get around.
33.
get across,
a.
to make or become understandable; communicate: to get a lesson across to students.
b.
to be convincing about; impress upon others: The fire chief got across forcefully the fact that turning in a false alarm is a serious offense.
34.
get ahead, to be successful, as in business or society: She got ahead by sheer determination.
35.
get ahead of,
a.
to move forward of, as in traveling: The taxi got ahead of her after the light changed.
b.
to surpass; outdo: He refused to let anyone get ahead of him in business.
to begin; act: They wanted to get going on the construction of the house.
b.
to increase one's speed; make haste: If we don't get going, we'll never arrive in time.
53.
get it, Informal.
a.
to be punished or reprimanded: You'll get it for breaking that vase!
b.
to understand or grasp something: This is just between us, get it?
54.
get it off, Slang:Vulgar. to experience orgasm.
55.
get it on,
a.
Informal. to work or perform with satisfying harmony or energy or develop a strong rapport, as in music: a rock group really getting it on with the audience.
b.
Slang:Vulgar. to have sexual intercourse.
56.
get it up, Slang:Vulgar, to achieve an erection of the penis.
57.
get off on, Slang. to become enthusiastic about or excited by: After years of indifference, she's getting off on baseball.
get there, to reach one's goal; succeed: He wanted to be a millionaire but he died before he got there.
61.
get together,
a.
to accumulate; gather: to get together a portfolio of 20 stocks.
b.
to congregate; meet: The alumnae chapter gets together twice a year.
c.
to come to an accord; agree: They simply couldn't get together on matters of policy.
62.
get up,
a.
to sit up or stand; arise.
b.
to rise from bed.
c.
to ascend or mount.
d.
to prepare; arrange; organize: to get up an exhibit.
e.
to draw upon; marshal; rouse: to get up one's courage.
f.
to acquire a knowledge of.
g.
(to a horse) go! go ahead! go faster!
h.
to dress, as in a costume or disguise: She got herself up as an astronaut.
i.
to produce in a specified style, as a book: It was got up in brown leather with gold endpapers.
63.
has or have got,
a.
to possess or own; have: She's got a new car. Have you got the tickets?
b.
must (fol. by an infinitive): He's got to get to a doctor right away.
c.
to suffer from: Have you got a cold?
Origin: 1150–1200; (v.) ME geten < ON geta to obtain, beget; c. OE -gietan (> ME yeten), G -gessen, in vergessen to forget; (n.) ME: something gotten, offspring, deriv. of the v.
Related forms:
get⋅ta⋅ble, get⋅a⋅ble, adjective
Synonyms: 1, 2.Get,obtain,acquire,procure,secure imply gaining possession of something. Get may apply to coming into possession in any manner, and either voluntarily or not. Obtain suggests putting forth effort to gain possession, and acquire stresses the possessing after an (often prolonged) effort. Procure suggests the method of obtaining, as that of search or choice. Secure, considered in bad taste as a would-be-elegant substitute for get, is, however, when used with discrimination, a perfectly proper word. It suggests making possession sure and safe, after obtaining something by competition or the like. 2.win, gain. 7.apprehend, grasp. 10.induce, dispose. 12.engender.
Usage note: For nearly 400 years, forms of get have been used with a following past participle to form the passive voice: She got engaged when she was 19. He won't get accepted with those grades. This use of get rather than of forms of to be in the passive is found today chiefly in speech and informal writing. In British English got is the regular past participle of get, and gotten survives only in a few set phrases, such as ill-gotten gains. In American English gotten, although occasionally criticized, is an alternative standard past participle in most senses, especially in the senses “to receive” or “to acquire”: I have gotten (or got) all that I ever hoped for. Have or has got in the sense “must” has been in use since the early 19th century; often the have or has is contracted: You've got to carry your passport at all times. The use of have (or has) got in the sense of “to possess” goes back to the 15th century; it is also frequently contracted: She's got a master's degree in biology. These uses are occasionally criticized as redundant on the grounds that have alone expresses the meaning adequately, but they are well established and fully standard in all varieties of speech and writing. In some contexts in American English, substituting gotten for got produces a change in meaning: She's got (possesses) a new job. She's gotten (has aquired) a new job. He's got to (must) attend the wedding. He's gotten to (has been allowed or enabled to) attend. The children have got (are suffering from) the measles. The children have gotten (have caught) the measles. The use of got without have or has to mean “must” (I got to buy a new suit) is characteristic of the most relaxed, informal speech and does not occur in edited writing except in representations of speech. Gotta is a pronunciation spelling representing this use.
