/ get; NAmE / verb
( getting , got , got / gɒt; NAmE gɑːt/)
HELP NOTE : In spoken NAmE the past participle got·ten / ˈɡɒtn / / ˈɡɑ:tn / is almost always used.
RECEIVE / OBTAIN
1.
[ vn ] [ no passive ] to receive sth :
I got a letter from Dave this morning.
What (= What presents) did you get for your birthday?
He gets (= earns) about $40 000 a year.
This room gets very little sunshine.
I got a shock when I saw the bill.
I get the impression that he is bored with his job.
2.
[ no passive ] get sth (for yourself / sb) | get (yourself / sb) sth to obtain sth :
[ vn ]
Where did you get (= buy) that skirt?
Did you manage to get tickets for the concert?
She opened the door wider to get a better look.
Try to get some sleep.
He has just got a new job.
[ vnn ]
Why don't you get yourself a car?
[ vn , vnn ]
Did you get a present for your mother?
Did you get your mother a present?
3.
[ vn ] [ no passive ] get sth (for sth) to obtain or receive an amount of money by selling sth :
How much did you get for your car?
BRING
4.
to go to a place and bring sb/sth back
SYN fetch :
[ vn ]
Quick— go and get a cloth!
Somebody get a doctor!
I have to go and get my mother from the airport (= pick her up) .
[ vn , vnn ]
Get a drink for John.
Get John a drink.
PUNISHMENT
5.
[ vn ] [ no passive ] to receive sth as a punishment :
He got ten years (= was sent to prison for ten years) for armed robbery.
BROADCASTS
6.
[ vn ] [ no passive ] to receive broadcasts from a particular television or radio station :
We can't get Channel 5 in our area.
BUY
7.
[ vn ] [ no passive ] to buy sth, for example a newspaper or magazine, regularly
SYN take :
Which newspaper do you get?
MARK / GRADE
8.
[ vn ] [ no passive ] to achieve or be given a particular mark / grade in an exam :
He got a 'C' in Chemistry and a 'B' in English.
ILLNESS
9.
[ vn ] [ no passive ] to become infected with an illness; to suffer from a pain, etc. :
I got this cold off (= from) you!
She gets (= often suffers from) really bad headaches.
CONTACT
10.
[ vn ] [ no passive ] to be connected with sb by telephone :
I wanted to speak to the manager but I got his secretary instead.
STATE / CONDITION
11.
linking verb to reach a particular state or condition; to make sb/sth/yourself reach a particular state or condition :
[ v - adj ]
to get angry / bored / hungry / fat
You'll soon get used to the climate here.
We ought to go; it's getting late.
to get dressed / undressed (= to put your clothes on / take your clothes off)
They plan to get married in the summer.
She's upstairs getting ready.
I wouldn't go there alone; you might get (= be) mugged.
My car got (= was) stolen at the weekend.
[ vn - adj ]
Don't get your dress dirty!
He got his fingers caught in the door.
She soon got the children ready for school.
➡ note at become
12.
[ v to inf ] to reach the point at which you feel, know, are, etc. sth :
After a time you get to realize that these things don't matter.
You'll like her once you get to know her.
His drinking is getting to be a problem.
She's getting to be an old lady now.
MAKE / PERSUADE
13.
to make, persuade, etc. sb/sth to do sth :
[ vn to inf ]
I couldn't get the car to start this morning.
He got his sister to help him with his homework.
You'll never get him to understand.
[ vn -ing ]
Can you really get that old car going again?
It's not hard to get him talking—the problem is stopping him!
GET STH DONE
14.
[ vn - adj ] get sth done to cause sth to happen or be done :
I must get my hair cut.
I'll never get all this work finished.
START
15.
[ v -ing ] to start doing sth :
I got talking to her.
We need to get going soon.
OPPORTUNITY
16.
( informal ) [ v to inf ] to have the opportunity to do sth :
He got to try out all the new software.
It's not fair—I never get to go first.
ARRIVE
17.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] to arrive at or reach a place or point :
We got to San Diego at 7 o'clock.
You got in very late last night.
What time did you get here?
I haven't got very far with the book I'm reading.
MOVE / TRAVEL
18.
[+ adv. / prep. ] to move to or from a particular place or in a particular direction, sometimes with difficulty; to make sb/sth do this :
[ v ]
The bridge was destroyed so we couldn't get across the river.
She got into bed.
He got down from the ladder.
We didn't get (= go) to bed until 3 a.m.
Where do we get on the bus?
