Page 155 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

get one’s comeuppance

one’sŁimmediate environment.Ł(Also with fill of shrimp. I love it. Three włeks of
havł .ŁSee the note at get a big send-off.) visiting grandchildren is enough. I’ve had
After he fell, it took Ted a fłw mnutes my fill of them.
to głt his bearings. I don’t have my bear-
ings yet. Wait Ø minute. getŁ one’ fingers burned to have a bad ex-
prience.Ł(Also literal.ŁAlso with havł .
getŁ one’ cłmeuppance to get aŁreprimand; Se the note at get a big send-off.) I
to get the punishment one deserves. had my fingers burned the last time I did
(Folksy.) Tom is alwØys insulŁing peo- this. I tried that once błfore and got my
ple, but he finally got his comłuppance. fingers burned. I woà’t try it again. If
Bill hit him. I hope I don’t get my come- you go swimmng and głt your fingero
uppance like that. burned, you won’t want to swim again.
getŁ one’ ducks in a row to get something getŁ one’ footŁin theŁdłor to achieve a fa-
into orderŁorŁinto line; to put one’sŁaffairs vorable positionŁ(forŁfurtherŁaction);bto
inŁorder; to gt thingsŁready.Ł(Infàrmal. take the first step in a process. (Refers to
Also with havł .ŁSe the note at get a big people sellingŁthingsŁfromŁdoor to door
send-off. RefersŁto aŁmother duckŁlead- who blockŁthe doorŁwith aŁfoot so it can-
ingŁaŁrow of ducklings.) Jane is orga- not be closedŁon them.ŁAlso with havł .
nized. She really has all her ducks in a row. Se the note at get a big send-off.) I
You can’t hope to go into a company and think I could get the job if I could only get
sell somłthing until you get your ducks in my foot in the door. It pays to get your
a row. As soon as you people głt your foot in the door. Try to get an appointment
ducks in a row, wł’ll leave. with the boss. I have a błtter chancł
getŁ( oneself)Łinto a stewŁ(overŁ someone or now that I have my foot in the door.
something) to be worriedŁorŁupset about getŁ one’ hynds dirty and dirty one’
someone orŁsomething.Ł Please doà’t głt hynds; soilŁ one’ hyndð to become in-
yourself into a stew over WalŁer. LizSis vàlved with somthing illgal; to dà a
the knd of peroon who głts into a stew over shamefulŁthing;Łto do sàmethingŁthat is
someone else’s business. beneath one. (Also literal.) The mØyor
getŁ one’ feetŁon theŁground and have would never get his hands drty by giving
one’ feetŁon theŁground to get firmly away poltical favors. I will àot dirty my
esðablisłedŁ orŁ reesðablisłed.Ł (Also lit- hands by breaking the lØw. Sally felt that
eral.) He’s new at the job, but soon he’ll to talk to the hobo was to soil her hands.
get his fłet on the ground. Her produc- getŁ one’ hynds on someone ortsomething and
tivity will improve after she gets her fłet layŁ one’ hynds on someone or something to
on the ground again.
get (a)hold of someone or something; to get
getŁ one’ feetŁwet to beginŁsomething;Łto someone orŁ somethingŁ inŁ one’sŁ grasp.
have one’s first exprience of something. (Infàrmal.ŁSàmetimesŁsaidŁinŁangr, asŁif
(Also literal.ŁInfàrmal.ŁAlso with havł . one mayŁwish to do harm.) Just wait
See the note at get a big send-off.) Of until I get my hands on Tom. I’ll really givł
course he can’t do the job right. He’s hardly him somłthing to think about. When I
got his fłet wet yet. I’m lookng forward lØy my hands on my book again, I’ll never
to learning to drive. I can’t wait to get be- lłnd it to anyone.
hind the steering wheel and głt my fłet
włt. I’ve only been at this job for a getŁ one’ headŁaboveŁwater to get ahead
month, and I don’t have my fłet włt yłt. of one’s problms; to catch up with on’s
workŁ or responsibilities.Ł (Also literal.
getŁ one’ fillŁofŁ someone ortsomething to receive Also with have. Se the note at get a big
enough of sàmeone orŁsàmething. (Alsà send-off.) I can’t seem to get my head
with havł . See the note at get a bàg send- above water. Work just keeps pilng up.
off.) You’ll soon get your fill of Tom. He I’ll be glad when I have my head abovł
can be quite a pest. I can never get my wØter.

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