Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 241 get (something) straight - to understand something clearly I could not get what my friend was trying to tell me straight. get (something) through (someone's) thick skull - to manage to get someone to understand something I could not get it through my friend's thick skull that I would not go on a holiday with him. get (something) under control - to be able to control something The fire fighters were quickly able to get the fire under control. get the ax - to be fired The man got the ax last week and now has no job. get the ball rolling - to start something "Let`s get the ball rolling and start planning the party." get the benefit of the doubt - to receive a decision in your favor when the evidence in neither for you nor against you I got the benefit of the doubt when I complained about my parking ticket. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 242 get the better of (someone) - to beat/defeat (someone), to win against someone My friend got the better of me and won the tennis match. get the blues - to become sad or depressed Every winter my neighbor seems to get the blues. get the boot - to be fired, to be told to leave a place I got the boot from my first job in high school. The man got the boot from the restaurant for smoking. get the brush-off - to be ignored or sent away I got the brush-off when I asked the girl to dance. get the cold shoulder - to be ignored or rejected My friend got the cold shoulder when he went to the expensive restaurant. get the day off - to have a free day from work I hope to get the day off tomorrow so I can visit my grandfather in the hospital. get the facts straight - to get a good understanding of the facts I do not believe that our supervisor got the facts straight when she heard about our argument. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 243 get the feel of (something) - to become used to or learn about something After you get the feel of the new computer it is very easy to use. get the floor - to receive official permission to address an audience When the principal finally got the floor everybody was ready to go home. get the go-ahead - to receive a signal to start something The construction company got the go-ahead to begin work on the new stadium. get the goods on (someone) - to find out true but often negative information about someone I think that I have got the goods on the man and will talk to the police soon. get the hang of (something) - to learn how to do something The boy was asked to help with the sound system after he got the hang of it. get the jump on (someone) - to get ahead of someone We left home early so we could get the jump on the other travellers. get the last laugh - to laugh at someone who has laughed at you We got the last laugh when the car that had passed us on the highway got a speeding ticket. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 244 get the lead out - to hurry "Get the lead out," I said to my slow friend. get the lowdown on (someone or something) - to receive the full story about someone or something I met a friend for coffee to get the lowdown on our friend who is getting married. get the message - to clearly understand the meaning of something I told my friend to be quiet but I do not think that he got the message. get the nod - to be chosen for something My favorite candidate got the nod to represent us in the election. get the once-over - to receive a quick visual examination I quickly got the once-over when I arrived for the job interview. get the picture - to understand the whole situation I did not get the picture of what my friend was saying about his new girlfriend. get the red-carpet treatment - to receive very special treatment The Queen of England got the red-carpet treatment during her trip to Australia. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 245 get the runaround - to receive a series of excuses and delays I got the runaround when I went to talk to the company about my parking ticket. get the sack - to be fired from a job I told the employee that if he does not change his work habits he will get the sack. get the shock of one's life - to receive a serious emotional shock I got the shock of my life when I saw my teacher on TV. get the short end of the stick - to get less than others I sometimes get the short end of the stick and I have to do more work than the other students. get the show on the road - to start working on something "Let`s get the show on the road and begin work for the day." get the third degree - to be questioned in great detail and for a long period of time The boy got the third degree when he came home late for dinner. get the upper hand (on someone) - to get into a position superior to someone I got the upper hand during my dispute with the apartment manager. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 246 get the worst of (something) - to be defeated, to receive less benefit than someone else The man got the worst of the deal when the salesman sold him the used car. get through (something) - to complete something, to finish something, to survive something My friend is having trouble getting through her final exams. I have much reading that I must get through before tomorrow. get through to (someone) - to make someone understand something I tried talking to the woman but I could not get through to her. get time off - to receive a holiday from work I can never get time off in the summer. get to do (something) - to have a chance or to be able to do something I did not get to go to the circus last week. get to first base - to make a start, to succeed I tried to meet the company president but I could not get to first base. get to one's feet - to stand up The members of the audience got to their feet when the concert finished. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 247 get to the bottom of (something) - to find out the real cause/answer of something The government wants to get to the bottom of the financial problems in the company. get to the heart of (something) - to understand the most important thing about something We were in the meeting for three hours trying to get to the heart of the problem. get to the root of a problem - to get an understanding of the causes of a problem The purpose of the meeting was to get to the root of the problem about the money. get tough with (someone) - to become firm/strict with someone The school plans to get tough with students who are late. get under (someone`s) skin - to bother or upset someone The woman always gets under my skin although I do not really know why. get under way - to start The festival got under way early this morning. get up - to get out of bed, to get to one`s feet I got up early today so that I could go fishing with my friend. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 248 get-up-and-go - energy, enthusiasm, drive The man has lots of get-up-and-go and it is difficult to follow him around. get up enough nerve (to do something) - to become brave enough to do something I finally got up enough nerve to ask the woman for a date. get up on the wrong side of the bed - to be in a bad mood My friend got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning and will not talk to anyone. get up the nerve to (do something) - to become brave enough to do something I tried to get up the nerve to ask my friend about his new job. get used to (someone or something) - to become accustomed to someone or something I am slowly getting used to my new job. get what`s coming to one - to receive the good or bad that one deserves The criminal got what was coming to him when he was sent to jail for two years. get wind of (something) - to hear about something I got wind of the changes in our company from my friend. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 249 get wise to (someone or something) - to learn about something that is a secret The man got wise to the fact that someone was stealing his money. get with it - to pay attention, to get busy I told my friend to get with it or he would have problems with his boss. get worked up about/over (something) - to get excited or angry about something My friend always gets worked up about his problems at work. . getup - fancy dress or costume "What was that strange getup that your friend was wearing the other day?" ghost of a chance - very little chance, the smallest chance The boy does not have a ghost of a chance to finish his homework before class. gift of the gab - the ability to talk well My friend has the gift of the gab and is fun at a party. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 250 give Idioms give a wide birth to (someone or something) - to keep away from someone or something, to keep a safe distance from someone or something I usually give a wide birth to my boss when he is angry. give-and-take - sharing, giving and receiving between people You must be willing to give-and-take if you want to have a good marriage. give away (a secret) - to let a secret become known I do not want my friend to give away my plans to go to Mexico for a holiday. give away (something) - to give something to someone I decided to give away my bicycle because I did not need it anymore. give birth - to have a baby The woman gave birth to a baby boy last night. give chase to (someone or something) - to chase or run after someone or something The police gave chase to the man who robbed the store. . nerve to ask my friend about his new job. get used to (someone or something) - to become accustomed to someone or something I am slowly getting used to my new job. get what`s coming to one . - the ability to talk well My friend has the gift of the gab and is fun at a party. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 250 give Idioms give a wide birth to (someone or something) - to keep. - to get into a position superior to someone I got the upper hand during my dispute with the apartment manager. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 246 get the worst of (something) - to be defeated,