The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  game that two can play, that’s a Also, two can play at that game. Another can behave in the same way or do the same thing. For example, He refused to tell us whether he would go or stay, but that’s a game two can play. This expression is generally used as a threat of retaliation. [Early 1800s]

  gamut → See RUN THE GAMUT.

  gander → See TAKE A GANDER AT.

  gang → In addition to the idiom beginning with GANG, also see LIKE GANGBUSTERS.

  gang up 1. Also, gang up with. Act together as a group. For example, The residents ganged up to make the neighborhood safer. [Colloquial; c. 1920] 2. gang up on or against. Join in opposition or attack against, as in The big kids were always ganging up on the little ones, or They all ganged up against the substitute teacher. [1920s]

  garden → In addition to the idiom beginning with GARDEN, also see LEAD DOWN THE GARDEN PATH.

  garden variety Ordinary, common, as in I don’t want anything special in a VCR—the garden variety will do. This term alludes to a common plant as opposed to a specially bred hybrid. [Colloquial; 1920]

  gas → In addition to the idiom beginning with GAS, also see COOK WITH GAS; RUN OUT OF (GAS).

  gasket → See under BLOW A FUSE.

  gasp → See LAST GASP.

  gas up Supply a vehicle with gasoline, as in I want to be sure to gas up before we go. James M. Cain used this term in The Postman Always Rings Twice (1934): “I went to gas up a car.” [Colloquial; c. 1930] Also see TANK UP.

  gate → See CRASH THE GATE; GIVE SOMEONE THE AIR (GATE).

  gather → In addition to the idiom beginning with GATHER, also see ROLLING STONE (GATHERS NO MOSS).

  gather dust Also, collect dust. Remain unused. The literal meaning, describing a piece of furniture or other object that is not moved or used and becomes dusty, was first recorded in 1687. It remains current, as does the figurative sense, as in No one in the lab has figured out how to use this equipment, so it’s just gathering dust.

  gauntlet → See RUN THE GAUNTLET; THROW DOWN THE GAUNTLET.

  gear → See HIGH GEAR; SLIP A COG (GEAR).

  gee whiz An expression of surprise, dismay, or enthusiasm. For example, Gee whiz, Dad, I thought you’d let me borrow the car, or Gee whiz, they finally won the Series! This term is thought to be a euphemism for “Jesus Christ.” [Slang; 1870s]

  gender gap A broad difference between men and women, as in There is still an enormous gender gap in the wages of unskilled labor. This expression at first referred to the difference between men and women in voting preferences. It has since been extended to other areas. [1970s]

  general → See IN GENERAL; ON (GENERAL) PRINCIPLE.

  generation gap A broad difference in values and attitudes between one generation and another, especially between parents and their children. For example, There’s a real generation gap in their choice of music, restaurants, clothing—you name it. [1960s]

  generous to a fault → See TO A FAULT.

  get → In addition to the idioms beginning with GET, also see BE (GET) BUSTED; COME AND GET IT; DIP (GET) ONE’S TOES INTO; EARLY BIRD CATCHES (GETS) THE WORM; GIVE AS GOOD AS ONE GETS; GROUND FLOOR, GET IN ON THE; IT TAKES GETTING USED TO; MARCHING ORDERS, GET ONE’S; PLAY HARD TO GET; SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE GREASE; TELL SOMEONE WHERE TO GET OFF; WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING; YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. Also see under BECOME; GIVE; HAVE.

  get a bang out of Also get a charge or kick out of. Get a feeling of excitement from, get a thrill from. For example, I get a bang out of taking the kids to the amusement park, or I get a charge out of her imitations. The first two terms allude to the jolt of an electrical charge. The first dates from the 1920s; Damon Runyon had it in Guys and Dolls (1929): “He seems to be getting a great bang out of the doings.” The second dates from the mid-1900s. The third probably alludes to the stimulating effect of a strong alcoholic drink—kick was used in this sense from the 1840s on—but the precise wording dates from the early 1900s. Cole Porter used it for one of his most popular songs, “I Get a Kick Out of You” (1934).

