get someone into trouble • put someone to trouble get someone into trouble—1. involve a person in a situation causing difficulties, danger, etc.: Don’t mention my name or you’ll get me into trouble . 2. (euph.) make an unmarried woman pregnant: Kali doesn’t know the name of the man who got her into trouble . But in trouble she is—there’s no doubt- ing that. put someone to trouble—cause smb. more than usual work or effort; inconvenience a person: I’m sorry to put you to trou - ble , I’m actually not hungry. Note: The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase give someone trouble— cause a person serious worry or problems: The female “side” of a prison gives more trouble to the author- ities than the male. get someone off • get someone off the hook get someone off—1. rescue a person from a crashed vehicle, a sinking ship, etc.: The last three sailors were got off just before the ship sank. 2. get a person cleared of a criminal charge: Ted’s lawyer got him off , although we all knew he was guilty. get someone off the hook—(coll.) free a person from trouble, an embarrassing situation, etc. (also: let someone off the hook): “It’s an idea,” said Craig. “It would get Hartley off the hook , sure enough.” get something into shape • give shape to something get something into shape—(also: knock something into shape) quickly make smth. more perfect or better organized: We need a new manager to get the business into shape . give shape to something —arrange smth. in an orderly fashion; express smth. clearly: I’m having trouble giving shape to my ideas in this essay. get something off one’s chest • make a clean breast of something get something off one’s chest—talk about worrisome thoughts or feelings to smb. so that it doesn’t bother one anymore: I finally talked to him and was able to get some of my problems off my chest . make a clean breast of something—fully confess to smth. bad or illegal: He denied the Montreal story, admitted it, denied it again, and then, weeping, made a clean breast of both episodes. get something right • set something right get something right—1. understand smth. clearly, so that there is no misinterpretation: Correct me if I didn’t get this right . Did you say that changes to the flight rules are approved? 2. restore smth. to order, good condition, etc.: I am sorry we didn’t get this right the first time, and I am afraid we can’t offer a fix immediately. set something right—(also: put something right) = get something right 2: The longer we pretend that everything is OK, the harder it is to set things right in the long term. get steamed up • get up steam get steamed up—(coll.) become excited, angry or very annoyed: You can buy another copy of the book you’ve lost, so there’s no need to get steamed up . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase steam up—(of a transparent or reflective surface) become clouded by steam: My glasses steamed up so much that I had to take them off to find the car. get up steam —1. (coll., also: put on steam) build up strength or energy; become more active: It was hard for us to get up enough steam to finish the work in one day. 2. = get steamed up: It’s no use talking further—we should only get up steam . get stuck • get stuck in get stuck —1. become entangled in sand, snow, etc., so as to be unable to get away from a place: When we finally get stuck in the middle of the Sand Sea you’ll have to carry everything. 2. get involved with smth. so as to be unable to leave: Of all the days to get stuck out there, he has to pick this one. get stuck in(coll.) start doing smth. with enthusiasm and determination: Mrs. Wagner brought in two plates of food and told them to get stuck in . get stuck for something • get stuck on something • get stuck with something get stuck for something—be at a loss how to obtain smth.: He frowns importantly as he talks about his job, and waves his arms about when he gets stuck for words. get stuck on something—(coll.) feel a strong attraction to smth.: Turn them [cattle] on to your range when the grass is green … they get stuck on it then, and stop there. get stuck with something —(coll.) 1. be unable to get rid of smth. unwanted or undesirable: Maybe you simply got stuck with a bad mortgage to begin with. 2. have no choice about doing smth. unpleasant (like paying the bill, etc.): Jim always got stuck with cleaning the garage. get stuck in something • get stuck into something get stuck in something—1. become entangled in sand, snow, etc., so as to be unable to get away from a place: We were on our way to visit another village, but our car got stuck in the mud. 2. get involved with smth. so as to be unable to leave a place: It seemed like nobody else noticed how late the show went. I’m sure a lot of Jerseyites got stuck in the city that night. 3. get involved with smth. so as to be unable to develop or progress: Instead of marching forward, the revolution got stuck in the bog of philistinism. get stuck into something—(coll.) start doing smth. with enthusiasm and determination; get down to a task: I think it’s time we got stuck into some gardening. get the ball rolling • set the stone rolling get the ball rolling —(also: set the ball rolling ) start or initiate smth.: Regardless of how you go about credit report repair, it’s a good idea to get the ball rolling as soon as possible. set the stone rolling—(also: set a stone rolling ) start smth. which may lead to serious or unanticipated consequences: The Austrian ultimatum to Serbia which set the stone rolling was a deliberate provocation. get the bum’s rush • get the rush get the bum’s rush—(coll.) 1. be thrown out or dismissed unceremoniously: We tried to talk our way in, but got the bum’s rush , ending up in a heap on the sidewalk. 2. be rejected with deliberate coldness or contempt: You might expect a bit more modesty from a guy whose own work got the bum’s rush from the powers that be. get the rush—(coll.) 1. (of a woman) receive attentions from men: She certainly wasn’t prepared for the rush she got …. You’ve got to admit she’s not madly attractive. 2. get a feeling of excitement or exhilaration: Never again was there anything quite like the rush we got from the simple fact of spring. get the dry horrors • get the horrors get the dry horrors(Austral sl.) suffer from thirst, especially after drinking excessive amounts of alcohol: One of the effects is dehydration — which is why we get the dry horrors the next morning. get the horrors(sl.) become frightened: I was so under- prepared for the whole thing. It wasn’t till I started doing it that I really got the horrors . – 137 – get the dry horrors