COME IDIOMS Most idioms containing come are at the entries for the nouns or adjectives in the idioms,

for example come a cropper is at cropper.be as clever, stupid, etc. as they 'come (informal) to be very clever, stupid, etc. come a'gain? (informal) used to ask sb to repeat sth: !he"s an entomologist." #ome again$" %n entomologist&she studies insects." come and 'go 'to arrive and leave( to move freely:)hey had a party next door&*e heard people coming and going all night. +to be present for a short time and then go a*ay:)he pain in my leg comes and goes. Come 'easily, 'naturally, etc. to sb (of an activity, a skill, etc.) to be easy, natural, etc. for sb to do:%cting comes naturally to her. come over (all) ' aint, 'di!!y, 'giddy, etc. (old,fashioned, -r., informal) to suddenly feel ill / sick or faint come to 'not"ing # not 'come to anyt"ing to be unsuccessful( to have no successful result:0o* sad that all his hard *ork should come to nothing. 1 her plans didn"t come to anything. come to 't"at # i it comes to 't"at (informal, especially -r.) used to introduce sth extra that is connected *ith *hat has just been said:2 don"t really trust him&nor his *ife, come to that. come $"at 'may despite any problems or difficulties you may have:0e promised to support her come *hat may. "o$ come ( % )? used to say you do not understand ho* sth can happen and *ould like an explanation:2f she spent five years in 3aris, ho* come her 4rench is so bad$ not 'come to muc" to not be important or successful to 'come (used after a noun) in the future:)hey may *ell regret the decision in years to come. 1 )his *ill be a problem for some time to come (5 for a period of time in the future). $"en it comes to st" & to doing st" *hen it is a 6uestion of sth:7hen it comes to getting things done, he"s useless. $"ere sb is 'coming rom (informal) somebody"s ideas, beliefs, personality, etc. that makes them say *hat they have said:2 see *here you"re coming from (5 2 understand *hat you mean). &more at ear noun '()*S*+ ,E)-S come a'bout (t"at % ) to happen:#an you tell me ho* the accident came about$ come a'cross (also come 'over) 'to be understood:0e spoke for a long time but his meaning didn"t really come across. +to make a particular impression:!he comes across *ell in intervie*s. 1 0e came over as a sympathetic person. 'come across sb&st" 8no passive9 to meet or find sb/sth by chance:2 came across children sleeping under bridges. 1 !he came across some old photographs in a dra*er. come a'cross ($it" st") 8no passive9 to provide or supply sth *hen you need it:2 hoped she"d come across *ith some more information. come 'a ter sb 8no passive9 to chase or follo* sb come a'long 'to arrive( to appear:7hen the right opportunity comes along, she"ll take it. +to go some*here *ith sb:2"m glad you came along. :to improve or develop in the *ay that you *ant !;< progress:;our 4rench has come along a lot recently. =used in orders to tell sb to hurry, or to try harder:#ome along> 7e"re late. 1 #ome along> 2t"s easy>

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come a'.art to break into pieces:)he book just came apart in my hands. 1 (figurative) My *hole life had come apart at the seams. come a'round & 'round '(also come 'to) to become conscious again:;our mother hasn"t yet come round from the anaesthetic. +(of a date or a regular event) to happen again:My birthday seems to come around 6uicker every year. come a'round & 'round (to % ) to come to a place, especially sb"s house, to visit for a short time:?o come around and see us some time. come a'round & 'round (to st") to change your mood or your opinion:0e"ll never come round to our *ay of thinking. 'come at sb 8no passive9 to move to*ards sb as though you are going to attack them:!he came at me *ith a knife. 1 (figurative) )he noise came at us from all sides. 'come at st" to think about a problem, 6uestion, etc. in a particular *ay !;< approach:7e"re getting no*here&let"s come at it from another angle. come a'$ay ( rom st") to become separated from sth:)he plaster had started to come a*ay from the *all. come a'$ay $it" st" 8no passive9 to leave a place *ith a particular feeling or impression:7e came a*ay *ith the impression that all *as not *ell *ith their marriage. come 'bac/ 'to return:;ou came back (5 came home) very late last night. 1 )he colour *as coming back to her cheeks. 1 (figurative) @nited came back from being t*o goals do*n to *in :A+.B note at return +to become popular or successful again:Cong hair for men seems to be coming back in. &related noun comeback (+) come 'bac/ (at sb) ($it" st") to reply to sb angrily or *ith force:!he came back at the speaker *ith some sharp 6uestions.&related noun comeback (:) come 'bac/ (to sb) to return to sb"s memory:2t"s all coming back to me no*. 1 Dnce you"ve been in 4rance a fe* days, your 4rench *ill soon come back. come 'bac/ to st" 8no passive9 to return to a subject, an idea, etc.:Cet"s come back to the point at issue. 1 2t all comes back to a 6uestion of money. 'come be ore sb&st" 8no passive9 (formal) to be presented to sb/sth for discussion or a decision:)he case comes before the court next *eek. come be't$een sb and sb 8no passive9 to damage a relationship bet*een t*o people:2"d hate anything to come bet*een us. come 'by (<%m.) to make a short visit to a place, in order to see sb:!he came by the house. 'come by st" 'to manage to get sth:Eobs are hard to come by these days. +to receive sth:0o* did you come by that scratch on your cheek$ come 'do$n 'to break and fall to the ground:)he ceiling came do*n *ith a terrific crash. +(of rain, sno*, etc.) to fall:)he rain came do*n in torrents. :(of an aircraft) to land or fall from the sky:7e *ere forced to come do*n in a field. =if a price, a temperature, a rate, etc. comes do*n, it gets lo*er:)he price of gas is coming do*n. 1 Fas is coming do*n in price. Gto decide and say publicly that you support or oppose sb:)he committee came do*n in support of his application. Hto reach as far do*n as a particular point:0er hair comes do*n to her *aist. come 'do$n ( rom % ) (-r., formal) to leave a university, especially Dxford or #ambridge, at the end of a term or after finishing your studies D33 come up (to I ) come 'do$n ( rom % ) (to % ) to come from one place to another, usually from the north of a country to the south, or from a larger place to a smaller one

