get it on with someone): She said all he wanted was to get it off with just anybody. get off with someone—(coll.) 1. move aside with a person to discuss smth.: We got off with the client and explained the offer a little better. 2. become friendly with one of the opposite sex: What fun it would be if one of us could get off with him. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase get off with you(exclam.) 1. is used to rudely tell a per- son to go away (and stop being annoying ): Get off with you ! I’m trying to work. 2. is used to emphatically express disbelief: Get off with you ! Do you think I’d believe a story like that? get it on • put it on get it on—(U.S. sl.) 1. begin smth. with energy and enthu- siasm: You want to go for pizza? Let’s get it on ! 2. have sex: Just as they were about to get it on they heard a giggle from the corner of the dormitory. put it on —(UK coll.) assume a false appearance; feign smth.: Billie is just putting it on , and sounds like Americans in movies where they pretend to be English. get it on with someone • get on with someone get it on with someone—(U.S. sl.) have sex with a person (also: get it off with someone): And it wasn’t only with Prunella: he had wanted to get it on with Evelyn—Evelyn the Untouch- able, for Christ’s sake! get on with someone—maintain a friendly relationship with smb.; be on good terms with a person: I didn’t get on well with my parents at all at this stage—they had messed up one of my best friendships. get it together • get one’s act together get it together —1. (UK coll.) manage to organize an activity: We were planning a trip to India last year, but we never got it together . 2. (sl.) have sex: We’d met a few times before, but we didn’t really get it together till Rachel’s party. get one’s act together(coll.) get mentally organized (also: get one’s head together): It took me a few days to get my act together , but I finally gathered up the nerve to start writing. get mixed up with someone • mix it up with someone get mixed up with someone—become associated with a per- son, especially smb. disreputable: Don’t get mixed up with him—he’s a crook! mix it up with someone—(coll.) start a quarrel or fight with a person: Don’t try mixing it up with me—I’ve got a gun! get off base • get to first base get off base —(coll.) be erroneous or inappropriate: While the author did a good job building her characters, she really got off base with her Agatha Christie research. get to first base —(also: reach first base) get to the initial stage: The outcome, of course, is now history; the wiretap bill never got to first base . get off on the wrong foot • get out of bed with the wrong foot foremost get off on the wrong foot—make a bad beginning: I am afraid we get off on the wrong foot by openly showing our hostility to the proposals. get out of bed with the wrong foot foremost—be in a bad tem- per when one gets up: I am afraid you got out of bed with the wrong foot foremost this morning. See also: catch someone on the wrong foot / put a foot wrong. get off one’s bike • get on one’s bike get off one’s bike—(Austral., NZ sl.) get agitated or annoyed: “I tell you I saw no-one.” “Don’t get off your bike , son. I know you’re tellin’ lies.” get on one’s bike—(coll.) start making an effort to do smth.: With rent to pay and a wife and baby, I had to get on my bike . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase on your bike—(UK) used to rudely tell a person to go away (and stop being annoying ): There’s nothing for you here, mate. On your bike , then. get off one’s high horse • get off one’s soap box get off one’s high horse—(coll.) stop behaving arrogant or superior: He does need to get off his high horse and rid himself of the belief that he is going to save the world. get off one’s soap box—stop speaking out in an irritatingly overbearing way: You really need to get off your soap box . Every comment you make you have to add your egotistical attitude into it. get off the ground • touch ground get off the ground(of a project, scheme, etc.) make a suc- cessful start: The project never got off the ground because of red tape and lack of organization. touch ground—get to reality: Now we are really beginning to touch ground . Tell us exactly how much you can put into the enterprise. get on like a house on fire • go like a house on fire get on like a house on fire—(also: get along like a house on fire) become good friends in a very short time: “How are your new neighbors?” “Pretty well, their sons and ours get on like a house on fire .” go like a house on fire—1. (of an event, activity, etc.) be very successful: All the families were gathered around and the cer- emony and reception went like a house on fire . 2. is used to refer to some fast action: Time was precious, so … I would go like a house on fire trying to say as much as I could before my time was up. get on one’s high horse • get on one’s horse get on one’s high horse—(also: ride one’s high horse) become dignified and formal; assume an arrogant mien: As soon as I said a little slang to her she got on her high horse . get on one’s horse—(sl.) hurry; start at once: You better get on your horse if you’re going to make that plane. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase be on the horse—(Drug users) be under the effects of or addicted to heroin: How long have you been on the horse ? get on the bandwagon • go on the wagon get on the bandwagon—join in what seems likely to be a successful enterprise (in the hope of a personal gain): Once it was clear that he would be elected, all the uncommitted politi- cians tried to get on the bandwagon . go on the wagon—intend not to drink any alcohol at all: Carter says that he is really serious this time about going on the wagon . get on to something • get on towards something get on to something—1. get in touch with an office, etc., especially by telephone: I must get on to the shop about the order that we’ve been waiting for. 2. begin to talk about smth.: Do not dwell too much on small-talk; get on to the subject of your job search fairly quickly. 3. begin to understand smth.: Although at first shorthand seemed difficult to me, I soon got on to it. 4. (Progressive Tense) be advancing towards a certain age, time, etc.: It was getting on to evening and the sun was setting over the water. get on towards something— = get on to something 4: It was get it on – 134 –