  get about 1. Also get around. Move around, be active, especially after an illness. For example, At 85 Jean still gets around very well, or Arthritis makes it hard for him to get about. [Mid-1800s] 2. Become known, circulate, as in The news of her engagement got about very quickly. [Early 1800s] Also see GET AROUND, def. 4. 3. Be socially active, as in After her husband died, she didn’t get about much for a year. Also see GET AROUND, def. 3 and 4.

  get a break Obtain a favorable opportunity; get special consideration or treatment. For example, The understudy finally got a break when the star became ill, or The new price is higher, but you are getting a break on service. [c. 1900] Also see GIVE SOMEONE A BREAK.

  get a charge out of → See GET A BANG OUT OF.

  get across 1. Also, get it across. Make understandable or clear, as in I tried to get my point across, or He’ll have to get it across to the others. [Late 1800s] 2. Also, come across. Be convincing, impress on others, as in How can I get across to the students? or The headmaster’s announcement comes across as a criticism of the faculty. [c. 1920] Also see PUT ACROSS.

  get a dirty look → See DIRTY LOOK.

  get a fix Obtain a needed dose of something, especially but not necessarily a narcotic drug. For example, Heroin addicts will do anything to get their fix, or Chris referred to her daily swim in the pool as her chlorine fix. The noun fix has been used for a narcotic dose since the 1930s, and was extended to other compulsively sought things about two decades later. Also see GET A FIX ON.

  get a fix on Also, have a fix on; get or have a handle on; get or have a grasp of. Obtain (or have) a clear determination or understanding of something. For example, I was finally able to get a fix on the specifics of this problem, or No one in the press room had a handle on Balkan history, or Do you have a grasp of the situation? Similarly, give a fix means “provide a clear understanding,” as in This briefing will give us a fix on the current situation. The usages with fix and handle are colloquialisms dating from the 1920s; those with grasp are more formal and date from the late 1600s.

  get a free hand → See FREE HAND.

  get after Urge or scold someone about doing something. For example, Dad should get after Billy to mow the lawn, or Mary got after Jane for forgetting her house key. Also see KEEP AFTER.

  get a grip on Also, have a grip on. Obtain mastery or control over something or someone. For example, Get a grip on yourself or the reporters will give you a hard time, or, as Arthur Conan Doyle put it in Sherlock Holmes (1894): “I have a grip on the essential facts of the case.” This expression transfers a firm physical hold to emotional or intellectual control. [Late 1800s]

  get a hand → See GIVE A HAND, def. 2.

  get a handle on → See under GET A FIX ON.

  get ahead 1. Succeed or make progress, especially in one’s career or in society. For example, She put in many hours of overtime in order to get ahead. [c. 1800] 2. Save a little money, as in After we settle the hospital bill, we hope to get ahead enough to buy a new car. 3. get ahead of. Move in front of, as in I got ahead of her in line. 4. get ahead of. Outdo, surpass, as in We were determined to get ahead of the competition. Also see AHEAD OF THE GAME.

  get a head start → See HEAD START.

  get a kick out of → See GET A BANG OUT OF.

  get a life Acquire some interests or relationships of one’s own. For example, Stop sitting around and complaining—get a life. [Slang; 1980s]

  get a line on Also, have a line on. Acquire information about something or someone, come to know. For example, Sue got a line on some possible tennis partners, or The realtor has a line on a number of vacant apartments. Similarly, give someone a line on means “provide information about,” as in The librarian gave me a line on the books I would need. This idiom uses line in the sense of “a direct course.” [c. 1900] Also see GET A FIX ON.

  get a load of Look at or listen to, as in Get a load of Mike feeding the baby, or Through those thin
walls we really got a load of their fight. [Slang; early 1900s]

  get along 1. Also, get on. Be or continue to be on harmonious terms. For example, She finds it hard to get along with her in-laws, or He gets on well with all of his neighbors except one. The use of along dates from the late 1800s; the use of on dates from the early 1800s. A colloquial synonym for get along well is get on like a house on fire, in effect comparing increasingly good relations to the rapid progress of a fire. 2. Also, get on. Manage, fare with some success; also, prosper. For example, I can just get along in this town on those wages, or Her way of getting on in the world was to marry a rich man. The use of on dates from the late 1700s; the variant dates from the early 1800s. 3. get along without. Manage without something, as in With that new car loan, he can’t get along without a raise. [Early 1800s] 4. Also, get on. Progress; advance, especially in years. For example, How are you getting along with the refinishing? or Dad ­doesn’t hear too well; he’s getting on, you know. [Late 1700s] Also see ALONG IN YEARS; GET ON, def. 4. 5. get along with you. Go away; also, be quiet, drop the subject, as in “Leave me. Get along with you” (Charles Dickens, Barnaby Rudge, 1837). [First half of 1800s] Also see GET ON.