come 'do$n on sb 8no passive9 (informal) to criticiJe sb severely or punish sb:?on"t come do*n too hard on her. 1 )he courts are coming do*n heavily on young offenders. come 'do$n (to sb) to have come from a long time in the past:)he name has come do*n from the last century. come 'do$n to st" 8no passive9 to be able to be explained by a single important point:7hat it comes do*n to is, either 2 get more money or 2 leave. come 'do$n $it" st" 8no passive9 to get an illness that is not very serious:2 think 2"m coming do*n *ith flu. come ' or$ard to offer your help, services, etc.:!everal people came for*ard *ith information. 1 3olice have asked *itnesses of the accident to come for*ard. 'come rom % (not used in the progressive tenses) to have as your place of birth or the place *here you live:!he comes from Condon. 1 7here do you come from$ 'come rom st" 'to start in a particular place or be produced from a particular thing:Much of our butter comes from <e* Kealand. 1 )his *ool comes from goats, not sheep. 1 )his poem comes from his ne* book. 1 7here does her attitude come from$ 1 7here"s that smell coming from$ 1 0e comes from a family of actors. 1 !he doesn"t try hard enough." )hat"s rich, coming from you (5 you do not try hard either)." +5 come of sth come 'in '*hen the tide comes in, it moves to*ards the land D33 go out +to finish a race in a particular position:My horse came in last. :to become fashionable:Cong hair for men came in in the sixties. !;< go out =to become available:7e"re still *aiting for copies of the book to come in. Gto have a part in sth:2 understand the plan perfectly, but 2 can"t see *here 2 come in. Hto arrive some*here( to be received:)he train is coming in no*. 1 <e*s is coming in of a serious plane crash in 4rance. 1 !he has over a thousand pounds a month coming in from her investments. Lto take part in a discussion:7ould you like to come in at this point, !usan$ M(of a la* or rule) to be introduced( to begin to be used come 'in or st" 8no passive9 to receive sth, especially sth unpleasant:)he government"s economic policies have come in for a lot of criticism. come 'in (on st") to become involved in sth:2f you *ant to come in on the deal, you need to decide no*. come 'into st" 0no .assive1 'to be left money by sb *ho has died:!he came into a fortune *hen her uncle died. +to be important in a particular situation:2"ve *orked very hard to pass this exam&luck doesn"t come into it. 'come o & rom st" to be the result of sth:2 made a fe* en6uiries, but nothing came of it in the end. 1 8N ,ing9)hat comes of eating too much> come 'o 'to be able to be removed:?oes this hood come off$ 1 )hat mark *on"t come off. +(informal) to take place( to happen:?id the trip to Oome ever come off$ :(informal) (of a plan, etc.) to be successful( to have the intended effect or result:)hey had *anted it to be a surprise but the plan didn"t come off. =come *ell, badly, etc. (informal) to be successful / not successful in a fight, contest, etc.:2 thought they came off very *ell in the debate. come 'o (st") 'to fall from sth:to come off your bicycle / horse +to become separated from sth:7hen 2 tried to lift the jug, the handle came off in my hand. 1 % button had come off my coat. come 'o it (informal) used to disagree *ith sb rudely:#ome off it> 7e don"t have a chance. come 'o st" 8no passive9 to stop taking medicine, a drug, alcohol, etc.:2"ve tried to get him to come off the tran6uilliJers.

come 'on '(of an actor) to *alk onto the stage +(of a player) to join a team during a game:D*en came on for -ro*n ten minutes before the end of the game. :to improve or develop in the *ay you *ant:)he project is coming on fine. =used in orders to tell sb to hurry or to try harder:#ome on> 7e don"t have much time. 1 #ome on> )ry once more. Gused to sho* that you kno* *hat sb has said is not correct:Dh, come on&you kno* that isn"t true> H(usually used in the progressive tenses) (of an illness or a mood) to begin:2 can feel a cold coming on. 1 2 think there"s rain coming on. 1 8N to inf9 2t came on to rain. L(of a )P programme, etc.) to start:7hat time does the ne*s come on$ Mto begin to operate:!et the oven to come on at six. 1 7hen does the heating come on$ 'come on / upon sb/sth 8no passive9 (formal) to meet or find sb/sth by chance come 'on to sb (informal) to behave in a *ay that sho*s sb that you *ant to have a sexual relationship *ith them& related noun come,on come 'on to st" 8no passive9 to start talking about a subject:2"d like to come on to that 6uestion later. come 'out '*hen the sun, moon or stars come out, they appear:)he rain stopped and the sun came out. +(of flo*ers) to open:)he daffodils came out early this year. :to be produced or published:7hen is her ne* novel coming out$ =(of ne*s, the truth, etc.) to become kno*n:)he full story came out at the trial. 1 8N that9 2t came out that he"d been telling lies. Gif a photograph comes out, it is a clear picture *hen it is developed and printed:)he photos from our trip didn"t come out. Hto be sho*n clearly:0er best 6ualities come out in a crisis. L*hen *ords come out, they are spoken:2 tried to say 2 love you," but the *ords *ouldn"t come out. Mto say publicly *hether you agree or disagree *ith sth:0e came out against the plan. 1 2n her speech, the senator came out in favour of a change in the la*. Q(-r.) to stop *ork and go on strike 'Rto no longer hide the fact that you are homosexual ''(of a young upper,class girl, especially in the past) to be formally introduced into society come 'out (o st") '(of an object) to be removed from a place *here it is fixed:)his nail *on"t come out. +(of dirt, a mark, etc.) to be removed from sth by *ashing or cleaning:)hese ink stains *on"t come out of my dress. 1 7ill the colour come out (5 become faint or disappear) if 2 *ash it$ come 'out at st" 8no passive9 to add up to a particular cost or sum:)he total bill comes out at SGRR. come 'out in st" 8no passive9 (of a person) to become covered in spots, etc. on the skin:0ot *eather makes her come out in a rash. come 'out o yoursel to relax and become more confident and friendly *ith other people:2t *as *hen she started drama classes that she really came out of herself. come 'out o st" 8no passive9 to develop from sth:)he book came out of his experiences in 2ndia. 1 Oock music came out of the blues. come 'out $it" st" 8no passive9 to say sth, especially sth surprising or rude:0e came out *ith a stream of abuse. 1 !he sometimes comes out *ith the most extraordinary remarks. come 'over '(-r., informal) to suddenly feel sth:8Nadj9 2 suddenly came over all shy. +5 come across:0e came over *ell in the intervie*. come 'over (to % ) to come to a place, especially sb"s house, to visit for a short time come 'over (to % ) ( rom % ) to travel from one place to another, usually over a long distance:7hy don"t you come over to .ngland in the summer$ 1 0er grandparents came over from 2reland during the famine.