Pronunciation note: The pronunciation/gɪt/Show Spelled Pronunciation[git]Show IPAfor get has existed since the 16th century. The same change is exhibited in/kɪn/[kin]for can and/yɪt/[yit]for yet. The pronunciation /gɪt/[git]is not regional and occurs in all parts of the country. It is most common as an unstressed syllable: Let's get going! /ˈlɛtsgɪtˈgoʊɪŋ/[lets--git-goh-ing]. In educated speech the pronunciation /gɪt/[git]in stressed syllables is rare and sometimes criticized. When get is an imperative meaning “leave immediately,” the pronunciation is usually facetious: Now get! /ˌnaʊˈgɪt/[nou--git].
get (gět) v.
got (gŏt), got·ten (gŏt'n) or got, get·ting, gets
v.
tr.
To come into possession or use of; receive: got a cat for her birthday.
To meet with or incur: got nothing but trouble for her efforts.
To go after and obtain: got a book at the library; got breakfast in town.
To go after and bring: Get me a pillow.
To purchase; buy: get groceries.
To acquire as a result of action or effort: He got his information from the Internet. You can't get water out of a stone.
To earn: got high marks in math.
To accomplish or attain as a result of military action.
To arrive at; reach: When did you get home?
To reach and board; catch: She got her plane two minutes before takeoff.
To be subjected to; undergo: got a severe concussion.
To receive as retribution or punishment: got six years in prison for tax fraud.
To sustain a stated injury to: got my arm broken.
To gain or have understanding of: Do you get this question?
To learn (a poem, for example) by heart; memorize.
To find or reach by calculating: get a total; can't get the answer.
To perceive by hearing: I didn't get your name when we were introduced.
To cause to become or be in a specified state or condition: got the children tired and cross; got the shirt clean.
To make ready; prepare: get lunch for a crowd.
To cause to come or go: got the car through traffic.
To cause to move or leave: Get me out of here!
To take, especially by force; seize: The detective got the suspect as he left the restaurant.
Informal To overcome or destroy: The ice storm got the rose bushes.
To evoke an emotional response or reaction in: Romantic music really gets me.
To annoy or irritate: What got me was his utter lack of initiative.
To present a difficult problem to; puzzle.
To take revenge on, especially to kill in revenge for a wrong.
Informal To hit or strike: She got him on the chin. The bullet got him in the arm.
To have current possession of. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: We've got plenty of cash.
Nonstandard To have current possession of. Used in the past tense form with the meaning of the present: They got a nice house in town.
To have as an obligation. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: I have got to leave early. You've got to do the dishes.
Nonstandard To have as an obligation. Used in the past tense with the meaning of the present: I got to git me a huntin' dog.
To go after and obtain: got a book at the library; got breakfast in town.
To go after and bring: Get me a pillow.
To purchase; buy: get groceries.
To acquire as a result of action or effort: He got his information from the Internet. You can't get water out of a stone.
To earn: got high marks in math.
To accomplish or attain as a result of military action.
To arrive at; reach: When did you get home?
To reach and board; catch: She got her plane two minutes before takeoff.
To be subjected to; undergo: got a severe concussion.
To receive as retribution or punishment: got six years in prison for tax fraud.
To sustain a stated injury to: got my arm broken.
To gain or have understanding of: Do you get this question?
To learn (a poem, for example) by heart; memorize.
To find or reach by calculating: get a total; can't get the answer.
To perceive by hearing: I didn't get your name when we were introduced.
To cause to become or be in a specified state or condition: got the children tired and cross; got the shirt clean.
