Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense gets, present participle getting, past tense, past participle got, past tense, past participle gottenlanguage note: In most of its uses get is a fairly informal word. Gotten is an American form of the past participle.
1. link verb
You use get with adjectives to mean 'become'. For example, if someone gets cold, they become cold, and if they get angry, they become angry.
The boys were getting bored. [VERB adjective]
There's no point in getting upset. [VERB adjective]
From here on, it can only get better. [VERB adjective]
Synonyms: become, grow, turn, wax More Synonyms of get
2. link verb
Get is used with expressions referring to states or situations. For example, to get into trouble means to start being in trouble.
Half the pleasure of an evening out is getting ready. [VERB adjective]
Perhaps I shouldn't say that–I might get into trouble. [VERB preposition/adverb]
How did we get into this recession, and what can we do to get out of it? [VERB preposition/adverb]
3. verb
To get someone or something into a particular state or situation means to cause them tobe in it.
I don't know if I can get it clean. [VERB noun adjective]
What got me interested was looking at an old New York Times. [VERB noun adjective]
Brian will get them out of trouble. [VERB noun preposition]
Synonyms: move, touch, affect, excite More Synonyms of get
4. verb
If you get someone to do something, you cause them to do it by asking, persuading, or telling them to do it.
Get your partner to massage your abdomen. [VERB noun to-infinitive]
How did you get him to pose for this picture? [VERB noun to-infinitive]
Synonyms: persuade, convince, win over, induce More Synonyms of get
5. verb
If you get something done, you cause it to be done.
I might benefit from getting my teeth fixed. [VERB noun -ed]
It was best to get things done quickly. [VERB noun -ed]
6. verb
To get somewhere means to move there.
I got off the bed and opened the door. [VERB preposition/adverb]
How can I get past her without her seeing me? [VERB preposition/adverb]
I heard David yelling and telling them to get back. [VERB preposition/adverb]
7. verb
When you get to a place, you arrive there.
Generally I get to work at 9.30am. [VERB + to]
It was dark by the time she got home. [VERB adverb]
Synonyms: arrive, come, reach, make it [informal] More Synonyms of get
8. verb
To get something or someone into a place or position means to cause them to move there.
Mack got his wallet out. [VERB noun with adverb]
Go and get your coat on. [VERB noun with adverb]
The U.N. was supposed to be getting aid to where it was most needed. [VERB noun preposition]
9. auxiliary verb
Get is often used in place of 'be' as an auxiliary verb to form passives.
Does she ever get asked for her autograph? [AUXILIARY -ed]
A pane of glass got broken. [AUXILIARY -ed]
10. verb
If you getto do something, you eventually or gradually reach a stage at which you do it.
Miller and Ferlinghetti got to be friends. [VERB to-infinitive]
No one could figure out how he got to be so wealthy. [VERB to-infinitive]
11. verb
If you getto do something, you manage to do it or have the opportunity to do it.
How do these people get to be the bosses of major companies? [VERB to-infinitive]
Do you get to see him often? [VERB to-infinitive]
They get to stay in nice hotels. [VERB to-infinitive]
Synonyms: manage, fix, succeed, arrange More Synonyms of get
12. verb
You can use get in expressions like get moving, get going, and get working when you want to tell people to begin moving, going, or working quickly.
I aim to be off the lake before dawn, so let's get moving. [VERB verb-ing]
We need to get thinking, talking and acting on this before it is too late. [V -ing]
13. verb
If you getto a particular stage in your life or in something you are doing, you reach that stage.
We haven't got to the stage of a full-scale military conflict. [VERB + to]
If she gets that far, Jane may get legal aid to take her case to court. [VERB adverb]
It got to the point where I was so ill I was waiting to die. [VERB + to]
14. verb
You can use get to talk about the progress that you are making. For example, if you say that you aregetting somewhere, you mean that you are making progress, and if you say that something won't get you anywhere, you mean it will not help you to progress at all.
Radical factions say the talks are getting nowhere and they want to withdraw. [VERB adverb]
My perseverance was getting me somewhere. [VERB noun adverb]
15. link verb
When itgetsto a particular time, it is that time. If itis gettingtowards a particular time, it is approaching that time.
It got to after 1am and I was exhausted. [VERB + to]
It was getting towards evening when we got back. [V + towards]
It's getting late. [VERB adjective]
16. verb
If something that has continued for some time gets to you, it starts causing you to suffer.
That's the first time I lost my cool in 20 years in this job. This whole thing'sgetting to me. [VERB + to]
Synonyms: inherit, succeed to, fall heir to More Synonyms of get
17. verb [no passive]
If something gets you, it annoys you.