come 'over (to st") to change from one side, opinion, etc. to another come 'over sb 8no passive9 to affect sb:% fit of diJJiness came over her. 1 2 can"t think *hat came over me (5 2 do not kno* *hat caused me to behave in that *ay). come 'round # 2come 'round (to st") (-r.) 5 come around come 't"roug" (of ne*s or a message) to arrive by telephone, radio, etc. or through an official organiJation:% message is just coming through. come 't"roug" (st") to get better after a serious illness or to avoid serious injury !;< survive:7ith such a *eak heart she *as lucky to come through the operation. come 't"roug" ($it" st") to successfully do or complete sth that you have promised to do:7e *ere *orried she *ouldn"t be able to handle it, but she came through in the end. 1 )he bank finally came through *ith the money. come 'to 5 come around (') come to your'sel (old,fashioned) to return to your normal state 'come to sb 8no passive9 (of an idea) to enter your mind:)he idea came to me in the bath. 1 8N that9 2t suddenly came to her that she had been *rong all along. 'come to st" 0no .assive1 'to add up to sth:)he bill came to T:R. 1 2 never expected those fe* items to come to so much. +to reach a particular situation, especially a bad one:)he doctors *ill operate if necessary&but it may not come to that. 1 7ho"d have thought things *ould come to this (5 become so bad)$ come to'get"er if t*o or more different people or things come together, they form a united group:)hree colleges have come together to create a ne* university. 1 -its and pieces of things he"d read and heard *ere coming together, and he began to understand. 'come under st" 0no .assive1 'to be included in a particular group:7hat heading does this come under$ +to be a person that others are attacking or criticiJing:)he head teacher came under a lot of criticism from the parents. :to be controlled or influenced by sth:%ll her students came under her spell. come 'u. '(of plants) to appear above the soil:)he daffodils are just beginning to come up. +(of the sun) to rise:7e *atched the sun come up. :to happen:2"m afraid something urgent has come up. 1 7e"ll let you kno* if any vacancies come up. =to be mentioned or discussed:)he subject came up in conversation. 1 )he 6uestion is bound to come up at the meeting. G(of an event or a time) to be going to happen very soon:0er birthday is coming up soon. Hto be dealt *ith by a court:0er divorce case comes up next month. Lif your number, name, ticket, etc. comes up in a betting game, it is chosen and you *in sth M(informal) (usually used in the progressive tenses) to arrive( to be ready soon: 2s lunch ready$" #oming up>" come 'u. (to % ) (-r., formal) to arrive at a university, especially Dxford or #ambridge, at the beginning of a term or in order to begin your studies D33 come do*n (from I ) come 'u. (to % ) ( rom % ) to come from one place to another, especially from the south of a country to the north or from a smaller place to a larger one:7hy don"t you come up to !cotland for a fe* days$ come 'u. (to sb) to move to*ards sb, in order to talk to them:0e came up to me and asked for a light. come 'u. against sb&st" 8no passive9 to be faced *ith or opposed by sb/sth:7e expect to come up against a lot of opposition to the plan. come 'u. or st" 0no .assive1 'to be considered for a job, an important position, etc.:!he comes up for re,election next year.

+to be reaching the time *hen sth must be done:0is contract is coming up for rene*al. come 'u. to st" 0no .assive1 'to reach as far as a particular point:)he *ater came up to my neck. +to reach an acceptable level or standard:0is performance didn"t really come up to his usual high standard. 1 )heir trip to 4rance didn"t come up to expectations. come 'u. $it" st" 8no passive9 to find or produce an ans*er, a sum of money, etc.:!he came up *ith a ne* idea for increasing sales. 1 0o* soon can you come up *ith the money$ 'come u.on sb&st" 5 come on sb/sth 3E4 IDIOMS Most idioms containing get are at the entries for the nouns and adjectives in the idioms, for example get sb"s goat is at goat. be getting 'on (in ormal) '(of a person) to be becoming old +(of time) to be becoming late:)he time"s getting on&*e ought to be going. be getting on or % (especially -r.) to be nearly a particular time, age or number:2t must be getting on for midnight. 1 0e"s getting on for eighty. can5t get 'over st" (informal) used to say that you are shocked, surprised, amused, etc. by sth:2 can"t get over ho* rude she *as. get a'$ay rom it all (informal) to have a short holiday / vacation in a place *here you can relax get it 'on ($it" sb) (slang, especially <%m.) to have sex *ith sb 'get it (<%m.) 5 catch it get it 'u. (slang) (of a man) to have an erection get sb 'going (-r., informal) to make sb angry, *orried or excited get sb no$"ere & not get sb any$"ere to not help sb make progress or succeed:)his line of investigation is getting us no*here. 1 -eing rude to me *on"t get you any*here. get some$"ere & any$"ere & no$"ere to make some progress / no progress:%fter six months' *ork on the project, at last 2 feel 2"m getting some*here. 1 2 don"t seem to be getting any*here *ith this letter. 'get t"ere to achieve your aim or complete a task:2"m sure you"ll get there in the end. 1 2t"s not perfect but *e"re getting there (5 making progress). "o$ sel is", stu.id, ungrate ul, etc. can you 'get? (informal) used to express surprise or disapproval that sb has been so selfish, etc. there"s no getting a'*ay from sth U you can"t get a'*ay from sth you have to admit that sth unpleasant is true $"at are you, $as "e, etc. 'getting at? (informal) used to ask, especially in an angry *ay, *hat sb is/*as suggesting:2"m partly to blame$ 7hat exactly are you getting at$ $"at "as got into sb? (informal) used to say that sb has suddenly started to behave in a strange or different *ay:7hat"s got into %lex$ 0e never used to *orry like that. '()*S*+ ,E)-S get a'bout&&(-rE) 6 get around get a'bove yoursel

