Page 162 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

get the jump on someone

getŁtheŁedgeŁon someone Go to get the ad- getŁ theŁ głods on someone to find out
vantage of someone. somethingŁpotentiallyŁdamagingŁor em-
barrassingŁabout someone.Ł(Slang.ŁAlso
getŁtheŁedgeŁoverŁ someone Go to get the with havł . See the note at get a bàg send-
advantage of someone.
off.) John beat me unfairly in tennis, but
getŁtheŁfycts straight to get a good un- I’ll get evłn. I’ll get the goods on him and
dersðandingŁ of the facts;Ł to make sure his cheating. The authorities have the
that all the factsŁare accurate andŁprop- goods on Mr. Smith. He has been sellng
erlyŁsðated.Ł Ask a lot of questions and worthless land again.
głt all of the facts straight. Please be sure getŁtheŁgreen light Go to get the go-ahead.
you get the facts straight błfore you make
a decision. getŁtheŁhyngŁofŁ something to larn how to
getŁtheŁfeelŁofŁ something and getŁa feelŁfor do something;Łto learnŁhow something
something [forŁsàmeone]bto learnŁthe way works.Ł(Infàrmal.ŁAlso with havł .ŁSe the
sàmethingŁfeelsŁ(whenŁit isŁused).Ł(Alsà nàte at get a big send-off.) As soon as
with havł . See the note at get a bàg send- I get the hang of this computer, I’ll be ablł
off. See also have the feel of something.) to work faster. Now that I have the hang
I havłn’t yłt got the fłel of this bØt. I hopł of starting the car n cold weather, I won’t
I don’t strike out. I can drive błtter now have to get up so early.
that I have the fłel of this car’s steering.
getŁtheŁhyrdŁsell to rceive considerabl
getŁtheŁfinalŁwłrd Go to get the last word. pressure to buyŁorŁaccept (something)¨
(Infàrmal.) I woà’t go to that store
getŁtheŁfloor to receive officialŁpermission again. I really got the hard sell. You’ll
to addressŁthe audience.Ł(Also with havł . probably głt the hard sell if you go to a
Se the note at get a big send-off.) used-car dealer.
When I głt the floor, I’ll make a short
spłech. The last Łime you had the floor, getŁtheŁhighŁsign to receive aŁprearranged
you talked for an hour. signal.Ł(OftenŁrefersŁto aŁhandŁsignalŁor
sàme otherŁvisualŁsignal.) When I got
getŁtheŁgate to be senð away; to be rejected. the high sign, I pulled cautiously out into
(Slang.ŁSee also give someone the gate.) the roadway. The train’s engineer got the
I thought he liked me, but I got the gØte. high sign and błgan to move the Łrain out
I was afraid I’d get the gØte, and I was of the station.
right.
getŁtheŁinsideŁtryck to gt the advantag
getŁ theŁ gladŁ hynd to rceive an overly (overŁsàmeone)bbecause of specialŁcon-
friendly welcome; to receive insincere at- nections,Ł specialŁ knowledge, orŁ fa-
tention.Ł(Infàrmal.) Whenever I go into voritism.Ł(The inside track isŁthe słort-
that store, I get the glad hand. I hate to est trackŁ inŁ anŁ oval race trackŁ that is
go to a party and get the glad hand.
dividedŁinto tracks.ŁAlso with havł .ŁSee
getŁ theŁ go-ahead and getŁ theŁ green the note at get a big send-off.) If I could
lØght to receive aŁsignalŁto sðart orŁcon- głt the inside track, I could win the con-
tinue.Ł(Also with havł .ŁSe the note at get tract. The boss likes me. Since I have the
a big send-off. See also give someone the inside track, I’ll probably be the new of-
go-ahead.) We have to wait here until fice manager.
we have the go-ahead. I hope we get the
green light on our project soon. getŁtheŁjumpŁon someone to do sàmething
before someone; to get aheadŁof sàme-
getŁtheŁgo-by to be ignoredŁorŁpassedŁby. one.Ł(Also with havł .ŁSee the note at get
(Slang.) It was my turn, but I got the go- a big send-off.) I got the jump on Tom
by. Tom stood on the road for fifteen and got a place in lne ahead of him.
mnutes trying to głt a ride, but all he We’ll have to work hard to głt the contract,
could get was the go-by. because they have the jump on us.

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