G American Expressions and American Idioms

This database is a comprehensive collection of all the American idioms and slang available. American Idioms are many and varied. We hope you enjoy our collection. We are adding more all the time. .

Get a leg up What does "Get a leg up" mean?	To get a boost or advantage.	I could get up a 5:00 am to get a leg up on my competition, but I don't think so. This phrase may incorrectly invoke images of a dog raising its leg. In fact "Getting a leg up" is from the act of an equestrian receiving help in mounting a horse. The helper would create a foothold by cupping the hands to heft the rider upward, throwing a leg up and over the steed.

Gramps What does "Gramps" mean?	Grand-father	Hey Gramps, "Will you take me fishing today?" Grand-father is often shortened to Gran'pa or simply Gramps. Take care not to refer to an older male in this fashion unless you have a relationship that permits this type of slang to be used or you might end up offending the older person.
get going What does "get going" mean?	leave.	"Look at the time! I'd better get going!"
get it What does "get it" mean?	understand something (often negative).	"I don't get it. What do you mean?"
get a kick out of something What does "get a kick out of something" mean?	find something amusing.	"I really get a kick out of listening tochildren talk. They say some very funny things."
get lost! What does "get lost!" mean?	go away	"I wish he'd get lost and stop bothering me. Idon't want to talk to him!"
get on one's nerves What does "get on one's nerves" mean?	irritate someone; make someone upset.	"I know you like that song, but it's getting on mynerves. Can you play something else?"
get a move on What does "get a move on" mean?	hurry	"If you don't want to be late, you'd better get amove on."

get one's wires crossed What does "get one's wires crossed" mean?	: be confused or mistaken about something.	A: "Bill said there was a meeting this morning. Don'twe have one?" B: "No. The meeting's tomorrow. I guess Bill got his wirescrossed."
get out of hand What does "get out of hand" mean?	become out of control; become badly managed.	"Your absences are getting out of hand, Bob.You'd better do something quickly to improve the situation if youwant to keep your job."
Get real! What does "Get real!" mean?	Be realistic! / Don't be naive.	A: "I'm going to Las Vegas. I know I'll win a lot ofmoney!"B: "Get real! You'll probably lose a lot of money!"
get up and go What does "get up and go" mean?	energy.	"I'm really tired. I don't have any get up andgo."
give someone a hand (1) What does "give someone a hand (1)" mean?	(1): help someone.	"I can't do this alone. Can you give me ahand?"
give someone a hand (2) What does "give someone a hand (2)" mean?	(2): applaud (to show respect or appreciation for someone/something).	"John's done a wonderful job with The ESL Caféon the Web. Let's give him a hand!"
go with the flow What does "go with the flow" mean?	take things as they come.	"There's no need to worry. Everything will be OK ifyou just go with the flow."
grab a bite What does "grab a bite" mean?	get something to eat.	"I'm really hungry. Would you like to grab abite with me?"
green What does "green" mean?	inexperienced.	"I don't think you can depend on Jack to do that jobby himself. He's too green."
gain ground What does "gain ground" mean?	to go forward, to make progress	The toy company is gaining ground in their effort to sell more products.
game that two can play What does "game that two can play" mean?	a good or bad strategy that two competing sides can both use	The insults from my friend are a game that two can play and if she wants to continue then so can I.
gang up on (someone) What does "gang up on (someone)" mean?	to attack someone in a group	The children tried to gang up on the boy but he ran away.
gas up What does "gas up" mean?	to fill up a gas tank	We must gas up before we leave on our holiday tomorrow.
gear up for (something) What does "gear up for (something)" mean?	to prepare for something	The city is gearing up for the Olympic games.
gee whiz What does "gee whiz" mean?	used as an exclamation to show surprise or other strong feelings	"Gee whiz! Are we really going to go to France for our holiday?"
generous to a fault What does "generous to a fault" mean?	to be too generous	My friend is generous to a fault and he sometimes gives too much to his friends.
get a bang out of (someone or something) What does "get a bang out of (someone or something)" mean?	to receive special pleasure from someone or something	My father gets a bang out of the funny birthday cards that we send him.
get a break What does "get a break" mean?	to get an opportunity or good deal	I got a break when my friend sold me his car for a cheap price.