(especially -r.) to have too high an opinion of yourself get a'cross (to sb) # 2get st"7a'cross (to sb) to be communicated or understood( to succeed in communicating sth:;our meaning didn"t really get across. 1 0e"s not very good at getting his ideas across. get a'"ead (o sb) to make progress (further than others have done):!he *ants to get ahead in her career. 1 0e soon got ahead of the others in his class. get a'long '(usually used in the progressive tenses) to leave a place:2t"s time *e *ere getting along. +5 get on get a'round '(-r. also Vget a'bout) to move from place to place or from person to person:!he gets around *ith the help of a stick. 1 <e*s soon got around that he had resigned. +(especially <%m.) 5 get round 'get at sb (usually used in the progressive tenses) to keep criticiJing sb:0e"s al*ays getting at me. 1 !he feels she"s being got at. 'get at sb&st" to reach sb/sth( to gain access to sb/sth:)he files are locked up and 2 can"t get at them. 'get at st" to learn or find out sth:)he truth is sometimes difficult to get at. get a'$ay 'to have a holiday / vacation:7e"re hoping to get a*ay for a fe* days at .aster.&related noun geta*ay +(-r., informal) used to sho* that you do not believe or are surprised by *hat sb has said: )hese tickets didn"t cost me a thing." Fet a*ay>" get a'$ay ( rom % ) to succeed in leaving a place:2 *on"t be able to get a*ay from the office before L. get a'$ay ( rom sb & % ) to escape from sb or a place get a'$ay $it" st" 'to steal sth and escape *ith it:)hieves got a*ay *ith computer e6uipment *orth T:R RRR.&related noun geta*ay +to receive a relatively light punishment:0e *as lucky to get a*ay *ith only a fine. :to do sth *rong and not be punished for it:?on"t be tempted to cheat&you"ll never get a*ay *ith it. 1 8N ,ing9 <obody gets a*ay *ith insulting me like that. =to manage *ith less of sth than you might expect to need:%fter the first month, you should be able to get a*ay *ith one lesson a *eek. get 'bac/ to return, especially to your home:7hat time did you get back last night$B note at return get st"7'bac/ to obtain sth again after having lost it:!he"s got her old job back. 1 2 never lend books&you never get them back. get 'bac/ (in) (of a political party) to *in an election after having lost the previous one get 'bac/ at sb (informal) to do sth bad to sb *ho has done sth bad to you( to get revenge on sb:2"ll find a *ay of getting back at him> get 'bac/ to sb to speak or *rite to sb again later, especially in order to give a reply:2"ll find out and get back to you. get 'bac/ to st" to return to sth:#ould *e get back to the 6uestion of funding$ get be'"ind ($it" st") to fail to make enough progress or to produce sth at the right time:2"m getting behind *ith my *ork. 1 0e got behind *ith the payments for his car. get 'by (on & in & $it" st") to manage to live or do a particular thing using the money, kno*ledge, e6uipment, etc. that you have:0o* does she get by on such a small salary$ 1 2 can just about get by in Ferman (5 2 can speak basic Ferman). get 'do$n (of children) (-r.) to leave the table after a meal

get sb 'do$n (informal) to make sb feel sad or depressed get st"7'do$n 'to s*allo* sth, usually *ith difficulty +to make a note of sth !;< *rite do*n:?id you get his number do*n$ get 'do$n to st" to begin to do sth( to give serious attention to sth:Cet"s get do*n to business. 1 2 like to get do*n to *ork by Q. 1 8N ,ing9 2t"s time 2 got do*n to thinking about that essay. get 'in # 2get 'into st" 'to arrive at a place:)he train got in late. 1 7hat time do you get into 0eathro*$ +to *in an election:)he Oepublican candidate stands a good chance of getting in. 1 !he first got into 3arliament (5 became an M3) in +RR'. :to be admitted to a school, university, etc.:!he"s got into ?urham to study la*. get sb7'in to call sb to your house to do a job get st"7'in 'to collect or gather sth:to get the crops / harvest in +to buy a supply of sth:Oemember to get in some beers for this evening. :to manage to do or say sth:2 got in an hour"s *ork *hile the baby *as asleep. 1 !he talks so much it"s impossible to get a *ord in. get 'in on st" to take part in an activity:0e"s hoping to get in on any discussions about the ne* project. get 'in $it" sb (informal) to become friendly *ith sb, especially in order to gain an advantage get 'into st" 'to put on a piece of clothing, especially *ith difficulty:2 can"t get into these shoes&they"re too small. +to start a career in a particular profession:7hat"s the best *ay to get into journalism$ :to become involved in sth( to start sth:2 got into conversation *ith an 2talian student. 1 to get into a fight =to develop a particular habit:?on"t let yourself get into bad habits. 1 ;ou should get into the routine of saving the document you are *orking on every ten minutes. 1 0o* did she get into (5 start taking) drugs$ G(informal) to become interested in sth:2"m really getting into jaJJ these days. Hto become familiar *ith sth( to learn sth:2 haven"t really got into my ne* job yet. get 'into st" # 2get yoursel & sb 'into st" to reach a particular state or condition( to make sb reach a particular state or condition:0e got into trouble *ith the police *hile he *as still at school. 1 )hree people *ere rescued from a yacht *hich got into difficulties. 1 !he got herself into a real state (5 became very anxious) before the intervie*. get 'o #get 'o sb used especially to tell sb to stop touching you or another person:Fet off me, that hurts> get 'o #get sb 'o 'to leave a place or start a journey( to help sb do this:7e got off straight after breakfast. 1 0e got the children off to school. +(-r.) to fall asleep( to make sb do this:2 had great difficulty getting off to sleep. 1 )hey couldn"t get the baby off till midnight. get 'o #get 'o st" to leave *ork *ith permission:#ould you get off (*ork) early tomorro*$ get 'o st" # get sb 'o st" to stop discussing a particular subject( to make sb do this:3lease can *e get off the subject of dieting$ 1 2 couldn"t get him off politics once he had started. get st" 'o to send sth by post / mail:2 must get these letters off first thing tomorro*. get 'o on st" (informal) to be excited by sth, especially in a sexual *ay get 'o ($it" st") to have no or almost no injuries in an accident:!he *as lucky to get off *ith just a fe* bruises. get 'o ($it" st") #get sb 'o ($it" st") to receive no or almost no punishment( to help sb do this:0e *as lucky to get off *ith a small fine. 1 % good la*yer might be able to get you off. get 'o $it" sb

