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'Get’ is a magical verb that can be used in almost any situation.
'Get' can be used on its own and with other words.
1. In a sentence 'get' used on its own can have the meaning of
become
persuade
arrive
manage
annoy
obtain
inherit
earn
fetch
prepare
receive
go
travel
find
obtain
contract
capture
buy
understand
persuade
annoy and many more
- Through concentration you can get anything you want. = receive
- You may be surprised at what you can get for your money. = buy
- You can get anywhere in the city quickly and easily. = go (access, travel)
- What time do you get home? = arrive (come)
- At least there I could get a good job for a few years. = find
- I didn't get his joke. = understand
- Let me go get my laptop. = (to go somewhere and bring back someone or something) - Can I get you a drink? =(to go somewhere and bring back someone or something)
- Peter gets really upset if you do it. = (to become or start to be)
- Peter had to get the kids ready for school.
- Peter is trying to get this report finished by Monday.
- He gets his parcel delivered.
- Were you able to get the copy machine working? = to cause something to happen, or cause someone or something to do something
- Why don't we get Peter to come to this event? = to persuade someone to do something
- Peter got his backpack caught in the train doors as they were closing. = to do something to something or someone without intending to or by accident
2. 'Get' can be used with comparative adjectives
- My English is getting better.
- He's getting older.
- The music is getting louder.
3. 'Get' can be used with V3 (past participle)
- I never imagined I'd get married again.
- A simple person is easy to get lost in these jungles.
- Do you help your child get dressed in the morning?
- Do you get changed when you get home?
4. Get' can be used as a causative verb
When we want to talk about something that someone else did for another person or for us we have to use the structure:
Get (or Have) something done =
subject + Get (or HAVE) + object + V3
If we say:
I fixed my car. This means I fixed it myself.
but
If I paid someone to fix it (or just someone did it for me) we say: I got (or had) my car fixed.
We can use get instead of have.
5. There are a lot of phrasal verbs with "get":
Get across
= to move from one side (of something) to the other; cross
It’s impossible to get across with all checkpoints closed.
= Successfully explain a thought or feeling
How can I get this across to the students?
Get ahead
Progress
= If this project goes well, it could really help me to get ahead at work.
Get ahead of
=Move in front of
I got ahead of her in line.
Get after
= Move into action in pursuit of something
He’s wasting time at university not getting after his degree.
= Move into action in attempt to catch or defeat another
Do you think the girl’s going to ask you out? Get after her!
= Attempt to convince another to move into action
Parents get after their children to do homework for the best.
Get along
= Interact or coexist well, without argument or trouble
I wish the kids would get along better.
= Survive; to do well enough
She didn’t have a lot of money, but she had enough to get along.
Get along with
= Have a good relationship with someone
I hope I will get along with everyone.
= Deal with, handle
How are you getting along with your schoolwork?
Get around
= Move to the other side of an obstruction
It might be a while before we can get around from this traffic jam.
= Come around something
Cross at the rocks when you get around the bend.
= Avoid or bypass an obstacle
Tax consultants look for ways to get around the law.
= Circumvent the obligation and performance of a chore
My brother always gets around cleaning his room himself.
= Transport oneself from place to place
Granny uses a wheelchair to get around.
= Be sexually promiscuous
Wow, she really gets around.
Get around to
= Eventually begin or return to some procrastinated task
Some day I’ll get around to organizing this mess.
Get at
= Manage to gain access to
I have a lot of money in my trust fund. I just can’t get at it.
Get about
= Be mobile, physically active
I can’t get about so much I've broken my leg.
= Become widely known
If this story gets about then I’m finished.
= Visit a variety of different places
That’s the tenth party Peter’s been to this month. He certainly gets about.
Get at
= Understand or ascertain by investigation
We need to get at the root cause of all this.
= Mean, signify
I don’t understand. What are you getting at?
= Attack verbally or physically; to annoy, bother
My cat was badly injured after the neighbour’s dog got at her.
= Persuade by intimidation, to tamper with
That was a ridiculous verdict. I think the jury was got at.
= Contact someone
I‘ve got some things to do for about an hour. After that, get at me.
Get away
= Move away (from)
Get away from me!
= Avoid capture; to escape (from)
I almost caught the critter, but it got away from me.
= Take a break from one’s present circumstances
Next weekend we’re hoping to get away to the seaside.
= Start moving; to depart
The train got away exactly on time.
= Slip from one’s control
I can’t cope any more. Things are getting away from me.
Get away from
= Start to talk about something that is not relevant to the discussion
I think we’re getting away from the point.