get a bright idea What does "get a bright idea" mean?	to have a clever thought or idea occur to you (often used as sarcasm)	My father got the bright idea that he should buy a motorcycle.
get a checkup What does "get a checkup" mean?	to receive a physical examination by a doctor	I go to the doctor every year to get a checkup.
get a clean bill of health What does "get a clean bill of health" mean?	to be pronounced healthy by a doctor	I got a clean bill of health when I went to see the doctor.
get a dirty look from (someone) What does "get a dirty look from (someone)" mean?	to receive a frown from someone	I got a dirty look from the man who was sitting next to my crying child.
get a feel for (something) What does "get a feel for (something)" mean?	to become accustomed to something and learn how it works, to learn how to do something	I am beginning to get a feel for my new job.
get a fix on (something) What does "get a fix on (something)" mean?	to receive a reading of a distant object by electronic means	We were able to get a fix on the island and took the boat safely to the harbor.
get a foothold (somewhere) What does "get a foothold (somewhere)" mean?	to find a starting point somewhere	The new political party is beginning to get a foothold in the big cities.
get a grasp of (something) What does "get a grasp of (something)" mean?	to begin to understand something	I am beginning to get a grasp of how to operate the new computer system.
get a grip of oneself What does "get a grip of oneself" mean?	to take control of one`s feelings	The man got a grip of himself and calmed down.
get a head start (on someone or something) What does "get a head start (on someone or something)" mean?	to start earlier than someone or something, to start earlier than usual	We tried to get a head start on our holiday.
get a kick out of (someone or something) What does "get a kick out of (someone or something)" mean?	to enjoy someone or something	My father got a kick out of seeing his old school friend.
get a load of (someone or something) What does "get a load of (someone or something) " mean?	to take a good look at someone or something	"Get a load of that man over there with the four dogs."
get a load off one's feet What does "get a load off one's feet" mean?	to sit down and relax	I sat down and tried to get a load off my feet.
get a load off one's mind What does "get a load off one's mind" mean?	to express what one is thinking or worried about	I talked with my supervisor and was able to get a load off my mind regarding our recent conflict.
get a lot of mileage out of (something) What does "get a lot of mileage out of (something)" mean?	to get much use from something (like a car)	I hope to get a lot of mileage out of the new sneakers that I bought last week.
get a lump in one's throat What does "get a lump in one's throat" mean?	to feel like there is something in one's throat (like you are going to cry)	My sister got a lump in her throat when she watched her daughter's graduation.
get a move on What does "get a move on" mean?	to hurry up	"Please get a move on. We are already three hours late."
get a raw deal What does "get a raw deal" mean?	to receive unfair or bad treatment	The secretary got a raw deal when she was forced to work late everyday.
get a rise out of (someone) What does "get a rise out of (someone)" mean?	to tease or have fun with someone by making him or her angry or annoyed	We got a rise out of the teacher when we opened the window in the cold weather.
get a slap on the wrist What does "get a slap on the wrist" mean?	to receive a light punishment for doing something wrong	The judge gave the boy a slap on the wrist and decided not to punish him severely for his crime.
get a toehold (somewhere) What does "get a toehold (somewhere)" mean?	to find a starting point somewhere	The new political party is beginning to get a toehold in rural areas.
get a whiff of (something) What does "get a whiff of (something)" mean?	to learn a little about something (almost by chance)	Whenever the reporters get a whiff of a scandal they become excited and start asking questions.
get a wiggle on What does "get a wiggle on " mean?	to hurry up, to get going	"Get a wiggle on. I want to arrive at the party before the other guests."
get a word in What does "get a word in" mean?	to find a chance to say something when others are talking	The customer could not get a word in while talking to the salesman.
get a word in edgewise What does "get a word in edgewise" mean?	to manage to join a conversation	I could not get a word in edgewise so I left the meeting.
get across (something) What does "get across (something)" mean?	to explain something, to make something understood	I always try to get across the importance of taking care of one's computer.
get after (someone) to do (something) What does "get after (someone) to do (something)" mean?	to urge someone to do something that he or she should do but has neglected	I will get after the repairman to fix the computer as soon as he returns.
get ahead What does "get ahead" mean?	to advance or be successful	The woman works hard at her job in order to get ahead.
get ahead of (oneself) What does "get ahead of (oneself)" mean?	to do or say something sooner than you should	I was getting ahead of myself when I started asking questions about the job that I did not have.