To make ready; prepare: get lunch for a crowd.
To cause to come or go: got the car through traffic.
To cause to move or leave: Get me out of here!
To take, especially by force; seize: The detective got the suspect as he left the restaurant.
Informal To overcome or destroy: The ice storm got the rose bushes.
To evoke an emotional response or reaction in: Romantic music really gets me.
To annoy or irritate: What got me was his utter lack of initiative.
To present a difficult problem to; puzzle.
To take revenge on, especially to kill in revenge for a wrong.
Informal To hit or strike: She got him on the chin. The bullet got him in the arm.
To have current possession of. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: We've got plenty of cash.
Nonstandard To have current possession of. Used in the past tense form with the meaning of the present: They got a nice house in town.
To have as an obligation. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: I have got to leave early. You've got to do the dishes.
Nonstandard To have as an obligation. Used in the past tense with the meaning of the present: I got to git me a huntin' dog.
To acquire as a result of action or effort: He got his information from the Internet. You can't get water out of a stone.
To earn: got high marks in math.
To accomplish or attain as a result of military action.
To arrive at; reach: When did you get home?
To reach and board; catch: She got her plane two minutes before takeoff.
To be subjected to; undergo: got a severe concussion.
To receive as retribution or punishment: got six years in prison for tax fraud.
To sustain a stated injury to: got my arm broken.
To gain or have understanding of: Do you get this question?
To learn (a poem, for example) by heart; memorize.
To find or reach by calculating: get a total; can't get the answer.
To perceive by hearing: I didn't get your name when we were introduced.
To cause to become or be in a specified state or condition: got the children tired and cross; got the shirt clean.
To make ready; prepare: get lunch for a crowd.
To cause to come or go: got the car through traffic.
To cause to move or leave: Get me out of here!
To take, especially by force; seize: The detective got the suspect as he left the restaurant.
Informal To overcome or destroy: The ice storm got the rose bushes.
To evoke an emotional response or reaction in: Romantic music really gets me.
To annoy or irritate: What got me was his utter lack of initiative.
To present a difficult problem to; puzzle.
To take revenge on, especially to kill in revenge for a wrong.
Informal To hit or strike: She got him on the chin. The bullet got him in the arm.
To have current possession of. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: We've got plenty of cash.
Nonstandard To have current possession of. Used in the past tense form with the meaning of the present: They got a nice house in town.
To have as an obligation. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: I have got to leave early. You've got to do the dishes.
Nonstandard To have as an obligation. Used in the past tense with the meaning of the present: I got to git me a huntin' dog.
To obtain by concession or request: couldn't get the time off; got permission to go.
To arrive at; reach: When did you get home?
To reach and board; catch: She got her plane two minutes before takeoff.
To be subjected to; undergo: got a severe concussion.
To receive as retribution or punishment: got six years in prison for tax fraud.
To sustain a stated injury to: got my arm broken.
To gain or have understanding of: Do you get this question?
To learn (a poem, for example) by heart; memorize.
To find or reach by calculating: get a total; can't get the answer.
To perceive by hearing: I didn't get your name when we were introduced.
To cause to become or be in a specified state or condition: got the children tired and cross; got the shirt clean.
To make ready; prepare: get lunch for a crowd.
To cause to come or go: got the car through traffic.
To cause to move or leave: Get me out of here!
To take, especially by force; seize: The detective got the suspect as he left the restaurant.
Informal To overcome or destroy: The ice storm got the rose bushes.
To evoke an emotional response or reaction in: Romantic music really gets me.
To annoy or irritate: What got me was his utter lack of initiative.
To present a difficult problem to; puzzle.
To take revenge on, especially to kill in revenge for a wrong.
Informal To hit or strike: She got him on the chin. The bullet got him in the arm.
To have current possession of. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: We've got plenty of cash.
Nonstandard To have current possession of. Used in the past tense form with the meaning of the present: They got a nice house in town.
To have as an obligation. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: I have got to leave early. You've got to do the dishes.