Get away with
= Escape punishment for
Our teacher’s so strict, he’d never let us get away with anything in class.
Get back
= Return to where one came from
When I get back from holiday, I expect the house to be tidy.
= Retrieve, to have an item returned
I lent her my guitar over the Christmas holidays, and will get it back when the term starts.
= Do something to hurt or harm someone who has hurt or harmed you
I’ll get you back for this!
Get back at
= Retaliate against; to take revenge on
She put toothpaste in his shoes to get back at him for the frog he left in her refrigerator.
Get back to
= Return to
I’ll get back to work as soon as I’ve finished this game.
= Return contact with
I’ll get back to you when I have an answer.
Get behind
= Support
She claims the publishers never really got behind her new book.
Get behind with
= Be late paying instalments for something
If they get behind with mortgage payments, they might lose their home.
Get by
= Subsist; to succeed, survive, or manage, at least at a minimal level
Do you think they can get by on only one salary?
Get down
= Bring or come down; descend
The kitten climbed the tree, but then couldn’t get down again.
= Concentrate; attend
To get down to the matter at hand.
= Depress; discourage; fatigue
Nothing gets me down so much as a rainy day.
= Swallow
The pill was so large that he couldn’t get it down.
= Relax and enjoy oneself completely; be uninhibited in one’s enjoyment
Getting down with a bunch of old friends.
= Duck or take cover, usually to avoid harm
With bullets flying, all I could do was get down and pray.
=Leave the table after dining
Mummy, can I get down?
= Record in writing
Quick, here’s a pen, get this down will you, before I forget.
Get down on
= Criticise
Jane’s always getting down on the kids.
Get down to
= Start working seriously
After lunch we got down to discussing the issue of pay.
Get in
= Get into or inside something, literally or figuratively You’d better get in gear.
We’ve got work to do!
= Enter a place; to gain access
If you want to get in, you’ll need the gate code and a key.
= Secure membership at a selective school
All of our students who applied to university got in.
= Be elected to some office
Example: Do the early results say our candidate will get in?
Get in with
= Become involved or associated with
I’m very worried about her – she’s got in with the wrong crowd.
Get into
= Move into an object, such that one ends up inside it
She got into the car.
= Reach into an object
The small child got into everything.
= Become involved in a discussion, issue, or activity
My sister has got into flower arranging recently.
= Enter an unfavourable state
How did we get into such a mess?
= Make behave uncharacteristically
I don’t know what’s gotten into that child.
Get it
= Be punished or scolded
You’re going to get it if you don’t stop teasing me!
Get it on
= Have sex
I can see the sparks between us. Let’s get it on, baby!
= Engage in a fight
You want a piece of me? OK, let’s get it on!
= Hurry up; to get a move on
I need to get it on: there’s not much time left.
= To be well-organized and prepared
You all need to get it together so that we can leave for the airport on time tomorrow morning.
Get it over with
= Do or finish, especially said of something unpleasant
He didn’t want to go to the doctor for his shots, but he decided it would be better just to get it over with.
Get off
= Move from being on top of (something) to not being on top of it
Get off your chair and help me.
= Move (something) from being on top of (something else) to not being on top of it
Could you get the book off the top shelf for me?
= Disembark, especially from mass transportation
You get off the train at the third stop.
= Stop (doing something), to desist from (doing something)
This is where you get off ordering me about!
= Stop using a piece of equipment, such as a telephone or computer
Can you get off the phone, please? I need to use it urgently.
= Complete a shift or a day’s work
If I can get off early tomorrow, I’ll give you a ride home.
= Stop touching or interfering with something or someone
Don’t tickle me – get off!
= Excite or arouse, especially in a sexual manner
Catwoman‘s costume really gets me off.
= Experience an orgasm or other sexual pleasure
You are not allowed to get off in my bedroom.
= Kiss; to smooch
I’d like to get off with him after the party.
= Escape (with usually only mild consequences)
The vandal got off easy, with only a fine.
= Fall asleep
If I wake up during the night, I cannot get off again.
= Behave in an presumptuous, rude, or intrusive manner
Where do you get off talking to me like that?
Get off on
= Be excited or aroused by; to derive pleasure from
I don’t get off on champagne.
= Have a sexual encounter with
He got off with my sister at the party.
Get on
= Board or mount (something), especially a vehicle
Please get on the bus as quickly as possible.
= Be successful
She’s getting on very well at school.
= Progress (with)
It’s time to get on with improving quality.
= Become late
Time is getting on.
= Become old
My parents are visibly getting on a bit these days.
=Gave a good relationship
I wish you and I could learn to get on.
