get
[verb]
Synonyms:
- obtain, acquire, attain, fetch, gain, land, net, pick up, procure, receive, secure, win
- contract, catch, come down with, fall victim to, take
- capture, grab, lay hold of, nab (informal), seize, take
- become, come to be, grow, turn
- understand, catch, comprehend, fathom, follow, perceive, see, take in, work out
- persuade, convince, induce, influence, prevail upon
- annoy, bug (informal), gall, irritate, upset, vex

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Contrasted words: abnegate, eschew, forbear, forgo, give up, sacrifice, abandon, forsake, renounce, benumb, deaden, numb, blunt, dull, harden, calm, compose, cool, lull, soothe, subdue
Related Idioms: come by, get to be, turn out to be, try one's temper, get into one's head
Related Words: educe, elicit, evoke, extort, extract, promote, accept, receive, clutch, grab, grasp, take, accomplish, achieve, effect, capture, carry, draw, attain, realize, arrange, order, right, adjust, coordinate, organize, bend, bias, dispose, predispose, prompt, bother, distress, disturb, perturb, upset, discomfit, disconcert, embarrass, provoke, beg, coax, press, pressure, urge

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English Thesaurus: arrive, get, reach, come, turn up, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

get S1 W1 /ɡet/ verb (past tense got, past participle got /ɡɒt $ ɡɑːt/ British English, gotten /ˈɡɒtn $ ˈɡɑːtn/ American English, present participle getting)
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old Norse; Origin: geta]

1. RECEIVE [transitive not in passive] to receive something that someone gives you or sends you:
She got loads of presents.
What did you get for Christmas?
We get a lot of junk mail.
get something from somebody
We got a letter from Pam this morning.
get something off somebody spoken informal:
I got it off my Dad.
I got a few games free when I bought my computer.

2. OBTAIN [transitive] to obtain something by finding it, asking for it, or paying for it:
We need to get help quickly!
It would be a good idea to get professional advice.
You may be able to get a grant from the local authority.
He cleared his throat to get our attention.
get something for somebody
I want you to get some information for me.
get somebody something
His father managed to get him a job at the local factory.

3. BRING [transitive] to bring someone or something back from somewhere:
Run upstairs and get a pillow.
I went back into the office to get a pen.
Shall I go and get the phone book?
get somebody/something from something
She’s just gone to get the kids from school.
get something for somebody
I’ll get a towel for you.
get somebody something
I’ll get you a chair.

4. BUY [transitive]
a) to buy something:
Where did you get that jacket?
get something for somebody
Joe’s going to get tickets for all of us.
get somebody something
While you’re out, could you get me some batteries?
get yourself something
He’s just got himself a new van.
get something from something
I usually get vegetables from the supermarket.
get something for $20/£100/50p etc
You can get a decent PC for about £500 now.
It’s a lovely coat, and I managed to get it cheap in the sales.
b) spoken to pay for something for someone else:
I’ll get these drinks.
c) to buy a newspaper regularly:
My parents always used to get the ‘Daily Telegraph’.

5. MONEY [transitive]
a) to receive money for doing work:
Hospital doctors get a minimum of £50,000 a year.
get £2,000/$4,000 etc for doing something
He gets £4 an hour for stacking shelves.
b) to receive money when you sell something
get £100/$200 etc for something
You should get a couple of hundred pounds for your old car.
Did you get a good price for it?

6. HAVE A FEELING/IDEA [transitive] to start to have a feeling or an idea:
She began to get an uncomfortable feeling that she was being watched.
I got a terrible shock when I saw how ill he looked.
I got the impression that everyone was fed up with us.
get pleasure from/out of something
She gets a lot of pleasure from her garden.

7. HAVE/EXPERIENCE [transitive] to have, do, or experience something:
You don’t get enough exercise.
I never get time to read these days.
The west of the country gets quite a lot of rain.
We might get the chance to go to America this year.

