Phrasal Verb

get
about/around
get along
(with)
get at
get away
get by (on)
get down to
get in
get into (+
noun)

Meaning

Example

1) It's not easy to get around

1) Move from place to the city without
place
a map.
2) Spread, circulate
2) News of their separation
soon got about.
Be on good terms /
I get along (well) with my
work well with.
mother-in-law.
What exactly are you trying
Imply
to get at?
The robbers got away in a
Escape
black car.
Manage to cope or to It's difficult to get by on a low
survive.
salary.
Start to actually do
It's time to get down to some
something.
serious work!
Enter
How did the burglar get in?
How did the burglar get
Enter
into the house?
1) Leave (bus, train, 1) Get of the bus at Trafalgar
plane).
Square.

get off

get on
get on with

2) Remove from
something.
Board (bus, train,
plane)
Continue to do
something / make
progress
Have a good
relationship with
Leave

2) She's trying to get of the

stain.
You can pay when you get
on the bus.
Be quiet and get on with your
homework.

I get on very well with my

colleagues.
How did he get out?
How did he get out of the
Leave
house?
Some husbands manage to get
Avoid doing
get out of
out of
something
(+verb)
doing any housework.
Recover from (illness, Charlie had the 'flu but he got
get over
disappointment)
over it.
It's difficult to get rid of old
Eliminate
get rid of
habits.
I finally got round to making
get round (to) Find the necessary
get on (well)
with
get out
get out of
(+noun)

get together
get up

Get about

time to do something. the list that I promised.

Let's get together for lunch
Meet each other
one day.
Rise / leave bed
I usually get up at 7 o'clock.

Visit many places.

I GET ABOUT a lot with my

job- last years I visited
eleven countries.

Get about Become known.

It didn't take long for the news to

GET ABOUT- everyone's talking
about it.

Get about Walk or visit places.

She can't GET ABOUT much, but

she is in her eighties.

Get about

Have personal or sexual

relationships with many people.

She GETS ABOUT a bit; she's

always with some new guy.

She's been GETTING ABOVE

HERSELF since she got promoted.
Behave as if you are better or more (This is normally used in
Get above
important than others.
progressive forms and followed by
a reflexive pronoun, though 'get
above your station' is also used.)

Get across Communicate successfully.

I just couldn't GET my message

ACROSS at the meeting.

Get across Go from one side to the other.

It's impossible to GET ACROSS

the road with all this traffic.

Get across Move something from one side to

How are we going to GET these

the other.

bags ACROSS the river?

Get across Be convincing or make a good

to
impression.

How can I GET ACROSS TO my

audience?

Get after

Nag or exhort someone.

You should GET AFTER them to

finish the work.

Chase.

GET AFTER her and give her the

message before she leaves the
building.

Get after

Get ahead Progress.

Nowadays, you need IT skills if you

want to GET AHEAD.

Get ahead
Move in front of.
of

I work at home in the evening to

GET AHEAD OF schedule.

Get along Have a good relationship.

Why don't you two GET ALONG?

You're always arguing.

Get along Leave.

It's late; we must be GETTING

ALONG.

Get along Progess.

How's the homework GETTING

ALONG?

Get along
Progress.
in

How are you GETTING ALONG IN

the company.

Get along Have a good relationship with

I don't GET ALONG WITH my

with

someone.

sister- we have nothing in

common.

Get along
Deal with, handle.
with

How are you GETTING ALONG

WITH the training course?

Get aroundBecome known.

It didn't take long for the news to

GET AROUND once it got into the
newspapers.

Get aroundVisit many different places.

He GETS AROUND a lot- he's

always flying somewhere different.

Get aroundWalk or go to places.

He's finding it hard to GET

AROUND since the operation and
spends most of his time at home.

Get aroundAvoid a problem.

It'll be tricky, but we will find a way

to GET AROUND the regulations.

Get aroundPersuade, convince.

She didn't want to accept my

application because it was late, but
I managed to GET AROUND her.

Get around

Have personal or sexual

relationships with many people.

He GETS AROUND a bit; he's

always with some new girlfriend.

Get aroundFinally manage to do something,

to
make the effort to do something.

It always takes me ages to GET

AROUND to replying to letters.

Get at

His boss is always GETTING AT

Criticise.

him for arriving late.

Get at

Mean.

What do you think she's GETTING

AT? I've no idea what she wants.

Get at

Be able to reach, find, access.

It's on the top shelf and I can't GET

AT it.

Get at

The gangsters GOT AT the jury,

Use threats, payments, bribes, etc,
who found them not guilty of all
to affect someone's testimony or
charges despite the evidence
decision.
presented in court.