  get a move on Also, get cracking or going or rolling. Hurry up; also, start working. For example, Get a move on, it’s late, or Let’s get cracking, kids, or It’s time we got going, or The alarm went off ten minutes ago, so get rolling. The first colloquial expression dates from the late 1800s. The second term, also colloquial, employs the verb to crack in the sense of “travel with speed,” a usage dating from the early 1800s, but the idiom dates only from the first half of the 1900s. The third term dates from the late 1800s and also has other meanings; see GET GOING. Get rolling alludes to setting wheels in motion and dates from the first half of the 1900s. Also see GET BUSY; GET ON THE STICK.

  get an in with Also, have an in with. Acquire (or have) influence with someone in authority. For example, The only way they’ll allow us to film the play is if we get an in with the director, or We should have no problem, since Dad has an in with the inspector. This idiom employs the noun in in the sense of “an introduction to someone of power, fame, or authority,” a usage dating from the 1920s.

  get a rise out of Elicit an angry or irritated reaction, as in His teasing always got a rise out of her. This expression alludes to the angler’s dropping a fly in a likely spot in the hope that a fish will rise to this bait.

  get around 1. Also, get round. Circumvent or evade, as in He managed to get around the rules for visiting hours. [Late 1800s] 2. Also, get round. Convince or win over by flattery or cajoling, as in Karen knew just how to get around her father, or I’ll try to get round him but I’m not sure it’ll work. [Mid-1800s] 3. Travel from place to place; also, be active socially. For example, It’s hard to get around without a car, or Mary is never without a date—she really gets around. [First half of 1900s] Also see GET ABOUT, def. 1. 4. Become known, circulate, as in Reports of her resignation got around quickly. [c. 1950] Also see GET ABOUT, def. 2. 5. get around to or get round to. Find the time or occasion for, as in Dean never gets around to cleaning up the garage. [Late 1800s]

  get at 1. Touch, reach successfully, as in Mom hid the peanut butter so we couldn’t get at it. [Late 1700s] 2. Try to make understandable; hint at or suggest. For example, I think I see what you’re getting at. [Late 1800s] 3. Discover, learn, ascertain, as in We must get at the facts of the case. [Late 1700s] 4. Bribe or influence by improper or illegal means, as in He got at the judge, and the charges were dismissed. [Colloquial; mid-1800s] 5. Start on, begin work on, attend to, as in “Get at your canvassing early, and drive it with all your might” (Mark Twain, letter to his publishers, 1884). [Colloquial; late 1800s]

  get a thing about → See HAVE A THING ABOUT.

  get away 1. Break free, escape, as in The suspect ran down the street and got away, or I wanted to come but couldn’t get away from the office. [c. 1300] A variant is get away from it all, meaning “to depart and leave one’s surroundings or problems or work behind.” For example, Joe is taking a few days off—he needs to get away from it all. 2. Start out or leave quickly, as in The greyhounds got away from the starting gate, or I thought I had the answer but it got away from me. 3. Go, move off. For example, Get away from my desk! or Get away—I don’t want you near that hot stove. [Late 1700s] Also see GET AWAY WITH.

  get away with 1. Escape the consequences or blame for, as in Bill often cheats on exams but usually gets away with it. [Late 1800s] 2. get away with murder. Escape the consequences of killing someone; also, do anything one wishes. For example, If the jury doesn’t convict him, he’ll have gotten away with murder, or He talks all day on the phone—the supervisor is letting him get away with murder. [First half of 1900s]

  get a word in edgewise Also, get a word in edgeways. Insert oneself into a conversation or express one’s opinion despite competition from other speakers. For example, So many people had questions for the lecturer that it was hard to get a word in edgewise, or Nancy loves to talk, and I couldn’t get a word in edgeways. This idiom, often put in the negative, transfers an object with its edge foremost to inserting conversation. [Late 1700s]

  get back 1. Also get back to. Return to a person, place, or condition. For example, What time will you get back? or I hope he’ll get back to the subject of this report. [c. 1600] 2. Recover something, as in When will I get this book back? [c. 1800]

  get back at Take revenge on, as in Watch out for Peter; he’s sure to get back at you. Similarly, get one’s own back means simply “get revenge,” as in She finally saw a chance to get her own back. The first expression dates from the late 1800s, the second from the early 1900s.