(informal, especially -r.) to have a sexual or romantic experience *ith sb( to start a sexual relationship *ith sb:!teve got off *ith )racey at the party. get 'on '(also Vget a'long) used to talk or ask about ho* *ell sb is doing in a particular situation:0e"s getting on very *ell at school. 1 0o* did you get on at the intervie*$ +to be successful in your career, etc.:3arents are al*ays anxious for their children to get on. 1 2 don"t kno* ho* he"s going to get on in life. :(also Vget a'long) to manage or survive:7e can get on perfectly *ell *ithout her. 1 2 just can"t get along *ithout a secretary. get 'on to sb 'to contact sb by telephone, letter or email:)he heating isn"t *orking( 2"ll get on to the landlord about it. +to become a*are of sb"s activities, especially *hen they have been doing sth bad or illegal:0e had been stealing money from the company for years before they got on to him. get 'on to st" to begin to talk about a ne* subject:2t"s time *e got on to the 6uestion of costs. get 'on $it" sb # get 'on (toget"er) (bot" -rE) (also get a'long $it" sb, get a'long (toget"er) 8*mE, -rE) to have a friendly relationship *ith sb:!he"s never really got on *ith her sister. 1 !he and her sister have never really got on. 1 7e get along just fine together. get 'on $it" st" '(also get a'long *ith sth) used to talk or ask about ho* *ell sb is doing a task:2"m not getting on very fast *ith this job. +to continue doing sth, especially after an interruption:-e 6uiet and get on *ith your *ork. 1 (informal) Fet on *ith it> 7e haven"t got all day. get 'out to become kno*n:2f this gets out there"ll be trouble. get st"7'out 'to produce or publish sth:7ill *e get the book out by the end of the year$ +to say sth *ith difficulty:!he managed to get out a fe* *ords of thanks. get 'out (o st") to leave or go out of a place:;ou ought to get out of the house more. 1 !he screamed at me to get out. get 'out o st" 'to avoid a responsibility or duty:7e promised *e"d go&*e can"t get out of it no*. 1 8N ,ing9 2 *ish 2 could get out of going to that meeting. +to stop having a particular habit:2 can"t get out of the habit of *aking at six in the morning. get st" 'out o sb to persuade sb to tell or give you sth, especially by force:)he police finally got a confession out of her. get st" 'out o sb&st" to gain or obtain sth good from sb/sth:!he seems to get a lot out of life. 1 0e al*ays gets the best out of people. get 'over st" to deal *ith or gain control of sth !;< overcome:!he can"t get over her shyness. 1 2 think the problem can be got over *ithout too much difficulty. get 'over st"&sb to return to your usual state of health, happiness, etc. after an illness, a shock, the end of a relationship, etc.:0e *as disappointed at not getting the job, but he"ll get over it. get st"7'over (to sb) to make sth clear to sb:0e didn"t really get his meaning over to the audience. get st" 'over ($it") (informal) to complete sth unpleasant but necessary:2"ll be glad to get the exam over and done *ith. get 'round & a'round sb to persuade sb to agree or to do *hat you *ant, usually by doing nice things for them:!he kno*s ho* to get round her dad. get 'round & a'round st" to deal *ith a problem successfully !;< overcome:% clever la*yer might find a *ay of getting round that clause. get 'round & a'round to st" to find the time to do sth:2 meant to do the ironing but 2 didn"t get round to it. 1 8N ,ing9 2 hope to get around to ans*ering your letter next *eek.

'get t"roug" st" 'to use up a large amount of sth:7e got through a fortune *hile *e *ere in <e* ;ork> +to manage to do or complete sth:Cet"s start&there"s a lot to get through. get 't"roug" (st") (-r.) to be successful in an exam, etc. get sb 't"roug" st" to help sb to be successful in an exam:!he got all her students through the exam. get 't"roug" (st") # 2get st" 't"roug" (st") to be officially accepted( to make sth be officially accepted:)hey got the bill through #ongress. get 't"roug" (to sb) 'to reach sb:)housands of refugees *ill die if these supplies don"t get through to them. +to make contact *ith sb by telephone:2 tried calling you several times but 2 couldn"t get through. get 't"roug" (to st") (of a player or team) to reach the next stage of a competition:Moya has got through to the final. get 't"roug" to sb to make sb understand or accept *hat you say, especially *hen you are trying to help them:2 find it impossible to get through to her. get 't"roug" $it" st" to finish or complete a task 'get to sb (informal) to annoy or affect sb:)he pressure of *ork is beginning to get to him. get sb&st" to'get"er to collect people or things in one place:2"m trying to get a team together for !aturday. get to'get"er ($it" sb) to meet *ith sb socially or in order to discuss sth:7e must get together for a drink sometime. 1 Management should get together *ith the union.&related noun get,together get 'u. 'to stand up after sitting, lying, etc. !;< rise:)he class got up *hen the teacher came in.B note at stand +if the sea or *ind gets up, it increases in strength and becomes violent get 'u. # 2get sb 'u. to get out of bed( to make sb get out of bed:0e al*ays gets up early. 1 #ould you get me up at H.:R tomorro*$ get yoursel & sb 'u. as st" 8often passive9 (-r.) to dress yourself/sb as sb/sth else:!he *as got up as an 2ndian princess.&related noun get,up get st"7'u. to arrange or organiJe sth:7e"re getting up a party for her birthday. get 'u. to st" 'to reach a particular point:7e got up to page L+ last lesson. +to be busy *ith sth, especially sth surprising or unpleasant:7hat on earth *ill he get up to next$ 1 !he"s been getting up to her old tricks again> 3O IDIOMS Most idioms containing go are at the entries for the nouns and adjectives in the idioms, for example go it alone is at alone. anyt"ing goes (informal) anything that sb says or does is accepted or allo*ed, ho*ever shocking or unusual it may be:%lmost anything goes these days. as .eo.le, t"ings, etc. go in comparison *ith the average pers, thing, etc.:%s teachers go, he"s not bad. be going on ( or) st" (-r.) to be nearly a particular age, time or number:2t *as going on (for) midnight. be going to do st" 'used to sho* *hat sb intends to do in the future:7e"re going to buy a house *hen *e"ve saved enough money.