Nonstandard To have as an obligation. Used in the past tense with the meaning of the present: I got to git me a huntin' dog.
To succeed in communicating with, as by telephone: can't get me at the office until nine.
To become affected with (an illness, for example) by infection or exposure; catch: get the flu; got the mumps.
To be subjected to; undergo: got a severe concussion.
To receive as retribution or punishment: got six years in prison for tax fraud.
To sustain a stated injury to: got my arm broken.
To gain or have understanding of: Do you get this question?
To learn (a poem, for example) by heart; memorize.
To find or reach by calculating: get a total; can't get the answer.
To perceive by hearing: I didn't get your name when we were introduced.
To cause to become or be in a specified state or condition: got the children tired and cross; got the shirt clean.
To make ready; prepare: get lunch for a crowd.
To cause to come or go: got the car through traffic.
To cause to move or leave: Get me out of here!
To take, especially by force; seize: The detective got the suspect as he left the restaurant.
Informal To overcome or destroy: The ice storm got the rose bushes.
To evoke an emotional response or reaction in: Romantic music really gets me.
To annoy or irritate: What got me was his utter lack of initiative.
To present a difficult problem to; puzzle.
To take revenge on, especially to kill in revenge for a wrong.
Informal To hit or strike: She got him on the chin. The bullet got him in the arm.
To have current possession of. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: We've got plenty of cash.
Nonstandard To have current possession of. Used in the past tense form with the meaning of the present: They got a nice house in town.
To have as an obligation. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: I have got to leave early. You've got to do the dishes.
Nonstandard To have as an obligation. Used in the past tense with the meaning of the present: I got to git me a huntin' dog.
To gain or have understanding of: Do you get this question?
To learn (a poem, for example) by heart; memorize.
To find or reach by calculating: get a total; can't get the answer.
To perceive by hearing: I didn't get your name when we were introduced.
To cause to become or be in a specified state or condition: got the children tired and cross; got the shirt clean.
To make ready; prepare: get lunch for a crowd.
To cause to come or go: got the car through traffic.
To cause to move or leave: Get me out of here!
To take, especially by force; seize: The detective got the suspect as he left the restaurant.
Informal To overcome or destroy: The ice storm got the rose bushes.
To evoke an emotional response or reaction in: Romantic music really gets me.
To annoy or irritate: What got me was his utter lack of initiative.
To present a difficult problem to; puzzle.
To take revenge on, especially to kill in revenge for a wrong.
Informal To hit or strike: She got him on the chin. The bullet got him in the arm.
To have current possession of. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: We've got plenty of cash.
Nonstandard To have current possession of. Used in the past tense form with the meaning of the present: They got a nice house in town.
To have as an obligation. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: I have got to leave early. You've got to do the dishes.
Nonstandard To have as an obligation. Used in the past tense with the meaning of the present: I got to git me a huntin' dog.
To procreate; beget.
To cause to become or be in a specified state or condition: got the children tired and cross; got the shirt clean.
To make ready; prepare: get lunch for a crowd.
To cause to come or go: got the car through traffic.
To cause to move or leave: Get me out of here!
To take, especially by force; seize: The detective got the suspect as he left the restaurant.
Informal To overcome or destroy: The ice storm got the rose bushes.
To evoke an emotional response or reaction in: Romantic music really gets me.
To annoy or irritate: What got me was his utter lack of initiative.
To present a difficult problem to; puzzle.
To take revenge on, especially to kill in revenge for a wrong.
Informal To hit or strike: She got him on the chin. The bullet got him in the arm.
To have current possession of. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: We've got plenty of cash.
Nonstandard To have current possession of. Used in the past tense form with the meaning of the present: They got a nice house in town.
To have as an obligation. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: I have got to leave early. You've got to do the dishes.
Nonstandard To have as an obligation. Used in the past tense with the meaning of the present: I got to git me a huntin' dog.
To cause to undertake or perform; prevail on: got the guide to give us the complete tour.
To take, especially by force; seize: The detective got the suspect as he left the restaurant.
Informal To overcome or destroy: The ice storm got the rose bushes.