  get back to → See GET BACK, def. 1.

  get behind 1. See FALL BEHIND. 2. Support someone or something; also, help to promote someone or something. For example, We must find as many workers as we can to get behind the union. 3. Enjoy, appreciate, as in Norma just can’t get behind ballet. [Slang; c. 1970]

  get better 1. Improve, as in I just started studying Japanese, and I hope to get better soon. 2. Recover one’s health, as in The doctor said I could expect to get better within a couple of days. Also see GET WELL.

  get busy Start working, become active, as in Stop dawdling; get busy, or We’d better get busy on this paper. [c. 1900] Also see GET A MOVE ON; GET GOING; GET ON THE STICK.

  get by 1. Move past, as in There isn’t room for this car to get by. 2. Manage to succeed or get along; also, barely succeed. For example, He’s getting by even though he only works half-time, or If he applied himself, Paul could be getting A’s, but instead he’s just getting by. [Early 1900s] 3. Be unnoticed; also, get approval or pass inspection. For example, I wonder if these errors will get by the proofreader, or He hoped the paint job would get by. [Early 1900s]

  get cold feet → See COLD FEET.

  get cracking → See under GET A MOVE ON.

  get credit for Receive acknowledgment or praise for some accomplishment, as in Bill got all the credit for attracting a big audience. Similarly, give credit for means “acknowledge” or “praise,” as in We should give the pianist credit for her work in the program. [Mid-1700s]

  get down 1. Descend; bring down; also, swallow. For example, He’s getting down from the ladder, or Can you get the cat down from the tree? or I can’t seem to get this pill down. [Late 1500s] 2. get down to. Give one’s attention to, as in Let’s get down to work, or It’s time we got down to business. [Late 1800s] For the most important variants, see under GET DOWN TO BRASS TACKS. 3. get down on. See DOWN ON. 4. get someone down. Discourage or depress someone. For example, Don’t let Mary’s troubles get you down, or Day after day of rain really gets me down. [c. 1930] 5. Describe in writing, as in Can you get down all he’s saying? 6. Lose one’s inhibitions, enjoy oneself fully. For example, At our reunion we got down with all our old friends. [Slang]

  get down to brass tacks Also, get down to bedrock or the nitty gritty or cases. Deal with the essentials
; come to the point. For example, Stop delaying and get down to brass tacks, or We really need to get down to bedrock, or He has a way of getting down to the nitty gritty, or Let’s get down to cases. The origin of the first phrase, dating from the late 1800s, is disputed. Some believe it alludes to the brass tacks used under fine upholstery, others that it is Cockney rhyming slang for “hard facts,” and still others that it alludes to tacks hammered into a sales counter to indicate precise measuring points. The noun bedrock has signified the hard rock underlying soil or geological deposits since about 1850 and has been used figuratively to ­denote “bottom” since the 1860s. The noun nitty-gritty dates from the mid-1900s and alludes to the detailed (“nitty”) and possibly unpleasant (“gritty”) issue in question. The noun cases apparently alludes to the game of faro, in which the “case card” is the last of a rank of cards remaining in play; this usage dates from about 1900. Also see TO THE POINT.

  get even Get revenge. If someone has bested you in some way, retaliate, so that you are even. [Mid-1800s] A somewhat newer imperative is don’t get mad, get even, as in Dad told him “don’t get mad, get even”—try harder to outdo your opponent’s scores.

  get going 1. See GET A MOVE ON. 2. get something going. Start something, get something into full swing. For example, Once we get production going we’ll have no more problems. This usage also appears in when the going gets tough, the tough get going, meaning that difficulties spur on capable individuals; the first tough here means “difficult,” whereas the second means “strong-minded, resolute.” For example, That problem won’t stop Tom; when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Also see SWING INTO ACTION. 3. Make someone talkative or active, as in Once he got her going on her grandchildren, there was no stopping her. [Colloquial; late 1800s]