I'm getting off (= leaving the train) at the next station.
Where have they got to (= where are they) ?
We must be getting home ; it's past midnight.
[ vn ]
The general had to get his troops across the river.
We couldn't get the piano through the door.
We'd better call a taxi and get you home.
I can't get the lid off.
19.
[ vn ] [ no passive ] to use a bus, taxi, plane, etc. :
We're going to be late—let's get a taxi.
I usually get the bus to work.
MEAL
20.
get sth (for yourself / sb) | get (yourself / sb) sth ( especially BrE ) to prepare a meal :
[ vn ]
Who's getting the lunch?
[ vn , vnn ]
I must go home and get tea for the kids.
I must go home and get the kids their tea.
TELEPHONE / DOOR
21.
[ vn ] ( informal ) to answer the telephone or a door when sb calls, knocks, etc. :
Will you get the phone?
CATCH / HIT
22.
[ vn ] to catch or take hold of sb, especially in order to harm or punish them :
He was on the run for a week before the police got him.
to get sb by the arm / wrist / throat
She fell overboard and the sharks got her.
He thinks everybody is out to get him (= trying to harm him) .
( informal )
I'll get you for that!
23.
[ vn + adv. / prep. ] to hit or wound sb :
The bullet got him in the neck.
UNDERSTAND
24.
[ vn ] [ no passive ] ( informal ) to understand sb/sth :
I don't get you.
She didn't get the joke.
I don't get it —why would she do a thing like that?
I get the message —you don't want me to come.
➡ note at understand
HAPPEN / EXIST
25.
[ vn ] [ no passive ] ( informal ) used to say that sth happens or exists :
You get (= There are) all these kids hanging around in the street.
They still get cases of typhoid there.
CONFUSE / ANNOY
26.
[ vn ] [ no passive ] ( informal ) to make sb feel confused because they do not understand sth
SYN puzzle :
'What's the capital of Bulgaria?' ' You've got me there! ' (= I don't know) .
27.
[ vn ] [ no passive ] ( informal ) to annoy sb :
What gets me is having to do the same thing all day long.
HELP NOTE : Get is one of the most common words in English, but some people try to avoid it in formal writing.
•
IDIOMS
Most idioms containing get are at the entries for the nouns and adjectives in the idioms, for example get sb's goat is at goat .
- be getting on
- be getting on for ...
- can't get over sth
- get away from it all
- get it on (with sb)
- get it
- get it up
- get sb going
- get sb nowhere / not get sb anywhere
- get somewhere / anywhere / nowhere
- get there
- how selfish, stupid, ungrateful, etc. can you get?
- there's no getting away from sth | you can't get away from sth
- what are you, was he, etc. getting at?
- what has got into sb?
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- get about
- get above yourself
- get across (to sb) | get sth across (to sb)
- get ahead (of sb)
- get along
- get around
- get at sb
- get at sb/sth
- get at sth
- get away
- get away (from ... )
- get away (from sb / ... )
- get away with sth
- get back
- get sth back
- get back (in)
- get back at sb
- get back to sb
- get back to sth
- get behind (with sth)
- get by (on / in / with sth)
- get down
- get sb down
- get sth down
- get down to sth
- get in | get into sth
- get sb in
- get sth in
- get in on sth
- get in with sb
- get into sth
- get into sth | get yourself / sb into sth
- get off | get off sb
- get off | get sb off
- get off | get off sth
- get off sth | get sb off sth
- get sth off
- get off on sth
- get off (with sth)
- get off (with sth) | get sb off (with sth)
- get off with sb
- get on
- get on to sb
- get on to sth
- get on with sb | get on (together)
- get on with sth
- get out
- get sth out
- get out (of sth)
- get out of sth
- get sth out of sb
- get sth out of sb/sth
- get over sth
- get over sth/sb
- get sth over (to sb)
- get sth over (with)
- get round / around sb
- get round / around sth
- get round / around to sth
- get through sth
- get through (sth)
- get sb through sth
- get through (sth) | get sth through (sth)
- get through (to sb)
- get through (to sth)
- get through to sb
- get through with sth
- get to sb
- get sb/sth together
- get together (with sb)
- get up
- get up | get sb up
- get yourself / sb up as sth
- get sth up
- get up to sth
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old Norse geta obtain, beget, guess; related to Old English gietan (in begietan beget , forgietan forget ), from an Indo-European root shared by Latin praeda booty, prey, praehendere get hold of, seize, and Greek khandanein hold, contain, be able.