To evoke an emotional response or reaction in: Romantic music really gets me.
To annoy or irritate: What got me was his utter lack of initiative.
To present a difficult problem to; puzzle.
To take revenge on, especially to kill in revenge for a wrong.
Informal To hit or strike: She got him on the chin. The bullet got him in the arm.
To have current possession of. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: We've got plenty of cash.
Nonstandard To have current possession of. Used in the past tense form with the meaning of the present: They got a nice house in town.
To have as an obligation. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: I have got to leave early. You've got to do the dishes.
Nonstandard To have as an obligation. Used in the past tense with the meaning of the present: I got to git me a huntin' dog.
Baseball To put out.
To begin or start. Used with the present participle: I have to get working on this or I'll miss my deadline.
To have current possession of. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: We've got plenty of cash.
Nonstandard To have current possession of. Used in the past tense form with the meaning of the present: They got a nice house in town.
To have as an obligation. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present: I have got to leave early. You've got to do the dishes.
Nonstandard To have as an obligation. Used in the past tense with the meaning of the present: I got to git me a huntin' dog.
v.
intr.
To become or grow to be: eventually got well.
To be successful in coming or going: When will we get to Dallas?
To be successful in becoming: get free of a drug problem.
Used with the past participle of transitive verbs as a passive voice auxiliary: got stung by a bee.
To become drawn in, entangled, or involved: got into debt; get into a hassle.
To be able or permitted: never got to see Europe; finally got to work at home.
To be successful in becoming: get free of a drug problem.
Used with the past participle of transitive verbs as a passive voice auxiliary: got stung by a bee.
To become drawn in, entangled, or involved: got into debt; get into a hassle.
Informal To depart immediately: yelled at the dog to get.
To work for gain or profit; make money: puts all his energy into getting and spending.
n.
The act of begetting.
Progeny; offspring.
To make progress.
To advance, especially in years.
To enter.
To arrive: We got in late last night.
To fire (a round of ammunition, for example): got off two shots before the deer disappeared.
To write and send, as a letter.
To feel great pleasure or gratification.
To experience euphoria, for example, as a result of taking a drug.
To make progress; continue: get on with a performance.
To advance in years.
To leave or escape.
To cause to leave or escape.
To succeed in making contact; reach.
To make oneself understood.
To begin. Used with the present participle: got to reminiscing.
To start to deal with: didn't get to the housework until Sunday.
To arise from bed or rise to one's feet.
To climb.
Chiefly British Slang A foolish or contemptible person.
Sports A return, as in tennis, on a shot that seems impossible to reach.
To make understandable or clear: tried to get my point across.
To be convincing or understandable: How can I get across to the students?
To be or continue to be on harmonious terms: gets along with the in-laws.
To manage or fare with reasonable success: can't get along on those wages.
To make progress.
To advance, especially in years.
To enter.
To arrive: We got in late last night.
To fire (a round of ammunition, for example): got off two shots before the deer disappeared.
To write and send, as a letter.
To feel great pleasure or gratification.
To experience euphoria, for example, as a result of taking a drug.
To make progress; continue: get on with a performance.
To advance in years.
To leave or escape.
To cause to leave or escape.
To succeed in making contact; reach.
To make oneself understood.
To begin. Used with the present participle: got to reminiscing.
To start to deal with: didn't get to the housework until Sunday.
To arise from bed or rise to one's feet.
To climb.
To go away; leave.
To circumvent or evade: managed to get around the real issues.
Informal To convince or win over by flattering or cajoling.
To travel from place to place: It is hard to get around without a car.
To become known; circulate: Word got around.
To touch or reach successfully: The cat hid where we couldn't get at it.
To try to make understandable; hint at or suggest: I don't know what you're getting at.
To discover or understand: tried to get at the cause of the problem.
Informal To bribe or influence by improper or illegal means: He got at the judge, and the charges were dismissed.
To break free; escape.
To leave or go away: wanted to come along, but couldn't get away.
To pass or outstrip.
