get

verb (gets, getting; past got /gɒt/; past participle got, North American or archaic gotten /ˈgɒt(ə)n/)

• 1 [with object] come to have (something); receive:I got a letter from him the other day what kind of reception did you get?
• experience, suffer, or be afflicted with (something bad):I got a sudden pain in my left eye
• receive as a punishment or penalty:I’ll get the sack if things go wrong
• contract (a disease or ailment):I might be getting the flu

• 2 [with object] succeed in attaining, achieving, or experiencing; obtain:I need all the sleep I can get he got a teaching job in California
• move in order to pick up or bring (something); fetch:get another chair [with two objects]:I’ll get you a drink
• prepare (a meal):Celia went to the kitchen to start getting their dinner
• [with object and adverbial] tend to meet with or find in a specified place or situation:for someone used to the tiny creatures we get in England it was something of a shock
• travel by or catch (a bus, train, or other form of transport):I got a taxi across to Baker Street
• obtain (a figure or answer) as a result of calculation.
• make contact with, especially by telephone:you can get me at home if you need me
• respond to a ring of (a telephone or doorbell):I’ll get the door!
• [in imperative] informal used to draw attention to someone whom one regards as pretentious or vain:get her!

• 3reach or cause to reach a specified state or condition: [no object, with complement]:he’d got thinner it’s getting late [with past participle]:you’ll get used to it [with object and complement]:I need to get my hair cut
• [as auxiliary verb] used with past participle to form the passive mood:the cat got drowned
• [with object and past participle] cause to be treated in a specified way:get the form signed by a doctor
• [with object and infinitive] induce or prevail upon (someone) to do something:they got her to sign the consent form
• [no object, with infinitive] have the opportunity to do:he got to try out a few of these nice new cars
• [no object, with present participle or infinitive] begin to be or do something, especially gradually or by chance:we got talking one evening

• 4 [no object, with adverbial of direction] come, go, or make progress eventually or with some difficulty:Nigel got home very late he hadn’t got very far with the book yet
• [no object, with adverbial] move or come into a specified position, situation, or state:she got into the car Henry got to his feet you don’t want to get into debt
• [with object and adverbial] succeed in making (someone or something) come, go, or move somewhere:she had to get them away from the rocks let’s get you home
• [no object, with clause] informal, chiefly North American reach a specified point or stage:it’s getting so I can’t even think

• 5 (have got)see have.

• 6 [with object] catch or apprehend (someone):the police have got him
• strike or wound (someone) with a blow or missile:you got me in the eye!
• informal punish, injure, or kill (someone), especially as retribution:I’ll get you for this!
• (get it) informal be punished, injured, or killed:wait until dad comes home, then you’ll get it!
• (get mine, his, etc.) informal be appropriately punished or rewarded:I’ll get mine, you’ll get yours, we’ll all get wealthy
• informal annoy (someone) greatly:cleaning the same things all the time, that’s what gets me
• baffle (someone):she had got me there: I could not answer

• 7 [with object] informal understand (an argument or the person making it):What do you mean? I don’t get it

• 8 [with object] archaic acquire (knowledge) by study; learn:that knowledge which is gotten at school

noun

• 1 dated an animal’s offspring.

• 2British informal or dialect a person whom the speaker dislikes or despises.