Idioms Beginning with g

• get a grip

  To control your emotions; to regain your composure.
  Tell Max to get a grip. He is overreacting.

• get a handle on

  To obtain a basic level of understanding or control.
  After reading chapter four, I am starting to get a handle on quantum physics.

• get a word in edgewise

  To contribute to a conversation with people who are very talkative.
  When you talk with Mary, she talks so much that you are lucky to get a word in edgewise.

• get carried away

  To overdo; to do to excess.
  Max got carried away with the balloons for the party. There must have been over a thousand.

• get cold feet

  To suddenly become nervous or hesitant about something.
  Max was excited about the wedding, but at the last minute, he got cold feet.

• get cracking

  To get started; hurry up.
  Come on! Let's get cracking. We need to finish this project by next week.

• get down to business

  To begin working; to stop wasting time.
  Let's get down to business. We have a lot of work to do.

• get even

  To get revenge.
  Max was angry at Mary, so he got even by stealing her car.

• get hitched

  To get married.
  Mary and Max got hitched two years ago.

• get in touch

  To contact somebody.
  I haven't seen Max in years. I should get in touch with him.

• get into the swing of things

  To become accustomed to a new situation.
  Max just started his new job. It will take him a few weeks to get into the swing of things.

• get off on the wrong foot

  To start a relationship or activity poorly.
  Max and Mary got off on the wrong foot. They didn't like each other from the very beginning.

• get off one's back

  To stop bothering or nagging somebody.
  Max's boss is always on his back. He never leaves him alone.

• get off one's high horse

  To stop acting arrogantly; to stop acting superior to others.
  Max's boss is always on his high horse. He thinks he is better than everyone else.

• get off the ground

  To begin; to start.
  The project never got off the ground. We never even started.

• get on one's nerves

  To annoy or irritate someone.
  Max may be nice, but sometimes he gets on my nerves.

• get on someone's case

  To criticize, find fault, or lecture.
  The boss is always getting on Max's case for everything.

• get one's act together

  To become serious, organized.
  If you want a pay raise, you need to get your act together and do a better job.

• get one's feet wet

  To gain new experience.
  Max is just getting his feet wet. He is likely to make a few mistakes.

• get one's foot in the door

  To begin become established in an occupation or company.
  You were lucky to get your foot in the door at ABC Company.

• get something straight

  To understand correctly; to clarify.
  Let's get this straight. We'll meet in the alley behind the coffee shop after work.

• get the hang of

  To become accustomed to; to learn how to do or use something.
  When I moved to England, it took me a few days to get the hang of driving on the left side of the road.

• get the point

  To understand the general or main idea.
  Max didn't get the point. The point is that the important things in life have little to do with money.

• get to the bottom of

  To find the underlying cause of a situation.
  Max will get to the bottom of the problem sooner or later.

• get up on the wrong side of bed

  To feel irritable; to be in a grouchy mood for no particular reason.
  Watch out for Max. He probably got up on the wrong side of the bed today.

• give it a go

  To try or attempt.
  I'm not sure if I can do this, but I'll give it a go.

• give someone the cold shoulder

  To ignore; to snub or reject someone
  For some reason, Mary is giving me the cold shoulder today.

• go all out

  To spare no expense or effort; to put forth all possible effort or resources.
  For the last two miles of the race, Max went all out.

• go back to the drawing board

  To start over after a failed attempt.
  Our plan didn’t work, so we need to go back to the drawing board.

• go downhill

  To worsen or deteriorate.
  The company was having a few minor problems, and suddenly, everything went downhill fast.

• go for it

  To put maximum effort toward achieving a goal.
  There is a job opening at ABC Company. Max is going for it.

• go out on a limb

  To take a risk; to put oneself in a vulnerable position.
  Mary went out on a limb, lending Max all of her money. I hope he repays her.

• go places

  To achieve progress or succeed.
  With all of your talent, you are sure to go places.

• go the extra mile

  To put in additional effort beyond what is expected.
  She always goes the extra mile to make her customers happy.

• gut feeling

  An instinct or intuition.
  I have a gut feeling that John and Jane are going to get married.