Confusing Words: Confusing Words: Get (#10)

Confusing Words:
Get (#10)

More Idioms with Get (#2)

Get is a very challenging word in English--because it
has many very different meanings and because it is
used in many expressions--particularly phrasal verbs
and verb + preposition combinations.

In Idioms with Get (#1) we looked at some examples
of idiomatic uses for this very common word. Here are
some more.

get in: arrive

I thought Bill's flight would be here by now.
When does it get in?

get in: enter a small, enclosed vehicle

No, Sheila isn't here. She got in her car
(her truck, the taxi, a boat, etc.) and left.

get into: become very interested and involved in a topic
or activity

Since Martha got into body building,
she's been spending at least two hours
a day at the gym.

get off: leave a large, enclosed vehicle

I hope you haven't been waiting long.
When did you get off the plane (train,
ship, bus, etc.)?

get off (lightly, cheaply, etc.): escape a serious penalty

The bank robbers got off much too
lightly: the judge sentenced them to
only a year in prison.

I thought your speeding ticket would
be much more than $30.00. You got off
very lightly, in my opinion.

get on: enter a large, enclosed vehicle

You just missed Bill and Frances. They
got on the plane (train, ship, bus, etc.)
about 10 minutes ago.

get on: mount (get on top of) a horse, bicycle, etc.

He got on his horse (donkey, camel,
bicycle, motorcycle, etc.) and rode
quickly away.

get out of: leave a small, enclosed vehicle

Because he was lost, he got out of
his car (his truck, the taxi, the boat,
etc.) and looked around for something
that looked familiar.

get out of: not have to do something that was
scheduled or required.

Someone said that Mr. Jones told you
it wasn't really necessary for you to
make a report on your trip. How did
you get out of doing that?

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Special Note:

Note that when a verb follows get out of, the verb
is an -ing form:

He got out of submitting a report on his trip.

He got out of having to pay a deposit for his telephone.

She got out of having to take the written part of
her driver's license test.