[informal]
What gets me is the attitude of so many of the people. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: annoy, upset, anger, bother More Synonyms of get
More Synonyms of get
English Easy Learning GrammarActive and passiveActive sentences In the following example, the verb is active. The postman delivers hundreds of letters every day. The subject of an active sentence is ... Read more
get obtaining, receiving, or catching
(get)
Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense gets, present participle getting, past tense, past participle got, past tense, past participle gotten
1. verb
If you get something that you want or need, you obtain it.
I got a job at the sawmill. [VERB noun]
The problem was how to get enough food to sustain life. [VERB noun]
It is impossible to get help, so she is doing everything herself. [VERB noun]
He had been having trouble getting a hotel room. [VERB noun]
I asked him to get me some information. [VERB noun noun]
[Also VERB noun + for]
Synonyms: obtain, receive, gain, acquire More Synonyms of get
2. verb
If you get something, you receive it or are given it.
I'm getting a bike for my birthday. [VERB noun]
He gets a lot of letters from women. [VERB noun]
They get a salary of $21,000 a year. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: earn, receive, make, collect More Synonyms of get
3. verb
If you get someone or something, you go and bring them to a particular place.
I came down this morning to get the newspaper. [VERB noun]
Go and get me a large brandy. [VERB noun noun]
Go and get your daddy for me. [VERB noun + for]
Synonyms: fetch, bring, collect More Synonyms of get
4. verb
If you get a meal, you prepare it.
She was getting breakfast as usual. [VERB noun]
5. verb
If you get a particular result, you obtain it from some action that you take, or from a calculationor experiment.
You could run that race again and get a different result each time. [VERB noun]
What do you get if you multiply six by nine? [VERB noun]
6. verb
If you get a particular price for something that you sell, you obtain that amount of money by selling it.
He can't get a good price for his crops. [VERB noun + for]
7. verb
If you get the time or opportunity to do something, you have the time or opportunity to do it.
You get time to think in prison. [VERB noun]
Whenever I get the chance I go to Maxim's for dinner. [VERB noun]
8. verb
If you get an idea, impression, or feeling, you begin to have that idea, impression, or feeling as you learn orunderstand more about something.
I get the feeling that you're an honest man. [VERB noun]
The study is an attempt to get a better idea of why people live where they do. [VERB noun]
Doctors can get the wrong impression from even an accurate description. [VERB noun]
9. verb
If you get a feeling or benefit from an activity or experience, the activity or experience gives you that feelingor benefit.
Charles got a shock when he saw him. [VERB noun]
She gets enormous pleasure out of working freelance. [V n + out of/from]
I would like to take pictures professionally because I get so much out of it. [V n out of/from n/-ing]
10. verb
If you get a look, view, or glimpse of something, you manage to see it.
Young men climbed on buses and fences to get a better view. [VERB noun]
Crowds shouted and pushed to get a glimpse of their hero. [VERB noun]
11. verb
If a place gets a particular type of weather, it has that type of weather.
Riyadh got 25 mm of rain in just 12 hours. [VERB noun]
Northern Kentucky is likely to get snow mixed with sleet. [VERB noun]
12. verb
If you get a joke or get the point of something that is said, you understand it.
Did you get that joke, Ann? I'll explain later. [VERB noun]
You don't seem to get the point. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: understand, follow, catch, see More Synonyms of get
13. verb
If you get an illness or disease, you become ill with it.
When I was five I got measles. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: catch, develop, contract, succumb to More Synonyms of get
14. verb
When you get a train, bus, plane, or boat, you leave a place on a particular train, bus, plane, or boat.
It'll be two pounds to get the bus. [VERB noun]
What time are you getting your train? [VERB noun]
15. verb
If you get a person or animal, you succeed in catching, killing, or hitting them.
Take it easy. We've got him. He's not going to kill anyone else. [VERB noun]
16. verb
If you get a newspaper or magazine, you regularly buy it.
We don't get a paper. [VERB noun]
17. verb
If you can get a particular radio or television channel, you are able to receive broadcasts fromit on your radio or television.
I'm not sure if we can get Radio 4 in France. [VERB noun]
18. See also getting, got
get phrases and phrasal verbs
(get)
Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense gets, present participle getting, past tense, past participle got, past tense, past participle gotten
6. (intr; foll by a preposition or adverbial particle)
to succeed in going, coming, leaving, etc
get off the bus
7. (takes an infinitive)
to manage or contrive
how did you get to be captain?
