getting on towards evening and I think everyone was anxious to head for home. get on with it • get with it get on with it—continue with what one is doing: My partner is drinking too much but every time I mention it we end up arguing—should I just let him get on with it ? get with it—(coll.) respond to new ideas, styles, etc.; become modern: My wish to you, especially the older dairy farmers, is to get with it or the future will be without you. Note: Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase get away with it—go unpunished for doing smth. wrong: The law says they can defame you and get away with it if the story is true. Truth is an almost perfect defense in a libel suit. get one’s blue • get the blues get one’s blue—(Oxford and Cambridge) be awarded a blue cap, scarf, etc. for representing one’s university in athletics: He will get his blue next term and show that he’s a jolly good fellow. get the blues—(coll.) feel sad or depressed (also: have the blues): His excess energy can be misdirected, especially when he gets the blues (as we all do sometimes). See also: come out of the blue / get into a blue. get one’s feet under the table • put one’s feet up get one’s feet under the table—get settled in: It will take four or five months for Greg to get his feet under the table , to understand the enormous number of complex and tricky issues he has to master. put one’s feet up—relax or take a rest: That way I can put my feet up and not think about Christmas at all until a week beforehand, when we put up our decorations. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase have a knees up— have a noisy party usually with danc- ing: We had a little party for him and some speeches and went to the pub and had a knees up . See also: put one’s foot down / put one’s foot to the floor. get one’s pennyworth • have one’s two penny- worth get one’s pennyworth—(UK) have full value for one’s money; get a sufficient return for one’s trouble, etc.: Mr. Cataway makes sure he gets his pennyworth of work from those assis- tants. have one’s two pennyworth—(UK) add one’s comments or opinion on the matter: Everyone started to leave, but I was determined to have my two pennyworth , so I stood up and banged my papers on the table. get one’s picture in something • get one’s picture of something get one’s picture in something—have one’s photo appear in a magazine or newspaper: The driving factor is the desire to become famous, get lots of exposure, get one’s picture in a magazine. get one’s picture of something—become aware of certain facts: To get one’s picture of science history solely from the published literature would be like watching a football match from high up in an airplane. get one’s point across • get someone’s point get one’s point across—communicate one’s argument or idea successfully: I wear an insult from a liberal as a badge of honor because it means that I got my point across . get someone’s point—understand what another person is try- ing to prove or explain: I couldn’t put that into words, but people around me got my point in the right way. get one’s second pip • get the pip get one’s second pip—(UK Army) be promoted from second to first lieutenant: Kathryn had been proud of them all, but most of Harry Kim, who finally got his second pip . get the pip —(coll.) feel annoyed and miserable: Laura wasn’t the only one to get the pip ! Quite a few disgruntled customers had been telling similar stories. get one’s teeth into something • put teeth into something get one’s teeth into something—(also: sink one’s teeth into some- thing ) 1. bite into smth.: Many a time I thought of Bobbie when I got my teeth into a bit of walrus or seal meat. 2. (coll.) deal with smth. vigorously: Here, get your teeth into this and see if you can manage this project. put teeth into something—make smth. really effective: The legislature put teeth into the traffic law by increasing penalties and appropriating money for its proper enforcement. get one’s ticket • get one’s ticket punched get one’s ticket—1. (sl.) be discharged from the army or from prison: “Coiners” as a rule returned to their profession as soon as they got their “ticket .” Prison is a great punishment to such men. 2. qualify for promotion; take a step up in a career path: Seventeen years before he got his “ticket ,” his second mate’s ticket, he served in the foc’sle before the mast. Note: a) The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase get a ticket—get a notice of an offence against traffic regulations (usually a speeding or parking offence): It was two blocks from the hotel, and he might get a ticket for parking. b) The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase have tickets on oneself—(Austral. sl.) be vain or conceited: You’re the bastard that’s always been smug and had tickets on himself . get one’s ticket punched—(sl.) 1. die or be killed: My brother Kevin unexpectedly got his ticket punched yesterday. He has had liver cancer for several years but seemed to be getting bet- ter recently. 2. = get one’s ticket 2: John was in Vietnam just to get his ticket punched . Combat is the fastest route to pro- motion. Cf.: ticketpuncher —(sl.) a career military officer or busi- nessperson whose primary concern is personal advancement: Not going with the “business as usual” choice with someone who is just a sharp person rather than a ticketpuncher was a good thing… get one’s wind • get wind get one’s wind—recover power or ability to breathe without difficulty: You had better get your wind now, and change your clothes. Cf.: lose one’s wind—become out of breath when running or exerting oneself: He avoided stairs and lost his breath tying his shoelaces. get wind—(of news, rumors, etc.) become widely known; spread: The story got wind and was over the camp in a few hours. get oneself off the hook • go off the hooks get oneself off the hook(coll.) free oneself from difficulty or trouble: Later it was useful to describe this incident to get myself off the hook at a Royal Navy interview panel. go off the hooks—(sl.) die (also: drop off the hooks): No man was ever able to write his own life complete. He’s certain to go off the hooks before he has finished it. See also: be hooked / go on the hook. get oneself together • hold oneself together get oneself together—(also: get one’s head together) get mentally organized: The most commonly cited reasons for withdrawing include: needing a break from college, needing to get oneself together , emotional problems… – 135 – get oneself together