Get away Escape.

The robbers GOT AWAY in a

stolen car, which the police later
found abandoned.

Get away Go on holiday or for a short break.

We love to GET AWAY from

everything and relax in the country.

Get away Move, leave somewhere.

He didn't come because he was

stuck at work and couldn't GET
AWAY.

Get away Go somewhere different or do

from
something different.

Work's getting on top of me; I need

to GET AWAY FROM it.

I think we're GETTING AWAY

Get away Start to talk about something that is
FROM the point here- we need to
from
not relevant to the discussion.
concentrate on the main ideas.

Not get caught, criticised or

Get away
punished for doing something
with
wrong.

Thieves GOT AWAY WITH two

Picassos, which were never found.

Get away Achieve something, despite not

with
doing it correctly or properly.

Do you think we could GET AWAY

WITH using the cheaper product?

Get away! An expression of disbelief.

"I passed." "GET AWAY! You

couldn't have passed."

Get back

Return.

The train was held up so we didn't

GET BACK home until midnight.

Get back

Return something.

Don't lend him any money; you'll

never GET it BACK.

Get back

Revenge.

He was rude and embarrassed

me, but I'll GET him BACK.

Get back

Move away.

The police told the crowd to GET

BACK to allow the ambulance
through.

Get back
at

Take revenge.

I'll GET BACK AT her for landing

me in trouble.

Get back
into

Start doing something after

stopping for some time.

I am GETTING BACK INTO my

Khmer lessons after the summer
break.

Get back

Find a new enthusiasm for

I lost interest for a while, but I'm

into

something.

GETTING BACK INTO it.

Get back
to

Respond to a contact.

I'll GET BACK TO you as soon as I

hear any news.

Get back
to

Respond when you know the

answer.

I don't know at the moment, but I

will GET BACK TO you as soon as
I have the information.

Get back
to

Start doing something again after

an interruption.

It took me ages to GET BACK TO

sleep after the phone rang.

Restart a relationship.

We split up a few months ago but

GOT BACK TOGETHER last
week.

Get back
together

Get behind Support.

All the students GOT BEHIND the

teacher.

Get behind Be late paying instalments for

with
something..

If you GET BEHIND WITH

mortgage payments, you might
lose your home.

Get by

They're finding it increasingly

Have just enough money to live on. difficult to GET BY since their
daughter was born.

Get by

Not be noticed (problems, errors,

etc).

I had checked it, but there still

were a few mistakes that didn't
GET BY the editor.

Get by on

Manage on a certain amount of

money.

It's hard to GET BY ON my salary.

Get by
with

Have enough of something to do

the job.

We should be able to GET BY

WITH three PCs, but four would be
better.

Get down

Make someone depressed,

unhappy, exhausted, etc..

The miserable weather in winter

really GETS me DOWN.

Get down Write, record.

I couldn't GET DOWN everything

he said.

Get down Manage to swallow.

The medicine tasted horrible and it

was difficult to GET it DOWN.

Get down Descend, leave a vehicle.

The trained pulled in and we GOT

DOWN.

Get down Leave the table after eating.

When they had finished dinner, the

children asked if they could GET
DOWN.

Get down Reduce.

The doctor says I my GET my

cholesterol levels DOWN.

Get down Have an affair or sexual relations.

They GOT DOWN at the party last

week.

Get down Criticise.

on

My mother used to GET DOWN

ON us for not doing enough

homework.

Get down
Start working seriously.
to

I find it extremely difficult to GET

DOWN TO doing any revision for
examinations.

Get down
Enjoy something a lot.
to

People were GETTING DOWN TO

the concert.

Get in

The air conditioning has broken

Arrange for someone to do a job in
down; we'll have to GET a
your home, workplace, etc.
technician IN to fix it.

Get in

Arrive (train, plane, etc.).

Her plane GETS IN at 2am our

time.

Get in

Arrive home.

She didn't GET IN till well after

twelve o'clock because she'd been
out for a few drinks with her mates.

Get in

Enter a car or taxi.

The taxi pulled up and we GOT IN.

Get in

Buy or obtain supplies, like food.

We need to GET some coffee IN;

we're completely out.

Get in

Arrive at work, school, home.

I GOT IN late today because the

train broke down.

Get in

Enter a building or place.

I borrowed her pass to GET IN.

Get in

Be elected.

The government GOT IN with a

very small majority.

Get in

Manage to say or do.

I couldn't GET a word IN

throughout the meeting.

Get in

Be admitted to a university, club,

etc.

He did badly in the entrance exam

and didn't GET IN.

Get in

Bring inside a place.

It's raining; I'd better GET the

washing IN.