8.
to make ready or prepare
to get a meal
9.
to hear, notice, or understand
I didn't get your meaning
10. US and Canadian informal
to learn or master by study
11. (intransitive; often foll byto)
to come (to) or arrive (at)
we got home safely
to get to Beijing
12.
to catch or enter
to get a train
13.
to induce or persuade
get him to leave at once
14.
to reach by calculation
add 2 and 2 and you will get 4
15.
to receive (a broadcast signal)
16.
to communicate with (a person or place), as by telephone
17. (also intr; foll byto) informal
to have an emotional effect (on)
that music really gets me
18. informal
to annoy or irritate
her high voice gets me
19. informal
to bring a person into a difficult position from which he or she cannot escape
20. informal
to puzzle; baffle
21. informal
to hit
the blow got him in the back
22. informal
to be revenged on, esp by killing
23. US slang
a. (foll by to)
to gain access (to a person) with the purpose of bribing him or her
b. (often foll by to)
to obtain access (to someone) and kill or silence him or her
24. informal
to have the better of
your extravagant habits will get you in the end
25. (intr; foll by present participle) informal
to begin
get moving
26. (used as a command) informal
go! leave now!
27. archaic
to beget or conceive
28. get even with
29. get it
30. get with it
31. get with child
noun
32. rare
the act of begetting
33. rare
something begotten; offspring
34. British slang a variant of git
35. informal
(in tennis, squash, etc) a successful return of a shot that was difficult to reach
▶ USAGE The use of off after get as in I got this chair off an antique dealer is acceptable in conversation, but should not be used in formal writing See also got, gotten
Derived forms
getable (ˈgetable) or gettable (ˈgettable)
adjective
Word origin
Old English gietan; related to Old Norse geta to get, learn, Old High German bigezzan to obtain
GeT in British English
abbreviation for
Greenwich Electronic Time
get in American English
(gɛt; also, although it is considered nonstandard by some, gɪt)
verb transitiveWord forms: got, ˈgotten or got, ˈgetting
1.
to come into the state of having; become the owner or receiver of; receive, win, gain, obtain, acquire, etc.
2.
to reach; arrive at
to get home early
3.
to set up communication with, as by radio or telephone
to get Paris
4.
a.
to go and bring
b.
to bring
go get your books
5.
a.
to catch; capture; gain hold of
b.
to become afflicted with (a disease)
6.
to learn; commit to memory
7.
to discover to be as the result of experiment or calculation
add 2 and 2 to get 4
8.
to influence or persuade (a person) to do something
get him to leave
9.
to cause to act in a certain way
get the door to shut properly
10.
a.
to cause to be
to get one's hands dirty
b.
to cause to arrive at
get the copy to the printer
11.
to take (oneself) away
often used absolutely
12.
to be sentenced to
to get ten years for robbery
13.
to prepare
to get lunch
14.
beget
said of animals
15.
to manage or contrive
to get to do something
16. Informal
to be obliged to; feel a necessity to
with have or has
he's got to pass the test
17. Informal
to own; possess
with have or has
he's got red hair
18. Informal
to be or become the master of
; esp.,
a.
to overpower; have complete control of
his illness finally got him
b.
to puzzle; baffle
this problem gets me
c.
to take into custody, wound, or kill
d. US, Baseball
to put (an opponent) out, as by catching a batted ball
19. Informal
to strike; hit
the blow got him in the eye
20. Informal
to catch the meaning or import of; understand
21. Slang
to cause an emotional response in; irritate, please, thrill, etc.
her singing gets me
22. US, Slang
to notice or observe
get the look on his face
verb intransitive
23.
to come, go, or arrive
to get to work on time
24.
to be or become; come to be (doing something); come to be (in a situation, condition,etc.)
to get caught in the rain, get in touch with me
25. Informal
to leave at once: commonly pronounced (git) when used in the imperative or infinitive
noun
26.
the young of an animal; offspring; breed
27.