To succeed at a level of minimal acceptibility or with the minimal amount of effort: just got by in college.
To succeed in managing; survive: We'll get by if we economize.
To be unnoticed or ignored by: The mistake got by the editor, but the proofreader caught it.
To descend.
To give one's attention. Often used with to:Let's get down to work.
To exhaust, discourage, or depress: The heat was getting me down.
To swallow: got the pill down on the first try.
To describe in writing.
Informal To lose one's inhibitions; enjoy oneself wholeheartedly.
To enter.
To arrive: We got in late last night.
To fire (a round of ammunition, for example): got off two shots before the deer disappeared.
To write and send, as a letter.
To feel great pleasure or gratification.
To experience euphoria, for example, as a result of taking a drug.
To make progress; continue: get on with a performance.
To advance in years.
To leave or escape.
To cause to leave or escape.
To succeed in making contact; reach.
To make oneself understood.
To begin. Used with the present participle: got to reminiscing.
To start to deal with: didn't get to the housework until Sunday.
To arise from bed or rise to one's feet.
To climb.
To become or cause to become involved: She got in with the wrong crowd. Repeated loans from the finance company got me deeper in debt.
To become accepted, as in a club.
To succeed in making or doing: got in six deliveries before noon.
To become involved in: got into trouble by stealing cars.
Informal To be interested in: got into gourmet cooking.
To start, as on a trip; leave.
To fire (a round of ammunition, for example): got off two shots before the deer disappeared.
To write and send, as a letter.
To feel great pleasure or gratification.
To experience euphoria, for example, as a result of taking a drug.
To make progress; continue: get on with a performance.
To advance in years.
To leave or escape.
To cause to leave or escape.
To succeed in making contact; reach.
To make oneself understood.
To begin. Used with the present participle: got to reminiscing.
To start to deal with: didn't get to the housework until Sunday.
To arise from bed or rise to one's feet.
To climb.
To escape, as from punishment or danger: got off scot-free.
To obtain a release or lesser penalty for: The attorney got her client off with a slap on the wrist.
Slang To act or speak with effrontery. Used in the imperative to express contempt or disdainful disbelief.
Slang To have an orgasm.
Slang
To feel great pleasure or gratification.
To experience euphoria, for example, as a result of taking a drug.
To make progress; continue: get on with a performance.
To advance in years.
To leave or escape.
To cause to leave or escape.
To succeed in making contact; reach.
To make oneself understood.
To begin. Used with the present participle: got to reminiscing.
To start to deal with: didn't get to the housework until Sunday.
To arise from bed or rise to one's feet.
To climb.
To get permission to leave one's workplace: got off early and went fishing.
To be or continue on harmonious terms: gets on well with the neighbors.
To manage or fare with reasonable success.
To make progress; continue: get on with a performance.
To advance in years.
To leave or escape.
To cause to leave or escape.
To succeed in making contact; reach.
To make oneself understood.
To begin. Used with the present participle: got to reminiscing.
To start to deal with: didn't get to the housework until Sunday.
To arise from bed or rise to one's feet.
To climb.
To acquire understanding or knowledge: got on to the con game.
To leave or escape.
To cause to leave or escape.
To succeed in making contact; reach.
To make oneself understood.
To begin. Used with the present participle: got to reminiscing.
To start to deal with: didn't get to the housework until Sunday.
To arise from bed or rise to one's feet.
To climb.
To become known: Somehow the secret got out.
To publish, as a newspaper.
To prevail against; overcome.
To recover from: finally got over the divorce.
To get across.
To arrive at the end of; finish or complete.
To succeed in making contact; reach.
To make oneself understood.
To begin. Used with the present participle: got to reminiscing.
To start to deal with: didn't get to the housework until Sunday.
To arise from bed or rise to one's feet.
To climb.
To begin. Used with the present participle: got to reminiscing.
To start to deal with: didn't get to the housework until Sunday.
To arise from bed or rise to one's feet.
To climb.
To influence or affect, especially adversely: The noise really gets to me.
To bring together; gather.
To come together.
To arrive at an agreement.