8. ILLNESS [transitive not in passive] to catch an illness:
I got flu last winter and was in bed for three weeks.
She was worried she might get food poisoning.

9. ACHIEVE [transitive] to achieve something:
I got 98% in my last maths test.
the person who gets the highest score

10. RECEIVE A PUNISHMENT [transitive] to receive something as a punishment:
He got ten years in prison for his part in the robbery.

11. ARRIVE [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to arrive somewhere:
What time will we get there?
We didn’t get home until midnight.
get to
We got to Paris that evening.

12. REACH A POINT [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to reach a particular point or stage of something:
I’ve got as far as chapter 5.
I couldn’t wait to get to the end of the book.
Where have you got up to in the story?
It was disappointing to lose, having got this far in the competition.

13. get (somebody) somewhere/anywhere/nowhere if you get somewhere, or if an action gets you somewhere, you make progress:
I think we’re getting somewhere at last.
We didn’t seem to be getting anywhere.
I’ve tried arguing, but it got me nowhere.

14. MOVE [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move or go somewhere:
Get out of my house!
We managed to get past the guards.
They shouted at us to get back.
Peter got to his feet (=stood up).

15. MAKE SOMETHING MOVE [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to make something or someone move to a different place or position, especially with some difficulty:
I couldn’t get the disk out of the computer.
Could you help me get the wardrobe up the stairs?
We must get food and emergency aid into the area as quickly as possible.

16. TRAVEL [transitive] to travel somewhere on a train, bus etc:
You can get a bus to the station.
I got the 9.15 from London to Edinburgh.

17. BECOME [linking verb] to change to a new feeling, situation, or state Synonym : become:
Don’t get upset.
She soon got bored with the job.
He calmed down as he got older.
Eat your dinner before it gets cold.
This is getting silly.
get to be something informal:
It’s getting to be a problem.

18. MAKE SOMEBODY/SOMETHING BECOME SOMETHING [transitive] to make someone or something change to a new feeling, situation, or state:
Sometimes she gets me so angry!
Don’t get the children too excited.
He was terrified of getting her pregnant.
It took them 15 minutes to get the boat ready.

19. BE HURT/BROKEN ETC [linking verb, transitive] used to say that something, especially something bad, happens to someone or something
get hurt/broken/stolen etc
You might get hurt if you stand there.
Mind the camera doesn’t get broken.
My dad got killed in a car crash.
I knew I would get shouted at if I was late home.
This is a question we very often get asked.
get something caught/stuck etc
She got her foot caught in the wire.

20. MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN TO SOMEBODY/SOMETHING [transitive]
a) to accidentally make someone or something experience something:
You’re going to get us all killed!
Mind you don’t get yourself burned.
b) to do something, or arrange for it to be done:
I need to get the washing machine fixed.
We must get this work finished on time.

21. MAKE SOMETHING DO SOMETHING [transitive not in passive] to make something do a particular thing
get something to do something
I couldn’t get the engine to start.
get something doing something
We got the lawn mower working again eventually.

22. MAKE SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING [transitive not in passive] to persuade or force someone to do something
get somebody to do something
I’ll get Terry to check the wiring for me.
We couldn’t get him to sign the agreement.
get somebody doing something
In the end, we got the children clearing the playground.

23. UNDERSTAND [transitive not in passive or progressive] informal to understand something:
I don’t think she got the joke.
I don’t get it – it doesn’t make sense.
get what/how/who etc
I still don’t get how she knew about the meeting.

24. COOK [transitive not in passive] to prepare food or a meal:
She’s just getting lunch.
get somebody something
Shall I get you a sandwich?

25. RADIO/TELEVISION [transitive not in passive or progressive] to be able to receive a particular radio signal, television station etc:
Can you get satellite TV here?

26. ANSWER THE DOOR/TELEPHONE [transitive] informal to answer the door or telephone:
Can you get the phone?

27. CATCH SOMEBODY [transitive] to catch someone:
The police got him in the end.

28. HURT/KILL SOMEBODY [transitive] informal to attack, hurt, or kill someone:
The other gang members threatened to get him if he went to the police.
I’ll get you for this!

