get in touch with someone—get into contact with a person: “Why not get in touch with your lawyer?” “Not on your life! It would be a tacit admission of my guilt.” put the touch on someone—(U.S. sl.) try to get money from a person: Bill put the touch on me yesterday, but I told him […]
Category: Confusing Phrases
Difference between Get in the way of something and Get into the way of something
get in the way of something—hinder or interfere with smth.: I’m afraid that our preoccupation with the difficulty of riding rather got in the way of our enjoyment. get into the way of something— 1. acquire the habit of doing smth.: Once I got into the way of it, we spent the afternoon riding the […]
Difference between Get in a word and Put in a word
get in a word—(also: get a word in) succeed in saying smth. when other people are talking ignoring you: We two plunged into a conversation into which Roger could not get in a word: in fact we forgot all about him. Cf.: get in a word edgewise—used as an emphatic variant of the former: My […]
Difference between Get hot and bothered and Get hot under the collar
get hot and bothered—(coll.) get excited or nervous: The logical conclusion is that there’s no reason to get hot and bothered about a demographic threat. get hot under the collar —(coll.) get angry, resentful, or indignant: There’s no need to get hot under the collar at Susie’s remarks—she didn’t mean to offend you.
Difference between Get hot and Get it hot
get hot— 1. begin feeling hot: I would get up and run on the spot. Even when I got hot I continued because I was never so cold in my life. 2. become busy or hectic: Things always get hot around here toward the end of the month. get it hot—(coll.) be punished or scolded […]
Difference between Get hold of someone and Take hold of someone
get hold of someone— 1. physically grasp or hold a person: I got hold of him and dragged him back from the edge just in time. 2. locate a person; secure smb.’s presence: There had been considerable difficulty in getting hold of a key witness. 3. reach smb. on the telephone: I was able to […]
Difference between Get-go and Get-up-and-go
get-go —(coll., in the phrase “from the get-go”) from the beginning: I think Sawyer knew from the get-go that his escape attempt would fail. get-up-and-go—(coll.) readiness for vigorous activity: He was noted for his “get-up-and-go,” a quality which later enabled him to win success.
Difference between Get full marks for something and Get full marks in something
get full marks for something— 1. gain the maximum number of marks in a subject: Half the students got full marks for what was intended to be an easy question. 2. be praised for some good quality: Mr. Jenkins gets full marks for his courage and enterprise. get full marks in something—(also: score full marks […]
Difference between Get cold feet and Hotfoot it
get cold feet—lose one’s courage or nerve: Do you think he is just getting cold feet, or do you think it’s more than that? We are afraid he just won’t show up at the church. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase cool one’s heels—(coll.) be kept waiting by smb. in […]
Difference between Get caught doing something and Get caught up on something
get caught doing something—be found doing smth. reprehensible; get caught in the act: Did Vi get caught driving without a license? Did she get a ticket? get caught up on something—do things that one has not had time to do until now: I have to get caught up on my studies. I missed two classes.
Difference between Get by on something and Get by with something
get by on something—survive by means of smth. (usually inadequate): She gets by on odd jobs hoping to make it through the worst crisis that has ever hit the economy. get by with something— 1. = get by on something: I don’t know how she gets by with the money she earns from that job. […]
Difference between Get back on the rails and Go off the rails
get back on the rails—successfully recover from adverse situation, etc.: Bob Taft’s campaign got back on the rails in last week’s primaries. One victory came in Wisconsin… go off the rails —(also: run off the rails) start behaving in a way that is not acceptable: Returning to the U.S., he is disowned by the CIA, […]