To arise from bed or rise to one's feet.
To climb.
To act as the creator or organizer of: got up a petition against rezoning.
To dress or adorn: She got herself up in a bizarre outfit.
To find within oneself: got up the nerve to quit.
Phrasal Verb(s): get aboutTo be out of bed and beginning to walk again, as after an illness. get across
To make understandable or clear: tried to get my point across.
To be convincing or understandable: How can I get across to the students?
get afterTo urge or scold: You should get after them to mow the lawn. get along
To be or continue to be on harmonious terms: gets along with the in-laws.
To manage or fare with reasonable success: can't get along on those wages.
To make progress.
To advance, especially in years.
To go away; leave.
get around
To circumvent or evade: managed to get around the real issues.
Informal To convince or win over by flattering or cajoling.
To travel from place to place: It is hard to get around without a car.
To become known; circulate: Word got around.
get at
To touch or reach successfully: The cat hid where we couldn't get at it.
To try to make understandable; hint at or suggest: I don't know what you're getting at.
To discover or understand: tried to get at the cause of the problem.
Informal To bribe or influence by improper or illegal means: He got at the judge, and the charges were dismissed.
get away
To break free; escape.
To leave or go away: wanted to come along, but couldn't get away.
get backTo return to a person, place, or condition: getting back to the subject. get by
To pass or outstrip.
To succeed at a level of minimal acceptibility or with the minimal amount of effort: just got by in college.
To succeed in managing; survive: We'll get by if we economize.
To be unnoticed or ignored by: The mistake got by the editor, but the proofreader caught it.
get down
To descend.
To give one's attention. Often used with to:Let's get down to work.
To exhaust, discourage, or depress: The heat was getting me down.
To swallow: got the pill down on the first try.
To describe in writing.
Informal To lose one's inhibitions; enjoy oneself wholeheartedly.
get in
To enter.
To arrive: We got in late last night.
To become or cause to become involved: She got in with the wrong crowd. Repeated loans from the finance company got me deeper in debt.
To become accepted, as in a club.
To succeed in making or doing: got in six deliveries before noon.
get into
To become involved in: got into trouble by stealing cars.
Informal To be interested in: got into gourmet cooking.
get off
To start, as on a trip; leave.
To fire (a round of ammunition, for example): got off two shots before the deer disappeared.
To write and send, as a letter.
To feel great pleasure or gratification.
To experience euphoria, for example, as a result of taking a drug.
To escape, as from punishment or danger: got off scot-free.
To obtain a release or lesser penalty for: The attorney got her client off with a slap on the wrist.
Slang To act or speak with effrontery. Used in the imperative to express contempt or disdainful disbelief.
Slang To have an orgasm.
Slang
To feel great pleasure or gratification.
To experience euphoria, for example, as a result of taking a drug.
To get permission to leave one's workplace: got off early and went fishing.
get on
To be or continue on harmonious terms: gets on well with the neighbors.
To manage or fare with reasonable success.
To make progress; continue: get on with a performance.
To advance in years.
To acquire understanding or knowledge: got on to the con game.
get out
To leave or escape.
To cause to leave or escape.
To become known: Somehow the secret got out.
To publish, as a newspaper.
get over
To prevail against; overcome.
To recover from: finally got over the divorce.
To get across.
get through
To arrive at the end of; finish or complete.
To succeed in making contact; reach.
To make oneself understood.
get to
To begin. Used with the present participle: got to reminiscing.
To start to deal with: didn't get to the housework until Sunday.
To influence or affect, especially adversely: The noise really gets to me.
get together
To bring together; gather.
To come together.
To arrive at an agreement.
get up
To arise from bed or rise to one's feet.
To climb.
To act as the creator or organizer of: got up a petition against rezoning.
To dress or adorn: She got herself up in a bizarre outfit.
To find within oneself: got up the nerve to quit.
Idiom(s):
get around toTo find the time or occasion for.
Idiom(s):
get away withTo escape the consequences of (a blameworthy act, for example): got away with cheating.
Idiom(s):
get back atTo take revenge on.