get ahold of (someone or something) What does "get ahold of (someone or something)" mean?	to make contact with someone, to obtain something	I have been trying very hard to get ahold of my old high school teacher.
get along What does "get along" mean?	to leave	It`s late so I must get along now.
get along in years What does "get along in years" mean?	to grow older	My parents are getting along in years but they are still very healthy.
get along on (something) What does "get along on (something)" mean?	to manage to survive or do well with something	My friend is able to get along on very little money.
get along on a shoestring What does "get along on a shoestring" mean?	to manage with very little money	I had to get along on a shoestring during university.
get along with (someone) What does "get along with (someone)" mean?	to have a good relationship with someone	I do not get along with the woman who I work with.
get an earful What does "get an earful" mean?	to hear much talk/criticism/complaints about something	Our boss got an earful when he asked the employees if they had any complaints.
get around What does "get around " mean?	to go to different places, to move about	My friend gets around and has been to many different cities.
get around to (do something) What does "get around to (do something)" mean?	to finally find time to do something	The apartment manager finally got around to fixing our bath.
get at (someone or something) What does "get at (someone or something)" mean?	to attack or hit someone or something	Our dog tried to get at the other dog.
get at (something) What does "get at (something)" mean?	to mean something	I do not know what the man was trying to get at during the meeting.
get away What does "get away" mean?	to succeed in leaving, to escape	I was able to get away from work early so I went shopping.
get away from it all What does "get away from it all" mean?	to go on a holiday	We want to get away from it all this summer and relax somewhere.
get away with murder What does "get away with murder" mean?	to do something very bad without being caught or punished	The students were able to get away with murder while the substitute teacher was in the school.
get away with (something) What does "get away with (something)" mean?	to do something that one should not do and not get caught	The criminal got away with stealing the money and was never caught.
get back What does "get back " mean?	to return	We got back from London early yesterday afternoon.
get back at (someone) What does "get back at (someone)" mean?	to do something bad to someone who has done something bad to you	The girl is angry at her boyfriend and she is getting back at him by not answering the telephone.
get back to (someone) What does "get back to (someone)" mean?	to communicate something to someone at a later time, to contact someone later	We were very careful that our complaints did not get back to the school principal.
get back to (something) What does "get back to (something)" mean?	to return to something	I needed a rest before I could get back to my work.
get behind What does "get behind" mean?	to fail to maintain a desired pace or level of progress, to become late	If you get behind with your homework you will never pass many courses.
get behind (a person or idea) What does "get behind (a person or idea)" mean?	to support/help someone or something	Many people decided to get behind the candidate who promised to cut taxes.
get better What does "get better" mean?	to improve one's skill at doing something, to improve one's health	The little boy is getting better at riding his bicycle.
get by (on something) What does "get by (on something)" mean?	to be able to satisfy your needs with a certain amount of something (usually related to money)	The man is able to get by on his salary because he does not spend much money.
get carried away What does "get carried away" mean?	to be overcome by emotion or enthusiasm, to lose one's control or judgement	I got carried away yesterday and cleaned all of my apartment.
get close to (someone) What does "get close to (someone)" mean?	to become close friends with someone	The woman tried very hard to get close to her youngest daughter.
get close to (something) What does "get close to (something)" mean?	to be almost as good as something, to almost reach or arrive at a goal	The charity is getting close to the final amount of money that they expect to collect.
get cold feet What does "get cold feet" mean?	to become afraid at the last minute	The student got cold feet and cancelled his plans to go to China.
get cracking What does "get cracking" mean?	to hurry up, to start moving fast, to get started	We must get cracking on this job if we want to finish it before dinner.
get down to brass tacks What does "get down to brass tacks" mean?	to begin discussing/doing something immediately	"Let`s get down to brass tacks and finish this job quickly."
get down to business What does "get down to business" mean?	to begin to get serious	When the meeting began everybody got down to business and began to discuss the important issues.
get down to (something) What does "get down to (something)" mean?	to get started to do something	"Let`s get down to work so we can go home early."
get down to the nitty-gritty What does "get down to the nitty-gritty" mean?	to get down to the facts	The teacher called us into her office to get down to the nitty-gritty of what had happened earlier.