a begetting
28. Tennis Etc
a retrieving of a shot seemingly out of reach
Idioms:
get about
get across
get after
get along
get anywhere
get around
get around to
get at
get away
get away with
get back
get behind
get by
get down
get down to
get in
get it
get it on
get nowhere
get off
get (someone) off
get off on
get on
get on for
get (right) on it
get out
get out of
get over
get one's own back
get somewhere
get so (that)
get there
get through
get to
get together
get up
get with
SYNONYMY NOTE: get is the word of broadest application meaning to come into possession of, with or withouteffort or volition [to get a job, an idea, a headache, etc.]; obtain implies that there is effort or desire in the getting [he has obtained aid]; procure suggests active effort or contrivance in getting or bringing to pass [to procure a settlement of the dispute]; secure, in strict discrimination, implies difficulty in obtaining something and in retainingit [to secure a lasting peace]; acquire implies a lengthy process in the getting and connotes collection or accretion [he acquired a fine education]; gain1 always implies effort in the getting of something advantageous or profitable [to gain fame]
OPPOSITES: lose, forgo
Derived forms
gettable (ˈgettable)
adjective or ˈgetable
Word origin
ME geten < ON geta, to get, beget, akin to OE -gietan (see beget, forget), Ger -gessen in vergessen, forget < IE base *ghend-, to seize, get hold of > L (pre)hendere, to grasp, understand
Examples of 'get' in a sentence
get
You often get a discount for this.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
When on his huge tour he splurged on a helicopter to get him back there each night.
The Sun (2016)
We have to try to make sure that we get something from it.
The Sun (2016)
You need to go cold turkey before getting back on the hunt for your thunderbolt man.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
What sort of exercise will help get rid of this?
The Sun (2016)
Write it all down to help get your thoughts clear.
The Sun (2017)
People forget that it actually got them somewhere.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
US sources say she got sick and decided to rest her vocal cords.
The Sun (2016)
So who gets first shot at the flu shot?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
They may feel that the wrong people are getting financial help.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Why should these people get these huge amounts for merely doing their work?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
We got to go back to that committee and tell them how it is.
Hyland, Paul Indian Balm - Travels in the Southern Subcontinent (1994)
He can just about get away with saying he is upper middle class.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We should have got something from the game.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
He reckons he got a head cold last time.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
You have to go and get rid of it by having a run.
The Sun (2012)
Young people often seem to get a bad press.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Why would a consumer pay for something they can get for free somewhere else?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
You may get angry or not follow through on your discipline.
Christianity Today (2000)
You get some players who are looking to get you into trouble.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Obviously people get to know about it.
The Sun (2011)
You must walk through the mall to get to anywhere else.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Where is the best place to get holiday currency?
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
You get the feeling that the artist is painting precisely what he sees.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The crowd was great and really helped me get through it.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The difficult part is getting people back on track.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Who needs to get the bus?
The Sun (2015)
He says: 'We get on so well that we have an intuitive feel for what the other is thinking and wants to do.
The Sun (2014)
I was jumping up and down on the sofa shouting, 'I have got to get me one of those.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
get
British English: get /ɡɛt/ VERB
become You can use get to mean the same as `become'.
We should go before it gets dark.
American English: get
Arabic: يَصيرُ
Brazilian Portuguese: ir
Chinese: 变得
Croatian: postati
Czech: dostat
Danish: blive in the sense of getting into a state or condition
Dutch: worden
European Spanish: hacerse de
Finnish: saada
French: obtenir
German: erhalten
Greek: γίνομαι
Italian: farsi
Japanese: 得る
Korean: 되다
Norwegian: få
Polish: dostać
European Portuguese: ir
Romanian: a se face
Russian: получить
Latin American Spanish: volverse
Swedish: få motta
Thai: กลายเป็น
Turkish: almak
Ukrainian: ставати
Vietnamese: trở nên
British English: get /ɡɛt/ VERB
arrive If you get somewhere, you arrive there.
He got home at noon.
American English: get
Arabic: يَصِلُ
Brazilian Portuguese: chegar
Chinese: 到达
Croatian: doći
Czech: dostat sena místo
Danish: komme
Dutch: komen
European Spanish: llegar
Finnish: saapua
French: arriver
German: erreichen
Greek: πηγαίνω
Italian: giungere
Japanese: 着く
Korean: 도착하다
Norwegian: komme
Polish: dotrzeć (na miejsce)
European Portuguese: chegar
Romanian: a ajunge
Russian: прибыть
Latin American Spanish: llegararribar
Swedish: komma
Thai: มาถึง
Turkish: varmak
Ukrainian: дістатися
Vietnamese: đến
British English: get /ɡɛt/ VERB
be given If you get something, someone gives it to you.
I got a bike for my birthday.