Idiom(s):
get crackingTo begin to work; get started.
Idiom(s):
get evenTo obtain revenge.
Idiom(s):
get even withTo repay with an equivalent act, as for revenge.
Idiom(s):
get goingTo make a beginning; get started.
Idiom(s):
get hold/ahold of
To bring into one's grasp, possession, or control.
To communicate with, especially by telephone.
Idiom(s):
get it Informal To be punished or scolded.
Idiom(s):
get it on Slang
To become filled with energy or excitement.
To engage in sexual intercourse.
Idiom(s):
get nowhereTo make no progress.
Idiom(s):
get (one's) Informal To receive one's due punishment: After sassing his parents, he really got his.
Idiom(s):
get on the stickTo begin to work.
Idiom(s):
get out ofTo gain release from the obligation of: She tried to get out of taking her brother to the mall. He couldn't get out of his date on Saturday.
Idiom(s):
get (someone's) goatTo make angry or vexed.
Idiom(s):
get somewhere Informal To make progress.
Idiom(s):
get there Informal To make progress or achieve success.
Idiom(s):
get wind ofTo learn of: got wind of the scheme.
[Middle English geten, from Old Norse geta; see ghend- in Indo-European roots.] get'a·ble, get'ta·ble adj.
Usage Note: The use of get in the passive, as in We got sunburned at the beach, is generally avoided in formal writing. In less formal contexts, however, the construction can provide a useful difference in tone or emphasis, as between the sentences The demonstrators were arrested and The demonstrators got arrested. The first example implies that the responsibility for the arrests rests primarily with the police, while the example using get implies that the demonstrators deliberately provoked the arrests. · In colloquial use and in numerous nonstandard varieties of American English, the past tense form got has the meaning of the present. This arose probably by dropping the helping verb have from the past perfects have got, has got:We've got to go, we've got a lot of problems became We got to go, we got a lot of problems. The reanalysis of got as a present-tense form has led to the creation of a third singular gots in some varieties of English, especially African American Vernacular English.
tv. to get someone excited. : I've got some news that'll really get your motor running.
tv. to get someone sexually aroused. : She knows how to get his motor running.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition. Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History
get
c.1200, from O.N. geta "to obtain, reach" (p.t. gatum, pp. getenn), from P.Gmc. *getan (cf. O.E. begietan "to beget," O.Swed. gissa "to guess," lit. "to try to get"), from PIE base *ghe(n)d- "seize" (cf. Gk. khandanein "to hold, contain," Lith. godetis "be eager," second element in L. prehendere "to grasp, seize," Welsh gannu "to hold, contain," O.C.S. gadati "to guess, suppose"). Meaning "to seize mentally, grasp" is from 1892. O.E., as well as Du. and Fris., had the root only in compounds (cf. beget, forget). Vestiges of O.E. cognate *gietan remain obliquely in pp. gotten and original pt. gat. The word and phrases built on it take up 29 columns in the OED 2nd edition. Slang get over "recover, rebound" is from 1687. Getaway "escape" is from 1852. Get-up "equipment or costume" is from 1847. Get-rich-quick (adj.) is from 1902. Get wind of "become acquainted with" is from 1840, from earlier to get wind "to get out, become known" (1722).
Main Entry: get Pronunciation: (')get Function: transitive verb Inflected Form: got/(')gät/; gotorgot·ten/'gät-&n/; get·ting : to catch or become affected by (a disease or bodily condition) <got measles from his brother> <gother period>
Reach the end, finish, complete, as in Now that our computer system is working again, I should get through by mid-afternoon. It is also put as , as in As soon as we get through with painting the kitchen, I'll call you. [Mid-1600s]
Succeed in passing or surviving something, as in This epidemic is awful, but I'm sure we'll get through it somehow. [Mid-1700s]
Also, get through to someone. Make contact with or reach someone, as in After trying to reach them all night, we got finally through, or He tried to get through to the family. [Late 1800s]
Also get through to. Make oneself understood, as in Am I getting through to you? [Colloquial; mid-1900s]