get dressed up What does "get dressed up" mean?	to put on one's best clothes	I usually get dressed up when I go to a nice restaurant.
get even (with someone) What does "get even (with someone)" mean?	to get revenge on someone	My sister wants to get even with her friend for being late for the concert.
get going What does "get going" mean?	to begin, to act, to go	"Let's get going and begin to clean the house."
get going What does "get going" mean?	to become excited/angry	When the man gets going he will never stop complaining.
get hold of (someone) What does "get hold of (someone)" mean?	to find a person so that you can speak with him or her	I tried to get hold of my brother last week but he was out of town.
get hold of (something) What does "get hold of (something)" mean?	to get possession of something	"If you get hold of a dictionary, could you please let me borrow it for a few minutes."
get in on (something) What does "get in on (something)" mean?	to become involved in something	My friend wants to get in on the planning of the summer festival.
get in on the ground floor What does "get in on the ground floor" mean?	to start at the beginning of something (in hopes of future gain)	I am hoping to get in on the ground floor of the new company.
get in (someone's) hair What does "get in (someone's) hair" mean?	to bother or irritate someone	The woman complained that her young child was always getting in her hair.
get in touch with someone What does "get in touch with someone" mean?	to contact someone	I plan to get in touch with my friend when I arrive in New York in August.
get into What does "get into" mean?	to enter, to go into something	I do not want any water to get into my car.
get into What does "get into" mean?	to secure a place in a college or university or course	My friend wants to get into a good university.
get into a stew about/over (someone or something) What does "get into a stew about/over (someone or something)" mean?	to be worried or upset about someone or something	My mother is getting into a stew about my aunt not phoning.
get into hot water What does "get into hot water" mean?	to get into trouble or difficulty	We got into hot water when they found us in the building after it had closed.
get into the act What does "get into the act" mean?	to try to be part of whatever is happening	Everybody at the party wanted to get into the act and join the singers.
get into the swing of things What does "get into the swing of things" mean?	to adapt to a new environment or situation	My friend got into the swing of things after the party started.
get into trouble What does "get into trouble" mean?	to become involved in some kind of trouble	The young boys try not to get into trouble when they are left at home alone.
get involved with (someone) What does "get involved with (someone)" mean?	to become associated with someone (often romantically)	The bank teller got involved with the bank manager several months ago .
get it What does "get it" mean?	to understand something, to understand a joke	Everybody was laughing at the joke but I did not get it.
get it all together What does "get it all together" mean?	to be in full control of oneself	My friend got it all together and applied for the job at the supermarket.
get it through one`s head What does "get it through one`s head" mean?	to understand/believe something	The man has got it through his head that he will get a job without making any effort.
Get lost! What does "Get lost!" mean?	Go away!	The girl told her brother to get lost so she could finish doing her homework.
get mad at (someone or something) What does "get mad at (someone or something)" mean?	to become angry with someone or something	I often get mad at my friend when he is late.
get married What does "get married" mean?	to marry someone	We got married in June of last year.
get mixed up What does "get mixed up" mean?	to become confused	"I`m sorry but I got mixed up with the dates. That`s why I came today."
get nowhere fast What does "get nowhere fast" mean?	to make no progress	We are getting nowhere fast in our effort to convince our boss to give us a holiday.
get off What does "get off" mean?	to escape or avoid punishment	The criminal got off with a very light sentence from the judge.
get off (a bus/train/plane etc.) What does "get off (a bus/train/plane etc.)" mean?	to leave or exit from a bus or train etc.	We decided to get off the train at the next station.
get off easy What does "get off easy" mean?	to escape a serious punishment	The criminals got off easy after they robbed the bank.
get off on the wrong foot (with someone or something) What does "get off on the wrong foot (with someone or something)" mean?	to make a bad start with someone or something	I got off on the wrong foot with my boss and our relationship is not good.
get off one`s butt What does "get off one`s butt" mean?	to get busy, to start working	My friend should get off his butt and try to find a job.
get off one's high horse What does "get off one's high horse" mean?	to become less arrogant	The manager was forced to get off his high horse and act better toward the employees.
get off (someone`s) back What does "get off (someone`s) back" mean?	to leave someone alone and not bother him or her	I wish that my supervisor would get off my back.
get off the ground What does "get off the ground" mean?	to make a successful beginning	My uncle's new business never got off the ground and he must look for a new job.
