Commonly used english part 25 docx

241

get (something) straight

- to understand something clearly
I could not get what my friend was trying to tell me straight.

get (something) through (someone's) thick skull

- to manage to get someone to understand something
I could not get it through my friend's thick skull that I would not go on a holiday with
him.

get (something) under control

- to be able to control something
The fire fighters were quickly able to get the fire under control.

get the ax

- to be fired
The man got the ax last week and now has no job.

get the ball rolling

- to start something
"Let`s get the ball rolling and start planning the party."

get the benefit of the doubt

- to receive a decision in your favor when the evidence in neither for you nor against
you
I got the benefit of the doubt when I complained about my parking ticket.







242

get the better of (someone)

- to beat/defeat (someone), to win against someone
My friend got the better of me and won the tennis match.

get the blues

- to become sad or depressed
Every winter my neighbor seems to get the blues.

get the boot

- to be fired, to be told to leave a place
I got the boot from my first job in high school.
The man got the boot from the restaurant for smoking.
get the brush-off

- to be ignored or sent away

I got the brush-off when I asked the girl to dance.

get the cold shoulder

- to be ignored or rejected
My friend got the cold shoulder when he went to the expensive restaurant.

get the day off

- to have a free day from work
I hope to get the day off tomorrow so I can visit my grandfather in the hospital.

get the facts straight

- to get a good understanding of the facts
I do not believe that our supervisor got the facts straight when she heard about our
argument.


243

get the feel of (something)

- to become used to or learn about something
After you get the feel of the new computer it is very easy to use.

get the floor

- to receive official permission to address an audience
When the principal finally got the floor everybody was ready to go home.

get the go-ahead

- to receive a signal to start something
The construction company got the go-ahead to begin work on the new stadium.

get the goods on (someone)

- to find out true but often negative information about someone
I think that I have got the goods on the man and will talk to the police soon.

get the hang of (something)

- to learn how to do something
The boy was asked to help with the sound system after he got the hang of it.

get the jump on (someone)

- to get ahead of someone
We left home early so we could get the jump on the other travellers.

get the last laugh

- to laugh at someone who has laughed at you
We got the last laugh when the car that had passed us on the highway got a speeding
ticket.


244

get the lead out

- to hurry
"Get the lead out," I said to my slow friend.

get the lowdown on (someone or something)

- to receive the full story about someone or something
I met a friend for coffee to get the lowdown on our friend who is getting married.

get the message

- to clearly understand the meaning of something
I told my friend to be quiet but I do not think that he got the message.

get the nod

- to be chosen for something
My favorite candidate got the nod to represent us in the election.

get the once-over

- to receive a quick visual examination
I quickly got the once-over when I arrived for the job interview.

get the picture

- to understand the whole situation
I did not get the picture of what my friend was saying about his new girlfriend.

get the red-carpet treatment

- to receive very special treatment
The Queen of England got the red-carpet treatment during her trip to Australia.


245

get the runaround

- to receive a series of excuses and delays
I got the runaround when I went to talk to the company about my parking ticket.

get the sack

- to be fired from a job
I told the employee that if he does not change his work habits he will get the sack.

get the shock of one's life

- to receive a serious emotional shock
I got the shock of my life when I saw my teacher on TV.

get the short end of the stick

- to get less than others
I sometimes get the short end of the stick and I have to do more work than the other
students.

get the show on the road

- to start working on something
"Let`s get the show on the road and begin work for the day."

get the third degree

- to be questioned in great detail and for a long period of time
The boy got the third degree when he came home late for dinner.

get the upper hand (on someone)

- to get into a position superior to someone
I got the upper hand during my dispute with the apartment manager.


246

get the worst of (something)

- to be defeated, to receive less benefit than someone else
The man got the worst of the deal when the salesman sold him the used car.

get through (something)

- to complete something, to finish something, to survive something
My friend is having trouble getting through her final exams.
I have much reading that I must get through before tomorrow.

get through to (someone)

- to make someone understand something
I tried talking to the woman but I could not get through to her.

get time off

- to receive a holiday from work
I can never get time off in the summer.

get to do (something)

- to have a chance or to be able to do something
I did not get to go to the circus last week.

get to first base

- to make a start, to succeed
I tried to meet the company president but I could not get to first base.

get to one's feet

- to stand up
The members of the audience got to their feet when the concert finished.


247

get to the bottom of (something)

- to find out the real cause/answer of something
The government wants to get to the bottom of the financial problems in the company.

get to the heart of (something)

- to understand the most important thing about something
We were in the meeting for three hours trying to get to the heart of the problem.

get to the root of a problem

- to get an understanding of the causes of a problem
The purpose of the meeting was to get to the root of the problem about the money.

get tough with (someone)

- to become firm/strict with someone
The school plans to get tough with students who are late.

get under (someone`s) skin

- to bother or upset someone
The woman always gets under my skin although I do not really know why.

get under way

- to start
The festival got under way early this morning.

get up

- to get out of bed, to get to one`s feet
I got up early today so that I could go fishing with my friend.

248

get-up-and-go

- energy, enthusiasm, drive
The man has lots of get-up-and-go and it is difficult to follow him around.

get up enough nerve (to do something)

- to become brave enough to do something
I finally got up enough nerve to ask the woman for a date.

get up on the wrong side of the bed

- to be in a bad mood
My friend got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning and will not talk to
anyone.

get up the nerve to (do something)

- to become brave enough to do something
I tried to get up the nerve to ask my friend about his new job.

get used to (someone or something)

- to become accustomed to someone or something
I am slowly getting used to my new job.

get what`s coming to one

- to receive the good or bad that one deserves
The criminal got what was coming to him when he was sent to jail for two years.

get wind of (something)

- to hear about something
I got wind of the changes in our company from my friend.


249

get wise to (someone or something)

- to learn about something that is a secret
The man got wise to the fact that someone was stealing his money.

get with it

- to pay attention, to get busy
I told my friend to get with it or he would have problems with his boss.

get worked up about/over (something)

- to get excited or angry about something
My friend always gets worked up about his problems at work.

.

getup

- fancy dress or costume
"What was that strange getup that your friend was wearing the other day?"

ghost of a chance

- very little chance, the smallest chance
The boy does not have a ghost of a chance to finish his homework before class.

gift of the gab

- the ability to talk well
My friend has the gift of the gab and is fun at a party.



250

give Idioms


give a wide birth to (someone or something)

- to keep away from someone or something, to keep a safe distance from someone or
something
I usually give a wide birth to my boss when he is angry.

give-and-take

- sharing, giving and receiving between people
You must be willing to give-and-take if you want to have a good marriage.

give away (a secret)

- to let a secret become known
I do not want my friend to give away my plans to go to Mexico for a holiday.

give away (something)

- to give something to someone
I decided to give away my bicycle because I did not need it anymore.

give birth

- to have a baby
The woman gave birth to a baby boy last night.

give chase to (someone or something)

- to chase or run after someone or something
The police gave chase to the man who robbed the store.