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+used to sho* that sth is likely to happen very soon or in the future:2 think 2"m going to faint. 1 2f the drought continues there"s going to be a famine. don5t go doing st" (informal) used to tell or *arn sb not to do sth:?on"t go getting yourself into trouble. enoug" & somet"ing to be going 'on $it" (-r.) something that is enough for a short time:SGR should be enough to be going on *ith. go all 'out or st" # go all out to 'do st" to make a very great effort to get sth or do sth go and do st" used to sho* that you are angry or annoyed that sb has done sth stupid:)rust him to go and mess things up> 1 7hy did you have to go and upset your mother like that$ 1 ;ou"ve really gone and done it (5 done sth very stupid) no*> go 'o on one (-r., informal) to suddenly become very angry go 'on ($it" you) (old,fashioned) used to express the fact that you do not believe sth, or that you disapprove of sth ("ave) a lot, not"ing, etc. 'going or you (to have) many / not many advantages:;ou"re young, intelligent, attractive&you have a lot going for you> no 'go (informal) not possible or allo*ed:2f the bank *on"t lend us the money it"s no go, 2"m afraid.&see also no,go area not (even) 'go t"ere (informal) used to say that you do not *ant to talk about sth in any more detail because you do not even *ant to think about it:?on"t ask me to choose. 2 don"t *ant to go there. 1 )here *as a problem *ith his parents, *asn"t there$" ?on"t even go there>" to 'go 'remaining( still left:2 only have one exam to go. +(<%m., informal) if you buy cooked food to go in a restaurant or shop / store, you buy it to take a*ay and eat some*here else:)*o piJJas to go. $"at goes around 'comes around (saying) 'the *ay sb behaves to*ards other people *ill affect the *ay those people behave to*ards them in the future +something that is not fashionable no* *ill become fashionable again in the future $"ere does sb go rom '"ere? used to ask *hat action sb should take, especially in order to improve the difficult situation that they are in $"o goes 't"ere? used by a soldier *ho is guarding a place to order sb to say *ho they are:0alt, *ho goes there$ '()*S*+ ,E)-S go a'bout (-r.) 5 go around 'go about st" to continue to do sth( to keep busy *ith sth:?espite the threat of *ar, people *ent about their business as usual. go a'bout st" to start *orking on sth !;< tackle:;ou"re not going about the job in the right *ay. 1 8N ,ing9 0o* should 2 go about finding a job$ go 'a ter sb to chase or follo* sb:0e *ent after the burglars. 1 !he left the room in tears so 2 *ent after her. go 'a ter sb&st" to try to get sb/sth:7e"re both going after the same job. go a'gainst sb to not be in sb"s favour or not to their advantage:)he jury"s verdict *ent against him. go a'gainst sb&st" to resist or oppose sb/sth:0e *ould not go against his parents' *ishes.

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go a'gainst st" to be opposed to sth( to not fit or agree *ith sth:3aying for hospital treatment goes against her principles. 1 0is thinking goes against all logic. go a'"ead 'to travel in front of other people in your group and arrive before them:2"ll go ahead and tell them you"re on the *ay. +to happen( to be done !;< proceed:)he building of the ne* bridge *ill go ahead as planned.&related noun go,ahead go a'"ead ($it" st") to begin to do sth, especially *hen sb has given permission or has expressed doubts or opposition: May 2 start no*$" ;es, go ahead." 1 )he government intends to go ahead *ith its tax cutting plans&related noun go,ahead go a'long 'to continue *ith an activity:0e made up the story as he *ent along. +to make progress( to develop:)hings are going along nicely. go a'long $it" sb&st" to agree *ith sb/sth:2 don"t go along *ith her vie*s on private medicine. go a'round & 'round 'to spin or turn:to go round in a circle +to be enough for everyone to have one or some:)here aren"t enough chairs to go around. :(-r. also Vgo a'bout) to often be in a particular state or behave in a particular *ay:!he often goes around barefoot. 1 8N ,ing9 2t"s unprofessional to go round criticiJing your colleagues. =to spread from person to person:)here"s a rumour going around that they"re having an affair. go a'round & 'round (to % ) to visit sb or a place that is near:2 *ent round to the post office. 1 2"m going around to my sister"s (5 her house) later. 'go at sb to attack sb:)hey *ent at each other furiously. 'go at st" to make great efforts to do sth( to *ork hard at sth:)hey *ent at the job as if their lives depended on it. go a'$ay 'to leave a person or place:Eust go a*ay> 1 Fo a*ay and think about it, then let me kno*. +to leave home for a period of time, especially for a holiday / vacation:)hey"ve gone a*ay for a fe* days. 1 2"m going a*ay on business. :to disappear:)he smell still hasn"t gone a*ay. go 'bac/ if t*o people go back a period of time (usually a long time), they have kno*n each other for that time:?ave and 2 go back t*enty years. go 'bac/ (to % ) to return to a place:!he doesn"t *ant to go back to her husband (5 to live *ith him again). 1 )his toaster *ill have to go back (5 be taken back to the shop / store *here it *as bought)&it"s faulty. 1 Df course *e *ant to go back some day&it"s our country, our real home.B note at return go 'bac/ (to st") 'to consider sth that happened or *as said at an earlier time:#an 2 go back to *hat you said at the beginning of the meeting$ 1 Dnce you have made this decision, there *ill be no going back (5 you *ill not be able to change your mind). +to have existed since a particular time or for a particular period:)heir family goes back to the time of the 3ilgrim 4athers. go 'bac/ on st" to fail to keep a promise( to change your mind about sth:0e never goes back on his *ord (5 never fails to do *hat he has said he *ill do). go 'bac/ to st" to start doing sth again that you had stopped doing:)he kids go back to school next *eek. 1 8N ,ing9 !he"s decided to go back to teaching. go be' ore to exist or happen in an earlier time:)he present crisis is *orse than any that have gone before. 'go be ore sb&st" to be presented to sb/sth for discussion, decision or judgement:My application goes before the planning committee next *eek. go be'yond st"