29. TRICK SOMEBODY [transitive] informal to deceive or trick someone:
I got you that time!

30. ON THE TELEPHONE [transitive] if you get someone on the telephone, they answer the telephone when you have made a call, and so you talk to them:
I tried phoning him at work, but I just got his secretary.

31. get doing something to begin doing something:
We got talking about the old days.
I think we should get going quite soon.
What are we all waiting for? Let’s get moving!

32. get to do something informal to have the opportunity to do something:
We got to meet all the stars after the show.
She gets to travel all over the place with her job.

33. get to like/know/understand somebody/something to gradually begin to like, know, or understand someone or something:
It’ll take a while for you to get to know everyone.
After a while, I got to like him. ⇒ have got at have²


SPOKEN PHRASES

34. you get something used to say that something happens or exists:
I didn’t know you got tigers in Europe.

35. you’ve got me (there) used to say you do not know the answer to something

36. it/what gets me used to say that something really annoys you:
It really gets me the way he leaves wet towels on the bathroom floor.
What gets me is their attitude.

37. get this especially American English used to draw attention to something surprising or interesting that you are about to mention:
And the whole thing only cost – get this – $12.95.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

arrive to get to the place you are going to:
I arrived at the party at around 7 o'clock.
They were due to arrive home from Spain yesterday.
get to arrive somewhere. Get is much more common in everyday English than arrive:
What time do you usually get to work?
I’ll call you when I get home.
reach to arrive somewhere, especially after a long journey:
When we finally reached the port, we were all very tired.
come if someone comes, they arrive at the place where you are:
She came home yesterday.
What time did the plumber say he’d come?
turn up (also show up) informal to arrive somewhere, especially when someone is waiting for you:
I’d arranged to meet Tom, but he never turned up.
roll in informal to arrive somewhere later than you should and not seem worried about it:
Rebecca usually rolls in around noon.
get in to arrive somewhere – used especially about people arriving home, or a plane, train etc arriving at an airport, station etc:
I usually get in at around 6 o'clock.
What time did your plane get in?
come in if a plane, train, or ship comes in, it arrives in the place where you are:
We liked to watch the cruise ships come in.
land if a plane or the passengers on it land, they arrive on the ground:
We finally landed at 2 a.m.
They watched the planes taking off and landing.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

become to start to have a feeling or quality, or to start to develop into something:
His parents became worried when he was late home from school.
Violent crime is becoming a major problem.
She became more confident when she joined a drama group.
get to start to have a feeling or quality. Get is less formal than become and is much more commonly used in everyday English:
I was getting very tired.
Make sure you’re home before it gets dark.
go to become something – used about things becoming a different colour, or things or people becoming worse in some way:
Her hair was going grey.
He went blind.
I think I’m going mad.
turn to become something – used about things becoming a different colour, or the weather or people’s behaviour changing:
The water had turned bright green.
The weather is expected to turn cold again.
He suddenly turned nasty.
grow especially written to gradually become something:
People were growing impatient.
The rich grew richer.
come undone/loose/apart to become undone, loose, or separated into pieces:
The screws had come loose.
change into something to become something completely different:
The caterpillar changed into a beautiful butterfly.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

bring to take something or someone to the place where you are now, or the place where you are going:
Have you brought your ticket with you?
He asked his father if he could bring a friend to stay.
take to move something to another place, or help someone go to another place:
I took a book with me to read on the train.
He was taken to hospital by ambulance.
get (also fetch especially British English) to go to another place and come back with something or someone:
I went upstairs to get my jacket.
Joseph told me to fetch the doctor, so I ran to the village.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

