[get the third degree] See: THIRD DEGREE.

[get the upper hand on] See: UPPER HAND.

[get the word] See: GET THE MESSAGE.

[get the works] See: THE WORKS.

[get the worst of] also [have the worst of] {v. phr.} To lose; bedefeated or beaten in; suffer most. •/Joe got the worst of the argument withMolly./ — Often used in the phrase "the worst of it". •/If you start afight with Jim, you may get the worst of it./ •/Bill had the worst of it inhis race with Al./ •/Jack traded his knife for a few marbles; he got theworst of it in that trade./ •/The driver of the car got the worst of it inthe accident./ Contrast: GET THE BETTER OF(2).

[get through]{v. phr.} 1. To finish. •/Barry got through hishomework by late evening./ 2. To pass a course or an examination. •/I gotthrough every one of my courses except mathematics./

[get through one’s head]{v. phr.} 1. To understand or believe.•/Jack couldn’t get it through his head that his father wouldn’t let him goto camp if his grades didn’t improve./ •/At last Mary got it through herhead that she had failed to pass the test./ 2. To make someone understand orbelieve. •/I’ll get it through his head if it takes all night./

[get through to]{v.} To be understood by; make (someone) understand.•/The little boy could not get through to his housemother./ •/Deaf peoplesometimes find it hard to get through to strangers./ •/When the rich boy’sfather lost his money, it took a long time for the idea to get through to himthat he’d have to work and support himself./

[get to]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To begin by chance; begin to. — Used with a verbal noun or an infinitive. •/George meant to save his dollar,but he got to thinking how good an ice cream cone would taste, and he spentit./ •/On a rainy day, Sally got to looking around in the attic and foundsome old pictures of Father./ •/I got to know Mary at the party./ •/Iwas just getting to know John when he moved away./ Compare: TAKE TO(2). 2. Tohave a chance to; be able to. •/The Taylors wanted to go to the beachSaturday, but it rained and they didn’t get to./ •/Did you get to see theking?/ Compare: GET AT(3). 3. See: HAVE TO.

[get to first base] or [reach first base] {v. phr.} To make a goodstart; really begin; succeed, •/Joe had a long paper to write for historyclass, but when the teacher asked for it, Joe hadn’t got to first base yet./•/Suppose Sam falls in love with Betty. Can he even get to first base withher?/ •/George wants to go to college and become a teacher, but I’ll besurprised if he even reaches first base./ •/If you don’t dress neatly, youwon’t get to first base when you look for a job./ Compare: FIRST BASE.

[get together]{v.} To come to an agreement; agree. •/Mother says Ishould finish my arithmetic lesson, and Father says I should mow the lawn. Whydon’t you two get together?/

[get-together]{n.} A party; a gathering. •/I hate to break up thisnice get-together but we must leave./ •/We manage to have a get-togetherwith our old friends once or twice a year./

[get to the bottom of]{v. phr.} To find out the real cause of. •/Thesuperintendent talked with several students to get to the bottom of thetrouble./ •/The doctor made several tests to get to the bottom of the man’sheadaches./ Compare: GET TO THE HEART OF.

[get to the heart of]{v. phr.} To find the most important facts aboutor the central meaning of; understand the most important thing about. •/Youcan often get to the heart of people’s unhappiness by letting them talk./•/"If you can find a topic sentence, often it will help you get to the heartof the paragraph," said the teacher./

[get to the point] See: COME TO THE POINT.

[get two strikes against one] See: TWO STRIKES AGAINST.

[get underway]{v. phr.} To set out on a journey; start going. •/Weare delighted that our new Ph.D. program finally got underway./

[get under one’s skin]{v. phr.} To bother; upset. •/The students getunder Mary’s skin by talking about her freckles./ •/Children who talk toomuch in class get under the teacher’s skin./

[get up]{v.} 1. To get out of bed. •/John’s mother told him that itwas time to get up./ 2. To stand up; get to your feet. •/A man should getup when a woman comes into the room./ 3. To prepare; get ready. •/Mary gotup a picnic for her visitor./ •/The students got up a special number of thenewspaper to celebrate the school’s 50th birthday./ 4. To dress up. •/Oneof the girls got herself up as a witch for the Halloween party./ 5. To goahead. •/The wagon driver shouted, "Get up!" to his horses./

[get up] or [rise with the chickens] {v. phr.} To rise very earlyin the morning. •/All the farmers in this village get up with thechickens./ Contrast: GO TO BED WITH THE CHICKENS.

[get-up]{n.} (stress on "get") Fancy dress or costume. •/Some get-upyou’re wearing!/

[get-up-and-go] also [get-up-and-get] {n. phr.}, {informal}Energetic enthusiasm; ambitious determination; pep; drive; push. •/Joe has alot of get-up-and-go and is working his way through school./

[get up on the wrong side of the bed]{v. phr.}, {informal} Toawake with a bad temper. •/Henry got up on the wrong side of the bed andwouldn’t eat breakfast./ •/The man went to bed very late and got up on thewrong side of the bed./

[get up the nerve]{v. phr.} To build up your courage until you arebrave enough; become brave enough. •/Jack got up the nerve to ask Ruth todance with him./ •/The hungry little boy got up nerve to ask for anotherpiece of cake./

[get used to] See: USED TO.

[get warmed up] See: WARM UP.

[get what’s coming to one] or {slang} [get one’s] {v. phr.} Toreceive the good or bad that you deserve; get what is due to you; get yourshare. •/At the end of the movie the villain got what was coming to him andwas put in jail./ •/John didn’t think he was getting what was coming tohim, so he quit the job./ •/Mother told Mary that she’d get hers if shekept on being naughty./ Compare: CATCH IT, HAVE IT COMING, SERVE RIGHT.

[get wind of]{v. phr.} To get news of; hear rumors about; find outabout. •/The police got wind of the plans to rob the bank./ •/The captaindidn’t want the sailors to get wind of where the ship was going./

[get wise]{v. phr.}, {slang} To learn about something kept secretfrom you; become alert. •/One girl pretended to be sick on gym days when shehad athletics, until the teacher got wise and made her go anyway./ — Oftenused with "to". •/The boys got wise to Jack’s fondness for bubble gum./•/If you don’t get wise to yourself and start studying, you will fail thecourse./ Compare: CATCH ON, SEE THROUGH. Contrast: IN THE DARK.

[get with it]{v. phr.}, {slang} To pay attention; be alive oralert; get busy. •/The students get with it just before examinations./•/The coach told the team to get with it./ Compare: ON THE BALL.

[ghost] See: GIVE UP THE GHOST.

[ghost of a] Least trace of; slightest resemblance to; smallest bit evenof; a very little. Usually used with "chance" or "idea" in negative sentences,or with "smile". •/There wasn’t a ghost of a chance that Jack would win./•/We didn’t have the ghost of an idea where to look for John./ •/Theteacher scolded Harold for drawing a funny picture on the chalkboard, but shehad a ghost of a smile./ Compare: FAT CHANCE.