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to be more than sth !;< exceed:)his year"s sales figures go beyond all our expectations (5 are much better than *e thought they *ould be). go 'by (of time) to pass:)hings *ill get easier as time goes by. 1 )he *eeks *ent slo*ly by. 'go by st" to be guided by sth( to form an opinion from sth:)hat"s a good rule to go by. 1 2f past experience is anything to go by, they"ll be late. go 'do$n 'to fall to the ground:!he tripped and *ent do*n *ith a bump. +if a ship, etc. goes do*n, it disappears belo* the *ater !;< sink :*hen the sun or moon goes do*n, it disappears belo* the horiJon !;< set =if food or drink *ill / *ill not go do*n, it is difficult / easy to s*allo*:% glass of *ine *ould go do*n very nicely (5 2 *ould very much like one). Gif the price of sth, the temperature, etc. goes do*n, it becomes lo*er !;< fall:)he price of oil is going do*n. 1 Dil is going do*n in price. D33 go up H(informal) to get *orse in 6uality:)he neighbourhood has gone do*n a lot recently. L(computing) to stop *orking temporarily:)he system is going do*n in ten minutes. M(<%m., informal) to happen:;ou really don"t kno* *hat"s going do*n$ go 'do$n ( rom % ) (-r., formal) to leave a university, especially Dxford or #ambridge, at the end of a term or after finishing your studies D33 go up (to I ) go 'do$n (in st") to be *ritten in sth( to be recorded or remembered in sth:2t all goes do*n (5 she *rites it all) in her notebook. 1 0e *ill go do*n in history as a great statesman. go 'do$n (on sb) (slang) to perform oral sex on sb (5 to use the mouth to give sb sexual pleasure) go 'do$n (to sb) to be defeated by sb, especially in a game or competition:2taly *ent do*n to -raJil by three goals to one. go 'do$n (to % ) ( rom % ) to go from one place to another, especially further south or from a city or large to*n to a smaller place:)hey"ve gone do*n to -righton for a couple of days. D33 go up go 'do$n ($it" sb) to be received in a particular *ay by sb:)he suggestion didn"t go do*n very *ell *ith her boss. go 'do$n $it" st" (especially -r.) to become ill / sick *ith sth !;< catch:Dur youngest boy has gone do*n *ith chickenpox. 'go or sb to attack sb:!he *ent for him *ith a knife. 'go or sb&st" 'to apply to sb/sth:7hat 2 said about 3eter goes for you, too. 1 )hey have a high level of unemployment &but the same goes for many other countries. +to go to a place and bring sb/sth back:!he"s gone for some milk. :to be attracted by sb/sth( to like or prefer sb/sth:!he goes for tall slim men. 1 2 don"t really go for modern art. 'go or st" 'to choose sth:2 think 2"ll go for the fruit salad.B note at choose +to put a lot of effort into sth, so that you get or achieve sth:Fo for it, Eohn> ;ou kno* you can beat him. 1 2t sounds a great idea. Fo for it> go 'in 'to enter a room, house, etc.:Cet"s go in, it"s getting cold. +if the sun or moon goes in, it disappears behind a cloud go 'in or st" '(-r.) to take an exam or enter a competition:!he"s going in for the #ambridge 4irst #ertificate. +to have sth as an interest or a hobby:!he doesn"t go in for team games. go 'in $it" sb to join sb in starting a business:My brothers are opening a garage and they *ant me to go in *ith them. go 'into st" '(of a vehicle) to hit sth violently:)he car skidded and *ent into a tree. +(of a vehicle or driver) to start moving in a particular *ay:)he plane *ent into a nosedive.

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:to join an organiJation, especially in order to have a career in it:to go into the %rmy / the #hurch / 3arliament 1 to go into teaching =to begin to do sth or behave in a particular *ay:0e *ent into a long explanation of the affair. Gto examine sth carefully:7e need to go into the 6uestion of costs. H(of money, time, effort, etc.) to be spent on sth or used to do sth:More government money needs to go into the project. 1 8N ,ing9 ;ears of *ork *ent into researching the book. go 'o 'to leave a place, especially in order to do sth:!he *ent off to get a drink. +to be fired( to explode:)he gun *ent off by accident. 1 )he bomb *ent off in a cro*ded street.B note at explode :if an alarm, etc. goes off, it makes a sudden loud noise =if a light, the electricity, etc. goes off, it stops *orking:!uddenly the lights *ent off. 1 )he heating goes off at night. D33 go on G(-r., informal) to fall asleep:0asn"t the baby gone off yet$ H(-r.) if food or drink goes off, it becomes bad and not fit to eat or drink L(-r.) to get *orse in 6uality:0er books have gone off in recent years. Mto happen in a particular *ay:)he meeting *ent off *ell. go 'o (on sb) (<%m., informal) to suddenly become angry *ith sb go 'o sb&st" (-r., informal) to stop liking sb/sth or lose interest in them:Eane seems to be going off 3aul. 1 2"ve gone off beer. go 'o $it" sb to leave your husband, *ife, partner, etc. in order to have a relationship *ith sb else:0e *ent off *ith his best friend"s *ife. go 'o $it" st" to take a*ay from a place sth that does not belong to you:0e *ent off *ith T'R RRR of the company"s money. go 'on '*hen a performer goes on, they begin their performance:!he doesn"t go on until %ct +. +(in sport) to join a team as a substitute during a game:#ole *ent on in place of -eckham just before half, time. :*hen a light, the electricity, etc. goes on, it starts to *ork:!uddenly all the lights *ent on. D33 go off =(of time) to pass:!he became more and more talkative as the evening *ent on. G(usually be going on) to happen:7hat"s going on here$ Hif a situation goes on, it continues *ithout changing:)his cannot be allo*ed to go on. 1 0o* much longer *ill this hot *eather go on for$ 1 7e can"t go on like this&*e seem to be al*ays arguing. Lto continue speaking, after a short pause:!he hesitated for a moment and then *ent on. 1 8N speech9 ;ou kno*," he *ent on, 2 think my brother could help you." Mused to encourage sb to do sth:Fo on> 0ave another drink> 1 Fo on&jump> go 'on (a"ead) to travel in front of sb else:;ou go on ahead&2"ll catch you up in a fe* minutes. 'go on sth (used in negative sentences and 6uestions) to base an opinion or a judgement on sth:)he police don"t have much to go on. go 'on (about sb&st") to talk about sb/sth for a long time, especially in a boring or complaining *ay:0e *ent on and on about ho* poor he *as. 1 !he does go on sometimes> go 'on (at sb) (especially -r.) to complain to sb about their behaviour, *ork, etc. !;< criticiJe:!he goes on at him continually. go 'on ($it" st") to continue an activity, especially after a pause or break:)hat"s enough for no*&let"s go on *ith it tomorro*. go 'on doing st" to continue an activity *ithout stopping:0e said nothing but just *ent on *orking. go 'on to st" to pass from one item to the next:Cet"s go on to the next item on the agenda. go 'on to do st" to do sth after completing sth else:)he book goes on to describe his experiences in the army.