buy to pay money for something so that you can own it:
I’ve just bought a new car.
The painting was bought by a museum in New York.
purchase formal to buy something, especially something large or expensive, in a business deal or by a legal contract:
They purchased 5,000 acres of land.
acquire formal to become the owner of something large or expensive such as property, a company, or a valuable object:
In 2007 the business was acquired by a Dutch company.
Television companies were then allowed to acquire more stations.
get especially spoken to buy something, especially ordinary things such as food, clothes, or things for your house:
Did you remember to get some bread?
I never know what to get Dad for his birthday.
snap something up informal to buy something immediately, especially because it is very cheap, or because you want it very much and you are worried that someone else might buy it first:
Real estate in the area is being snapped up by developers.
pick something up informal to buy something, especially something ordinary such as food or a newspaper, or something that you have found by chance and are pleased about owning:
Could you pick up some milk on your way home?
It’s just a little thing I picked up when I was in Kathmandu.
stock up to buy a lot of something you use regularly, because you may not be able to buy it later, or because you are planning to use more of it than usual:
The supermarkets are full of people stocking up for the New Year’s holiday.
We always stock up on cheap wine when we go to France.
Before the blizzard, we stocked up on food.
splash out British English informal
, splurge American English informal to buy something you would not usually buy, because it is too expensive, in order to celebrate an event or make yourself feel good:
Why don’t you splash out on a new dress for the party?
We splurged on an expensive hotel for the last night of the vacation.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

earn to be paid a particular amount of money for your work. Earn is more formal than get or make:
A newly-qualified teacher can expect to earn about £20,000 a year.
get to earn a particular amount of money every hour, week etc:
How much do you get an hour?
She gets more than I do.
make to earn money, especially a lot of money, or money that is not from regular employment:
You can make a lot of money in banking.
Jo makes a bit of extra money by selling his paintings.
be on something British English to earn a particular amount of money each year. This is the most common way of talking about someone’s salary in British English:
How much are you on?
Some chief executives are on huge salaries.
be/get paid to receive money for work that you do for an employer, not by working for yourself:
Workers are paid around $500 a month.
I get paid monthly.
well-paid/badly-paid paid a lot of money/not much money for the work that you do:
well-paid lawyers working in the city
It was boring badly-paid work.
take home to earn a particular amount of money after tax etc has been taken away from your pay:
After tax and other deductions, I only take home £200 a week.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

get [not in passive] to get something by finding it, asking for it, or paying for it:
I’ve been trying to get some information.
She went to the bank to get some money.
obtain formal to get something:
Maps and guides can be obtained from the tourist office.
The newspaper has obtained a copy of the letter.
acquire formal to get something – used about knowledge, skills, or something big or expensive:
The course helps older people to acquire computing skills.
He acquired the property in 1985.
inherit to get someone’s money or property after they die:
Jo inherited a lot of money from her mother.
gain to get something useful or necessary, such as knowledge or experience:
I’ve gained a lot of useful experience.
The research helped us gain an insight into how a child’s mind works.
earn to get something because you deserve it:
He had earned a reputation as a peacemaker.
She earned a lot of respect from her colleagues.
get hold of something informal to get something that is rare or difficult to find:
I’m trying to get hold of a ticket for the game.
lay your hands on something informal to get something that you want very much or that you have spent a lot of time looking for:
I read every book I could lay my hands on.
increase noun [uncountable and countable] an occasion when the amount or number of something becomes bigger:
There has been a significant increase in violent crime over the past year.
price increases
growth noun [singular, uncountable] an increase in the number, size, or importance of something. Growth is also used when saying that a company or a country’s economy becomes more successful:
The astonishing growth of the Internet has had a dramatic effect on people’s lives.
Japan experienced a period of rapid economic growth.
Many people are concerned about the enormous growth in the world’s population.
rise noun [countable] an increase in the amount of something, or in the standard or level of something:
The latest figures show a sharp rise (=a sudden big rise) in unemployment in the region.
There was a 34 percent rise in the number of armed robberies.
The majority of families experienced a rise in living standards.
surge noun [countable usually singular] a sudden increase in something such as profits, demand, or interest:
There has been a big surge in demand for organically grown food.
We have seen a tremendous surge of interest in Chinese medicine.
hike noun [countable] informal especially American English a large or sudden increase in prices or taxes - often used in newspaper reports:
Despite a 25% hike in fuel costs, the airline made a profit last year.
tax hikes
wage hikes