Get in

Submit, apply.

We have to GET the forms IN by

the end of this week.

Get in

Pay for drinks.

He GOT the drinks IN.

Get in on

Become involved.

The company tried to GET IN ON

our market.

Get in with

Become friendly with, ingratiate

with.

I tried to GET IN WITH them as I

thought it would help me at work.

Get into

Become involved or interested.

She's been GETTING INTO dance

music recently.

Get into

Become involved in something bad He GOT INTO drugs when he was

or criminal.
at university.

Get into

Be accepted or admitted.

She did well and GOT INTO

Cambridge University.

Get into

Become or be accepted as a
member.

He GOT INTO the first team for

football.

Get into

Start a habit or way of acting or

behaving.

It took me ages to GET INTO

driving on the left.

Get into

Be small enough to wear

something.

I couldn't GET INTO the boots;

they were too tight.

Get into

Criticise.

He GOT INTO me for doing it

badly.

Get it

Be punished or scolded.

If you don't stop that right now,

you'll really GET IT!

Get it off

Have sex.

They GOT IT OFF at the party.

Get it off
with

Have sex with.

She GOT IT OFF WITH her

friend's husband.

Get it on

Become interested or excited.

The talk was dull and nobody GOT

IT ON.

Get it on

Have sex.

Did you two GET IT ON?

Get it on
with

Have sex with.

Did you GET IT ON WITH him?

Get it
together

Control things in your life to achieve If I don't GET IT TOGETHER, I will

your aims.
never reach my targets.

Get it
together

Begin a relationship.

They only GET IT TOGETHER at

the very end of the film.

Get it up

Become aroused (of a man).

He couldn't GET IT UP and felt

very embarrassed.

Get off

Escape punishment.

He GOT OFF on a technicality and

left the court a free man.

Get off

Leave a bus, train, etc..

We GOT OFF the bus and walked

to my house.

Get off

Finish, leave work.

I like to GET OFF early on Fridays.

Get off

Start a journey.

We need to GET OFF early to

avoid the rush hour traffic.

Get off

Help a baby or child sleep.

I can't GET the kids OFF because

of the noise from next door.

Get off

Orgasm, have sex.

We GOT OFF last night.

Get off

Manage to fire a gun.

She GOT OFF a few shots before

she was arrested.

Get off

Stop talking on the phone.

Let me know when he GETS OFF

the phone as I need to make a call.

Get off

Write or send letters, messages,

etc.

I GOT three emails OFF before the

meeting.

She GOT OFF some jokes at the

start of her presentation.

Get off

Say or write something funny.

Get off it

A way of expressing disbelief, or

I knew he was lying so I told him to
telling someone that they're wrong
GET OFF IT.
or have an incorrect opinion.

Get off on Enjoy a drug.

He GETS OFF ON crystal meth

every night.

Get off on Become excited by.

She GETS OFF ON her power

over us.

Get off
with

Have casual sex with.

He GOT OFF WITH her at the

party.

Get off!

Don't touch, leave alone.

If he bothers you, just tell him

where to GET OFF.

Get on

Continue doing something.

The teacher asked the pupils to

GET ON with some work quietly as
she had to leave the classroom.

Get on

Enter a bus, train, plane, etc..

We GOT ON the train at Plymouth

and went up to London.

Get on

Make progress, deal with

something with a reasonable
degree of success.

How are you GETTING ON with

your Spanish lessons?

Get on

Have a good relationship.

We have always GOT ON well.

Get on

Become old, age.

He's GETTING ON now and

doesn't work so hard.

Get on

Be late or near an arranged time.

I must get home now; it's

GETTING ON.

Get on

Wear, fit.

I have put so much weight on that I

couldn't GET my old suits ON.

Get on

Leave.

I must be GETTING ON; I have

other things to do this evening.

Criticise unfairly.

He's always GETTING ON AT me

when I haven't done anything
wrong.

Get on at

Get on for Be near a time.

It's GETTING ON FOR midnight.

Get on to Start to suspect.

It took the authorities a long time to

GET ON TO the gang.

Get on
with

Have a good relationship.

Fortunately, I GET ON WITH my

boss.

Get on
with

Continue or start doing something.

She told us to GET ON WITH our

work.

Get onto

Start discussing a topic.

We didn't GET ONTO the third

item on the agenda.

Get onto

Be elected, appointed.

He didn't GET ONTO the

committee.

Get onto

Appear on the radio or TV.

He GOT ONTO every major

channel after the accident.

Get onto

Contact someone because you

need or want them to do
something.

We'd better GET ONTO someone

to fix this.

Get onto

Enter a plane, train, etc.