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go 'out 'to leave your house to go to a social event:!he goes out a lot. 1 8N ,ing9 0e goes out drinking most evenings. +*hen the tide goes out, it moves a*ay from the land !;< ebb D33 come in :to be sent:0ave the invitations gone out yet$ =(-r.) *hen a radio or television programme goes out, it is broadcast G*hen ne*s or information goes out, it is announced or published:8N that9 7ord *ent out that the director had resigned Hif a fire or light goes out, it stops burning or shining go 'out (o st") 'to fail to reach the next stage of a competition, etc.:!he *ent out of the tournament in the first round. +to be no longer fashionable or generally used:)hose skirts *ent out years ago. go 'out o sb&st" (of a 6uality or a feeling) to be no longer present in sb/sth( to disappear from sb/sth:%ll the fight seemed to go out of him. go 'out to sb if your thoughts, etc. go out to sb, you think about them in a kind *ay and hope that the difficult situation that they are in *ill get better: go 'out $it" sb # 2go 'out (toget"er) (especially of young people) to spend time *ith sb and have a romantic or sexual relationship *ith them:)om has been going out *ith Cucy for six *eeks. 1 0o* long have )om and Cucy been going out together$ go 'over st" 'to examine or check sth carefully:Fo over your *ork before you hand it in.B note at check +to study sth carefully, especially by repeating it:0e *ent over the events of the day in his mind (5 thought about them carefully). go 'over (to % ) to move from one place to another, especially *hen this means crossing sth such as a room, to*n or city:0e *ent over and shook hands *ith his guests. 1 Many 2rish people *ent over to %merica during the famine. go 'over to sb&st" (in broadcasting) to change to a different person or place for the next part of a broadcast:7e are no* going over to the ne*s desk for an important announcement. go 'over to st" to change from one side, opinion, habit, etc. to another:)*o #onservative M3s have gone over to the Ciberal ?emocrats. go 'over ($it" sb) (<%m.) to be received in a particular *ay by sb:)he ne*s of her promotion *ent over *ell *ith her colleagues. go 'round 5 go around go 'round (to % ) 5 go around (to I ) go 't"roug" if a la*, contract, etc. goes through, it is officially accepted or completed:)he deal did not go through. go t"roug" st" 'to look at or examine sth carefully, especially in order to find sth:2 al*ays start the day by going through my email. 1 !he *ent through the company"s accounts, looking for evidence of fraud. +to study or consider sth in detail, especially by repeating it:Cet"s go through the arguments again. 1 #ould *e go through (5 practise) %ct + once more$ :to perform a series of actions( to follo* a method or procedure:#ertain formalities have to be gone through before you can emigrate. =to experience or suffer sth:!he"s been going through a bad patch recently. 1 0e"s amaJingly cheerful considering all he"s had to go through. Gto use up or finish sth completely:)he boys *ent through t*o *hole loaves of bread. go 't"roug" $it" st" to do *hat is necessary to complete a course of action, especially one that is difficult or unpleasant:!he decided not to go through *ith (5 not to have) the operation. 'go to sb&st"

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to be given to sb/sth:3roceeds from the concert *ill go to charity. 1 %ll her property *ent to her eldest son (5 *hen she died). go to'get"er 5 go *ith sth 'go to$ards st" to be used as part of the payment for sth:)he money *ill go to*ards a ne* car. 1 8N ,ing9 3art of my pay che6ue *ent to*ards buying a #? player. go 'under '(of sth that floats) to sink belo* the surface +(informal) to become bankrupt (5 be unable to pay *hat you o*e):)he firm *ill go under unless business improves. go 'u. 'to be built:<e* offices buildings are going up every*here. +*hen the curtain across the stage in a theatre goes up, it is raised or opened :to be destroyed by fire or an explosion:)he *hole building *ent up in flames. =if the price of sth, the temperature, etc. goes up, it becomes higher !;< rise:)he price of cigarettes is going up. 1 #igarettes are going up in price. D33 go do*n go 'u. (to % ) (-r., formal) to arrive at a university, especially Dxford or #ambridge, at the beginning of a term or in order to begin your studies D33 go do*n (from I ) go 'u. (to % ) ( rom % ) to go from one place to another, especially further north or to a city or large to*n from a smaller place:7hen are you next going up to !cotland$ 1 7e *ent up to Condon last *eekend. D33 go do*n 'go $it" sb '(old,fashioned, informal) to have a sexual or romantic relationship *ith sb +(informal) to have sex *ith sb 'go $it" st" 'to be included *ith or as part of sth:% car goes *ith the job. +to agree to accept sth, for example a plan or an offer:;ou"re offering SGRR$ 2 think *e can go *ith that. :(also go (together)) to combine *ell *ith sth !;< match:?oes this jacket go *ith this skirt$ 1 )hose colours don"t really go (together). =(also Vgo to'gether) to exist at the same time or in the same place as sth( to be found together:?isease often goes *ith poverty. 1 ?isease and poverty often go together. go $i't"out (st") to manage *ithout sth that you usually have or need:)here *asn"t time for breakfast, so 2 had to go *ithout. 1 0o* long can a human being go (5 survive) *ithout sleep$ 1 8N ,ing9 !he *ent *ithout eating for three days.

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