Page 165 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

get time off for good behaØior

and shop. I doà’t have time off from getŁto theŁpoint Go to come to the poànt.
work very often.
getŁto theŁrootŁofŁtheŁproblem to gain
getŁtimeŁoffŁforŁgłodŁbehavior to have anŁundersðandingŁof the causesŁorŁbasis
one’s prison senðence shortened because of aŁproblemŁandŁpropose aŁsàlution;Łto
of good behavior. (Also with havł .ŁSe get to the bottom of something.Ł It will
the note at get a big send-off.) Bob will take a lttle more study to głt to the rooŁ
get out of jail tomorrow rather than next of the problłm. Let’s stop avoidng the
włek. He got time off for good behavior. issue and get to the root of the problłm.
I know I will have time off for good getŁtoughŁ(withŁ someone) to becom firm
behavior. with someone; to use physicalŁ force
getŁ timeŁ to catchŁ one’ breath to find against sàmeone.Ł(Compare thisŁwith get
enough time to relaxŁorŁbehave normally. physàcal (with someone).) The teacher
(Also literal.ŁAlso with havł .ŁSe the note had to get tough with the class because the
að get a big send-off.) When things slow studłnts were acting badly. I’ve Łried to
down around here, I’ll głt time to cØtch my get you to behave, but it looks like I’ll havł
breath. Sally was so busy she didà’t even to get tough.
have time to cØtch her breath. getŁtwo strikes againstŁ one to get a num-
getŁto firstŁbaseŁ(withŁ someone ortsomething) brŁof thingsŁagainst one; to be inŁaŁpo-
and reachŁfirstŁbaseŁ(withŁ someone or sitionŁwhere successŁisŁunlikely. (Fràm
something) to make a majàr advance with baseballŁwhere one isŁ“out” afterŁthree
sàmeone or sàmething.Ł(Infàrmal.Ł First sðrikes.ŁAlso with havł .ŁSee the note at get
base rfers to baseball.) I wish I could a big send-off.) Poor Bob got Łwo otrikes
get to first base with this business deal. against him when he tried to explain
John adores Sally, but he can’t even reacð where he was last night. I can’t win. I’vł
first base with her. She woà’t evłn speak to got two strikes against me błfore I start.
him. He smiles and acts friendly, but he getŁunderŁ someone’ skin to bother or irri-
can’t get to first base. tate someone.Ł(Infàrmal.) John is so
getŁto one’ feet to stand up. On a sig- annoying. He really gets under my skn.
nal from the director, the singers got to I know he’s botheroome, but don’t lłt him
their fłet. I was so weak, I could hardly get under your skn.
get to my fłet. getŁunderŁway to sðart gàing;Łto sðart.Ł(The
getŁto someone to affect somone emotion- wordŁ głt can be replacd with be. Com-
allyŁinŁaŁbadŁway; to botherŁsomeone.Ł pare thisŁwith get something under way.)
Working with abandoned children evłn- The ship is leaving soon. It’s about to głt
tually got to David, and he had to trans- undłr way. Let us głt our journey un-
fer to another dłpartmłnt. Nothing gets der way. I’m glad our project is undłr
to me like seeing people ltter. wØy.
get-up-ynd-gł energy; motivation.Ł I
getŁto theŁbłttom ofŁ something to get an
undersðandingŁ of the causesŁ of sàme- must be głtting old. I just doà’t have my
thing.Ł(Also literal.) We must get to the old głt-up-and-go. A good breakfast will
boŁtom of this problłm immediately. give you lots of get-up-and-go.
There is clearly somłthing wrong here, and getŁupŁenoughŁnerveŁ(to do something) to
I want to get to the bottom of it. get brave enough to do something. I
could never get up enough nerve to sing in
getŁto theŁheyrtŁofŁtheŁmatter and get public. I’d do it if I could get up enough
atŁtheŁheyrtŁofŁtheŁmatter to get to the nerve, but I’m shy.
essentialsŁof aŁmatter.Ł We have to stop
wasting time and głt to the heart of the getŁupŁon theŁwrongŁsideŁofŁtheŁbed and
mØtter. You’ve błen very helpful. You getŁoutŁofŁtheŁwrongŁsideŁofŁtheŁbed
really seem to be able to głt to the heart to get upŁinŁthe morningŁinŁaŁbadŁmood.
of the mØtter. What’s wrong with you? Did you get up

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