Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
Шрифт:
[get the ball rolling] or [set the ball rolling] or [start the ball rolling] <informal> To start an activity or action; make a beginning; begin. * /George started the ball rolling at the party by telling a new joke./ Compare: KEEP THE BALL ROLLING.
[get the better of] or [get the best of] <v. phr.> 1. To win over, beat; defeat. * /Our team got the best of the visitors in the last quarter./ * /George got the better of Robert in a game of checkers./ * /When the opposing player fouled John, John let his anger get the better of his good sense and hit the boy back./ * /Dave wanted to study till midnight, but sleepiness got the best of him./ Compare: RUN AWAY WITH(1). 2. or [have the best of] or [have the better of] To win or be ahead in (something); gain most from (something.) * /Bill traded an old bicycle tire for a horn; he got the best of that deal./ * /Our team had the best of it today, but they may lose the game tomorrow./ * /The champion had all the better of it in the last part of the fight./ Contrast: GET THE WORST OF.
[get the boot] or [the gate] or [the sack] See: GET THE AXE.
[get the bounce] or [get the gate] <v. phr.>, <slang> 1. or [get the air] To lose one's sweetheart; not be kept for a friend or lover. * /Joe is sad because he just got the gate from his girl./ * /Shirley was afraid she might get the air from her boyfriend if she went out with other boys while he was away./ 2. or [get the sack] also [get the hook] To be fired; lose a job. * /Uncle Willie can't keep a job; he got the sack today for sleeping on the job./ * /You're likely to get the bounce if you are absent from work too much./ Contrast: GIVE THE BOUNCE.
[get the brush-off] <v. phr.>, <slang> 1. To be paid no attention; not be listened to or thought important. * /My idea for a party got the brush-off from the other children./ 2. To be treated in an unkind or unfriendly way; be ignored. * /Frank and Jane had an argument, so the next time he telephoned her, he got the brush-off./ Compare: COLD SHOULDER, HIGH-HAT. Contrast: BRUSH OFF.
[get the cart before the horse] See: CART BEFORE THE HORSE.
[get the eye] <v. phr.>, <informal> 1. To be looked at, especially with interest and liking. * /The pretty girl got the eye as she walked past the boys on the street corner./ 2. To be looked at or stared at, especially in a cold, unfriendly way. * /When Mary asked if she could take home the fur coat and pay later, she got the eye from the clerk./ Contrast: GIVE THE EYE.
[get the feel of] <v. phr.> To become used to or learn about, especially by feeling or handling; get used to the experience or feeling of; get skill in. * /John had never driven a big car, and it took a while for him to get the feel of it./ * /You'll get the feel of the job after you've been there a few weeks./
[get the go-ahead] or [the green light] <v. phr.> To receive the permission or signal to start or to proceed. * /We had to wait until we got the go-ahead on our research project./
[get the goods on] or [have the goods on] <v. phr.>, <slang> To find out true and, often, bad information about; discover what is wrong with; be able to prove the guilt of. * /Tell the truth, Johnny. We know who your girl is because we've got the goods on you./ * /The police had the goods on the burglar before he came to trial./ Compare: HAVE SOMETHING ON.
[get the hook] See: GET THE BOUNCE(2).
[get the inside track] See: INSIDE TRACK.
[get the jitters] <v. phr.> To become very nervous or excited. * /I always get the jitters when I sit in an airplane that's about to take off./
[get the jump on] or [have the jump on] <v. phr.>, <slang> To get ahead of; start before (others); have an advantage over. * /Don't let the other boys get the jump on you at the beginning of the race./ * /Our team got the jump on their rivals in the first minutes of play, and held the lead to win./
[get the last laugh] See: HAVE THE LAST LAUGH.
[get the lead out of one's pants] <v. phr.>, <slang> To get busy; work faster. * /The captain told the sailors to get the lead out of their pants./ * /The coach told the players to get the lead out of their pants./
[get the lowdown on] <v. phr.> To receive the full inside information on a person or thing. * /We need to get the lowdown on Peter before we can decide whether or not to hire him./
[get the message] or [get the word] <v. phr.>, <slang> To understand clearly what is meant. * /The principal talked to the students about being on time, and most of them got the message./ * /Mary hinted to her boyfriend that she wanted to break up, but he didn't gel the message./ Compare: THE PICTURE.
[get the picture] See: THE PICTURE.
[get the runaround] See: RUN AROUND.
[get the sack] <v. phr.>, <slang> 1. To be fired or dismissed from work. * /John got the sack at the factory last week./ 2. To be told by one's lover that the relationship is over. * /Joanna gave Sam the sack./ See: GET THE AX and GET THE BOUNCE(2).
[get the show on the road]<v. phr.>, <informal> To start a program; get work started. * /It was several years before the rocket scientists got the show on the road./ Compare: GET THE BALL ROLLING.
[get the third degree] See: THIRD DEGREE.
[get the upper hand on] See: UPPER HAND.
[get the word] See: GET THE MESSAGE.
[get the works] See: THE WORKS.
[get the worst of] also [have the worst of] <v. phr.> To lose; be defeated or beaten in; suffer most. * /Joe got the worst of the argument with Molly./ - Often used in the phrase "the worst of it". * /If you start a fight with Jim, you may get the worst of it./ * /Bill had the worst of it in his race with Al./ * /Jack traded his knife for a few marbles; he got the worst of it in that trade./ * /The driver of the car got the worst of it in the accident./ Contrast: GET THE BETTER OF(2).
[get through] <v. phr.> 1. To finish. * /Barry got through his homework by late evening./ 2. To pass a course or an examination. * /I got through every one of my courses except mathematics./
[get through one's head] <v. phr.> 1. To understand or believe. * /Jack couldn't get it through his head that his father wouldn't let him go to camp if his grades didn't improve./ * /At last Mary got it through her head that she had failed to pass the test./ 2. To make someone understand or believe. * /I'll get it through his head if it takes all night./