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

land an area that is owned by someone or that can be used for farming or building houses:
This is private land.
They moved to the country and bought some land.
farmland land that is used for farming:
The area is one of gently rolling hills and farmland.
territory land that belongs to a country or that is controlled by a country during a war:
His plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Chinese territory.
The army was advancing into enemy territory.
the grounds the gardens and land around a big building such as a castle, school, or hospital:
The grounds of the castle are open to visitors every weekend.
the school grounds
estate a large area of land in the country, usually with one large house on it and one owner:
The film is set on an English country estate.
arrive to get to the place you are going to:
I arrived at the party at around 7 o'clock.
They were due to arrive home from Spain yesterday.
get to arrive somewhere. Get is much more common in everyday English than arrive:
What time do you usually get to work?
I’ll call you when I get home.
reach to arrive somewhere, especially after a long journey:
When we finally reached the port, we were all very tired.
come if someone comes, they arrive at the place where you are:
She came home yesterday.
What time did the plumber say he’d come?
turn up (also show up) informal to arrive somewhere, especially when someone is waiting for you:
I’d arranged to meet Tom, but he never turned up.
roll in informal to arrive somewhere later than you should and not seem worried about it:
Rebecca usually rolls in around noon.
get in to arrive somewhere – used especially about people arriving home, or a plane, train etc arriving at an airport, station etc:
I usually get in at around 6 o'clock.
What time did your plane get in?
come in if a plane, train, or ship comes in, it arrives in the place where you are:
We liked to watch the cruise ships come in.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

understand to know the meaning of something, or the reasons for something:
I understand what you’re saying.
Doctors are beginning to understand what causes the disease.
see especially spoken to understand something, especially the truth about a situation or the reasons for something:
I can see why you don’t like him.
Do you see what I mean?
Oh, I see!
get informal to understand a joke, what someone says, the reasons why something is true etc:
She didn’t seem to get the joke.
Do you get me?
He explained the math homework twice, but I still don’t get it.
I still don’t get why she left.
comprehend formal to understand something, or understand why something is important:
The dream was easy to describe, but difficult to comprehend.
They had failed to comprehend the significance of the problem.
know what somebody means spoken to understand what someone is telling you, or what a situation is like, especially because you have some experience or knowledge about this:
‘It can be really hard to give up smoking.’ ‘I know exactly what you mean.’
We now know what the scientists meant when they warned about global warming.
follow to understand something such as an explanation or story as you hear it, read it etc:
The plot is hard to follow.
His instructions were easy to follow.
grasp to completely understand an idea or a fact, especially a complicated one:
Some of his theories can be rather difficult for the ordinary reader to grasp.
I don’t think Stuart really grasped the point I was making.
fathom /ˈfæðəm/ formal to understand what something means or the reasons for something, after thinking carefully about it:
She looked at him, puzzled, trying to fathom the reasons for his actions.
make sense of something to understand something that is not easy to understand, especially by thinking about it:
People are still trying to make sense of the news.
can’t make head nor tail of something spoken used when something seems impossible to understand:
I can’t make head nor tail of his plays, and I’m not sure that anyone else can either.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

get
get (someone's)/the drift
[informal, informal]
to understand what someone is saying.
Can you explain that again? I don't quite get your drift.

I didn't understand everything he was saying but I think I caught the drift.

to understand in a general way what someone is telling you.
I usually read the first page of a report just to get the drift.

Usage notes: sometimes used in the form get someone's drift:
She said something about going home, but Len didn't get her drift at the time.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

get
ɡet
See: give as good as one gets , early bird catches the worm or early bird gets the worm , go-getter , tell one where to get off

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