American English: get
Arabic: يَحْصُلُ عَلَى
Brazilian Portuguese: receber
Chinese: 得到
Croatian: dobiti
Czech: dostat
Danish: få
Dutch: krijgen
European Spanish: recibir
Finnish: saada
French: recevoirobtenir
German: bekommen
Greek: παίρνω
Italian: ricevere
Japanese: もらう
Korean: 가지다
Norwegian: få
Polish: otrzymać
European Portuguese: receber
Romanian: a primi
Russian: получить
Latin American Spanish: recibir
Swedish: få
Thai: ได้รับ
Turkish: almak
Ukrainian: отримати
Vietnamese: có được
British English: get /ɡɛt/ VERB
fetch If you get something, you go to where it is and bring it back.
He went to get a cup of coffee.
American English: get
Arabic: يُحْضِرُ
Brazilian Portuguese: buscar
Chinese: 去拿
Croatian: otići po
Czech: dojítpro něco
Danish: få
Dutch: halen
European Spanish: conseguir
Finnish: hakea
French: aller chercher
German: bringen
Greek: παίρνω
Italian: prendere
Japanese: 取って来る
Korean: 가서 가져오다
Norwegian: hente
Polish: przynieść
European Portuguese: ir buscar
Romanian: a lua
Russian: забрать
Latin American Spanish: ir porir a buscar
Swedish: hämta
Thai: นำมา ไปเอามา
Turkish: almak
Ukrainian: принести
Vietnamese: lấy
All related terms of 'get'
get at
To get at something means to succeed in reaching it.
get by
If you can get by with what you have, you can manage to live or do things in a satisfactory way.
get-go
earliest stage; beginning ; start
get in
If a political party or a politician gets in , they are elected.
get it
to be reprimanded or punished severely
get on
If you get on with someone, you like them and have a friendly relationship with them.
get to
to succeed in reaching or communicating with
get up
When someone who is sitting or lying down gets up , they rise to a standing position.
get hot
to act, perform, etc. with great spirit or enthusiasm
get off
If someone who has broken a law or rule gets off , they are not punished , or are given only a very small punishment .
get out
If you get out , you leave a place because you want to escape from it, or because you are made to leave it.
you get
You can use you get instead of 'there is' or 'there are' to say that something exists , happens , or can be experienced .
get about
If you get about , you go to different places and visit different people.
get after
to pursue or attack
get ahead
If you want to get ahead , you want to be successful in your career .
get along
If you get along with someone, you have a friendly relationship with them. You can also say that two people get along .
get away
If you get away , you succeed in leaving a place or a person's company .
get back
If someone or something gets back to a state they were in before, they are then in that state again.
get down
If something gets you down , it makes you unhappy .
get even
If you say that you are going to get even with someone, you mean that you are going to cause them the same amount of harm or annoyance as they have caused you.
get going
When you get going , you start doing something or start a journey , especially after a delay .
get ideas
to become ambitious , restless , etc
get into
If you get into a particular kind of work or activity, you manage to become involved in it.
get laid
to have sexual intercourse
get lost
If you tell someone to get lost , you are telling them in a very rude way to go away.
get onto
to board or cause or help to board (a bus , train, etc)
get over
If you get over an unpleasant or unhappy experience or an illness, you recover from it.
get round
to circumvent or overcome
get there
to succeed
get wise
to become aware of the true facts or circumstances
get with
to go along with
get wrong
to fail to understand properly
get you!
You can say get you to show that you think someone is acting as if they are more important, rich, or successful than they really are.
get across
When an idea gets across or when you get it across , you succeed in making other people understand it.
get advice
If you give someone advice , you tell them what you think they should do in a particular situation.
get around
To get around a problem or difficulty means to overcome it.
get behind
to move to the rear of
get hitched
If you get hitched , you get married .
get in on
If you get in on something that other people are already involved in, you take part in it.
get it on
to have sexual intercourse
get nowhere
to fail completely to make any progress
get on to
If you get on to a topic when you are speaking , you start talking about it.
get rooted!
an exclamation of contemptuous anger or annoyance , esp against another person
get through
If you get through a task or an amount of work, especially when it is difficult , you complete it.
get up to
If you say that someone gets up to something, you mean that they do it and you do not approve of it.
get weaving
to hurry ; start to do something
get a boot
to derive keen enjoyment
get a grip
If you get a grip on yourself, you make an effort to control or improve your behaviour or work.
get a life
If you tell someone to get a life , you are expressing frustration with them because their life seems boring or they seem to care too much about unimportant things.
( person : travel ) 旅行 lǚxíng (: move about ) 各处(處)走动(動) gèchù zǒudòng ▶ I can't get about as much as I used to 我不能再像我过(過)去那样(樣)到处(處)走动(動)了 wǒ bùnéng zài xiàng wǒ guòqù nàyàng dàochù zǒudòng le