She GOT ONTO the plane just

before it took off.

Get out

Leave the house to visit place and She doesn't GET OUT much now
socialise.
she has her baby.

Get out

Become known when people want The truth GOT OUT despite the
it to remain secret.
injunction on reporting the case.

Get out

Leave a place, escape.

Get out

Remove something from where it is I GOT the car OUT so that we

stored to use it.
could load up the suitcases.

Get out

Remove dirt or something

unwanted.

I spilled some red wine on my

carpet and can't GET the stains
OUT.

Get out

Publish, make available for the

public to see or buy.

We have to GET the report OUT

by the end of the month.

The dog GOT OUT because I left

the door open.

Get out

Say what you want when it is

difficult.

He was so upset he couldn't GET

the words OUT.

Get out of Avoid doing something you dislike.

I said I wasn't feeling well and

GOT OUT OF the extra work.

Get out of Leave a car, van, etc..

We GOT OUT OF the taxi and paid

the driver.

Get out of Stop a regular activity or habit.

If you GET OUT OF a routine, it

can be hard to start again.

Get out of

Make someone confess or tell the The police couldn't GET any
truth.
information OUT OF him.

Get out of

Make someone give something to Did you GET a refund OUT OF the
you.
travel agency?

Get out of

Derive pleasure or benefit from

something.

She's GETTING a lot OUT OF her

university course.

Get out of

Help someone avoid doing

something.

I GOT him OUT OF having to work

at the weekend.

Get out!

Expression of disbelief.

'I got 100% on the test.''Get out!'

Get over

Recover from something, feel

better.

It took me ages to GET OVER the

bout of flu.

Get over

Solve, find a solution.

It took us a long time to GET

OVER the problems with the

computer system.

Get over

Communicate, make people

understand.

He makes jokes to help GET his

message OVER.

Get over

Be shocked or surprised that

something if real or true.

I couldn't GET OVER how much

weight he had put on.

Get over

Get to the other side.

We couldn't GET OVER the river

because of the floods.

Get over

Come somewhere.

He said he needed help and ask

me to GET OVER as soon as I
could.

Get over
with

Do something unpleasant that has I GOT the test OVER WITH rather
to be done rather than delaying it than have to worry about it any
any more.
longer.

Get round Become known.

I don't want this to GET ROUND,

so please keep it to yourself.

Get round Find a solution.

We're nearly ready, but there are

few little problems we have to GET
ROUND before we finish.

Get round
Finally manage to do something.
(around) to

It always takes me ages to GET

ROUND to writing letters. (In
American English 'around' is used)

Get round Persuade someone.

She didn't want to let me do it, but I

succeeded in GETTING ROUND

her. (In American English 'around'
is used)

(or around)

Get
through

Contact.

I tried calling her mobile phone, but

I couldn't GET THROUGH.

Get
through

Consume.

He GETS THROUGH two bottles

of wine a day.

Get
through

Finish.

I'm going to take some work home

because I haven't managed to
GET THROUGH it all today.

Get
through

Succeed in an exam or test.

My car didn't GET THROUGH its

inspection.

Get
through

Help someone or something

succeed or pass a test or exam.

My teacher GOT me THROUGH

the exam.

Get
through

Endure or deal with a difficult

experience.

We will have to be careful with our

money to GET THROUGH the
month.

Get
through

Be accepted or passed (laws,

proposals, etc).

If the proposal GETS THROUGH,

it'll make things much better for us.

Get
through

Manage to pass.

The water GOT THROUGH the

roof and damaged the carpets.

Get

Arrive.

The message didn't GET

through

THROUGH.

Get
Make someone understand.
through to

I explained it carefully, but I just

couldn't GET THROUGH TO him.

Get
Contact, especially by phone.
through to

I rang but couldn't GET THROUGH

TO her.

Get
Reach a stage in a competition.
through to

If they win, they'll GET THROUGH

TO the quarter finals.

Get to

Annoy, irritate.

Don't let her GET TO you; she's

just in a bad mood.

Get to

Arrive.

When I GET TO it, I'll look at the

matter carefully.

Get to

Start discussing a topic.

We asked him to GET TO the

point, but he just waffled away.

Get to

Have the opportunity to do

something.

Last June I GOT TO visit

Stonehenge.

Get
together

Meet socially.

We GOT TOGETHER in the pub

for a drink.

Get up

Get out of bed.

I GET UP at seven o'clock on

weekdays, but lie in till noon at the
weekend.

Get up

Organise.

They GOT UP a list of two hundred

people who were opposed to the

local council's plans.

Get up to Do something wrong or naughty.

The children are always GETTING

UP TO some trouble or other.