get down
Verb (transitive):
- To cause to descend; to bring or move something to a lower position: To physically lower an object or person.
- To write or record something: To put thoughts, words, or musical notes into a written or recorded form.
- To depress or discourage someone: To lower someone's mood or spirits; to make someone feel sad or disheartened.
Verb (intransitive):
- To descend, especially from a vehicle or elevated position: To alight or step down from something like a horse, bus, or ladder.
- To assume a lower bodily position, often by kneeling or crouching: To lower one's body, typically to the ground.
- To begin to work on something seriously; to focus on a task: To start dealing with a matter in a determined way.
Verb (transitive):
- Could you get down that book from the top shelf for me? (To lower an object)
- I need to get down these ideas before I forget them. (To write something)
- The constant rain really gets me down. (To depress someone)
Verb (intransitive):
- Please get down from that wall; it's not safe. (To descend from a height)
- The priest asked the congregation to get down on their knees. (To assume a kneeling position)
- Enough chatting; let's get down to business. (To begin serious work)
"Get down to brass tacks": To start discussing the most important facts or details of a matter.
- After some small talk, the committee got down to brass tacks and debated the budget.
"Get down to the nitty-gritty": Similar to "brass tacks," meaning to focus on the fundamental, practical, or specific details.
- Let's get down to the nitty-gritty of the contract.
Get-down (noun, informal): A lively, fun party or a style of funky dance music.
- That concert was a real get-down!
Got down (past tense):
- He got down from the ladder carefully.
- Descend: To move or fall downward.
- Alight: To descend from a vehicle.
- Record / Write down: To put in writing.
- Depress / Demoralize: To lower in spirit.
Get down on (someone): To criticize or be harsh toward someone.
- Don't get down on yourself for making one mistake.
Get down with (something/someone) (slang): To approve of, agree with, or enjoy something; or to be involved with a group.
- I really get down with that kind of music.
- He gets down with a local basketball team.
Get your hands dirty: To become involved in the difficult or basic work of something.
- The manager isn't afraid to get his hands dirty and help on the factory floor.
Get down and dirty: To engage in something in a very direct, forceful, or rough manner, often without concern for rules or politeness.
- The debate is about to get down and dirty.
- take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
- We began working at dawn
- Who will start?
- Get working as soon as the sun rises!
- The first tourists began to arrive in Cambodia
- He began early in the day
- Let's get down to work now
- put down in writing; of texts, musical compositions, etc.
- lower someone's spirits; make downhearted
- These news depressed her
- The bad state of her child's health demoralizes her
- pass through the esophagus as part of eating or drinking
- Swallow the raw fish--it won't kill you!
- alight from (a horse)
- move something or somebody to a lower position
- take down the vase from the shelf
- lower (one's body) as by kneeling
- Get down on your knees!