= Commence
The dishes need washing, the floor needs vacuuming, the laundry needs folding. Get on it!
Get on to
= Contact (someone) in order to raise or discuss a certain matter
That pipe is leaking again. I’ll get on to the plumber in the morning.
= Progress to; to start working on
I haven’t got time to work on this report today; I’ll get on to it tomorrow.
Get on for
= Be near a time
It was getting on for noon.
Get on with
= Proceed with; to begin or continue, especially after an interruption
I have to get on with my spring cleaning.
= Have a good relationship with
Peter did not get on with his mother-in-law.
Get onto
= Move onto an object, especially one on which it is possible to stand
The child will get onto the merry-go-round.
= Contact a person or organisation about a particular matter
You should get onto the manufacturers and complain.
= Connect, especially to the Internet or a network
With my new computer, I can get onto the Internet faster.
= Scold someone
My father got onto me for taking the car without asking.
= Introduce someone to something
My mum got me onto this new diet and I’ve lost 5 kilos in the past two weeks.
Get out
= Leave or escape
In case of fire, get out by the nearest exit.
= Come out of a situation ; to escape a fate
Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyways.
= Help someone leave
We must get the children out first.
= Leave a vehicle such as a car
I’ll get out at the end of the road and walk from there.
= Become known
Somehow the secret got out.
= Spend free time out of the house
You work too hard. You should get out more.
= Publish something, or make a product available
The organization has just gotten their newsletter out.
=Say something with difficulty
He could hardly get the words out for the tears.
= Clean something. To eliminate dirt or stains
This detergent will get most household stains out.
= Leave, exit, or become free of
I can’t get out of this notion that she may have known all along.
= Circumvent some obligation entirely
I only cheat so I can get out of doing work.
= Leave or exit a place
If you’re smart, don’t sign the employment contract. Just get out of here while you still can.
Get over
=Overcome
I’m trying to get over my fear of flying.
= Recover (from)
I’m having problems getting over a bad cold.
= Forget and move on
She was in love with me for 10 years, and still hasn’t got over the fact that the feeling wasn’t mutual.
= Successfully communicate; to get across
In our lectures we need to get over the importance of online safety.
Get over with
= Do something quickly and hastily; without procrastination
I hate getting shots, but it’s best just to get it over with.
Get rid of
= Dispose (of); to remove; abolish; lose
I want to get rid of your influence over my life!
Get stuck into
= Dedicate a large amount of effort towards
He’s really getting stuck into his new job as chief executive.
= Start eating
Dinner’s ready! Quick, get stuck into it!
= Criticise someone; tell off; to get angry at; attack
Why are you getting stuck into me all of the sudden? I didn’t do anything!
Get taken
= Be fooled; to fall for
I wonder how many people will get taken in by their addition of a fancy-looking front panel to a crummy device.
Get taken in
= Be unofficially fostered
When her mother died, she got taken in by the next-door neighbour.
Get through
= Overcome; to endure
Military training was hard, but I got through it
= Complete; to finish
She got through her book this morning!
= Be made successfully
The call wouldn’t get through no matter how many times I tried.
Get through to
= Make someone understand
I feel I’m not getting through to some of the kids in my class.
= Reach a stage in a competition
She got through to the final round of interviews.
Get to
= Reach, arrive at
I’ll call you when I get to the railway station.
= Have an opportunity to or be allowed to
How come he gets to be hall monitor? No fair!
= Affect adversely; to upset or annoy
This job’s really getting to me. I don’t know how much longer I’ll last.
= Track down and intimidate
He’s refusing to testify. I think the Mob got to him.
Get together
= Meet socially
Lily got the girls together and told them about Anna’s accident.
Get up
= Move in an upwards direction; to ascend or climb
I’m having difficulty getting up the stairs.
= Rise from one’s bed
I didn’t get up until midday.
= Move from a sitting or lying position to a standing position; to stand up
Get up off the couch and clean this mess!
= Materialise; to grow stronger
As dusk fell a storm got up.
= Bring together, amass
The general got up a large body of men.
= Gather or grow larger by accretion
I could see that he was getting up a temper.
= Criticise
He got up me about the mess I made in the kitchen.
= Dress in a certain way, especially extravagantly
She was all got up in the most ridiculous frilly dress.
Get up to
= Do something, especially something that you should not do
Recently he’s been getting up to all sorts of mischief
Get used
= Become accustomed to something; acclimate; adjust
I’m getting used to this climate.
Get with
=Impregnate
The stallion got with foal three out of four mares.
= Align oneself with
We have to get with the times or we’ll be left behind.
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