get off the hook What does "get off the hook" mean?	to become free from an obligation	I got off the hook and I did not have to clean the classroom after school.
get off to a flying start What does "get off to a flying start" mean?	to have a successful beginning	The new restaurant got off to a flying start when many people came during the first weekend.
get on in years What does "get on in years" mean?	to become older	My uncle is getting on in years and is not very healthy.
get on one`s high horse What does "get on one`s high horse" mean?	to behave with arrogance	Our boss likes to get on his high horse and give orders to everyone.
get on (someone`s) nerves What does "get on (someone`s) nerves" mean?	to irritate someone	The woman's constant complaining is beginning to get on my nerves.
get on (someone) to do (something) What does "get on (someone) to do (something)" mean?	to ask/pressure someone to do something	I will get on my friend to bring your book back tomorrow.
get on the good side of (someone) What does "get on the good side of (someone)" mean?	to get in someone's favor	I took my aunt to a nice restaurant in order to get on her good side.
get one's act together What does "get one's act together" mean?	to become more organized	My sister finally got her act together and was able to find a new job.
get one's bearings What does "get one's bearings" mean?	to determine where one is	When I got my bearings I was able to easily find my way around the big department store.
get one's comeuppance What does "get one's comeuppance" mean?	to get the punishment that one deserves	The woman got her comeuppance when she was forced to apologize to the other woman in the company.
get one`s dander up What does "get one`s dander up" mean?	to become angry	You should not talk to the supervisor early in the morning or you may get his dander up.
get one's ducks in a row What does "get one's ducks in a row" mean?	to put one's affairs in order, to get things ready	I got my ducks in a row and was able to find a job easily.
get one`s feet wet What does "get one`s feet wet" mean?	to begin something, to do something for the first time	The writer got his feet wet in the publishing business and he is now ready to start his own business.
get one's fill of (someone or something) What does "get one's fill of (someone or something)" mean?	to receive enough of someone or something	Recently, I have got my fill of fresh corn and I do not want to eat any more.
get one's foot in the door What does "get one's foot in the door" mean?	to begin to do something that you hope will lead to future success (often used with jobs/careers)	I was able to get my foot in the door of the banking industry when I found a job at a bank.
get one's hands on (someone or something) What does "get one's hands on (someone or something)" mean?	to get someone or something in one's grasp	"When I get my hands on a hammer I will help you fix the door."
get one's head above water What does "get one's head above water" mean?	to get in control of one's situation (often financial situation)	When I get my head above water I will be able to spend less time working.
get one's just deserts What does "get one's just deserts" mean?	to get what one deserves	The apartment manager got her just deserts when she was fired for bothering the tenants.
get one's money's worth What does "get one's money's worth" mean?	to get value for what you have paid for	We got our money's worth when we stayed on the golf course for seven hours.
get one's nose out of (someone's) business What does "get one's nose out of (someone's) business" mean?	to stop interfering in someone else's business	The school secretary was told to get her nose out of the teacher's business.
get one`s own way What does "get one`s own way" mean?	to be able to do what you want	The boy always gets his own way with his younger brothers.
get one`s rear in gear What does "get one`s rear in gear" mean?	to hurry up, to get going	"Let`s get our rear in gear before it is too late to go to a movie."
get one's say What does "get one's say" mean?	to be able to say what one thinks	The meeting was over very quickly but everyone got their say.
get one's sea legs What does "get one's sea legs" mean?	to become accustomed to something (like you would become accustomed to the movement of a ship)	After we got our sea legs we were able to get up and walk around the boat.
get one's start What does "get one's start" mean?	to receive the first major opportunity of one's career	The newspaper owner got his start by selling papers when he was a child.
get one's walking papers What does "get one's walking papers" mean?	to get fired	The young man got his walking papers for being late too often.
get one's wires crossed What does "get one's wires crossed" mean?	to get confused about something	We got our wires crossed and we both went to different places for our meeting.
get out from under (someone or something) What does "get out from under (someone or something)" mean?	to escape from a situation that one does not like	I would like to get out from under my boss who is always watching my work.
get out of a jam What does "get out of a jam" mean?	to get free from a problem or bad situation	We got out of a jam this morning when enough people came to help finish the job.

American Idioms and Expressions

G