get off
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb (Transitive):
- To cause someone to be acquitted or avoid punishment, especially in a legal context.
- To send or dispatch something, often via a postal or delivery service.
- To utter or deliver a remark, joke, or line, especially a clever or effective one.
- To experience intense pleasure or stimulation, often of a sexual nature, from a specific object or activity.
Verb (Intransitive):
- To leave a vehicle, aircraft, bicycle, or horse; to alight.
- To leave work with permission, often at the end of a shift or for a break.
- To escape serious consequences or punishment for an action.
- To become intoxicated by drugs; to get high.
Usage Examples
Verb (Transitive):
- The expensive lawyer managed to get his client off. (The lawyer secured an acquittal for his client.)
- I need to get this package off by noon. (I need to dispatch/send this package by noon.)
- He got off a great joke at the start of his speech. (He delivered a great joke.)
- Some people really get off on loud, fast music. (Some people derive great pleasure from it.)
Verb (Intransitive):
- Please get off at the next bus stop. (Please disembark/alight at the next bus stop.)
- I get off work at 5 PM. (I finish/leave work at 5 PM.)
- He cheated on the test but somehow got off with just a warning. (He avoided severe punishment.)
- They got off on some strange substance at the party. (They became high/intoxicated.)
Advanced Usage
- "get off on the right/wrong foot": To start an endeavor or relationship well or poorly.
- We got off on the wrong foot by being late to the first meeting.
- "get off one's chest": To confess or talk about something that has been worrying one.
- He needed to get his guilt off his chest.
- "get off the ground": To start or begin successfully, especially a project.
- The new initiative has struggled to get off the ground.
Variants and Related Words
- Getoff (noun, informal): An instance of experiencing sexual pleasure. (e.g., ). Note: This is a slang compound.
- Send-off (noun): A celebratory demonstration of goodwill at a departure. While related to the "dispatch" meaning, it is a distinct compound noun.
Synonyms
- Alight / Disembark: For leaving a vehicle.
- Dispatch / Mail: For sending something.
- Escape / Avoid: For evading consequences.
- Utter / Deliver: For saying something.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Get off with (someone) (informal, chiefly UK): To kiss or have a sexual encounter with someone.
- He got off with her at the club.
- Get off on (something): To be excited or aroused by something.
- He gets off on being in control.
Related Idioms
- Get off your high horse: Stop acting in a superior or arrogant manner.
- You need to get off your high horse and listen to us.
- Get off the hook: To escape from a difficult situation or avoid blame.
- Her testimony got me off the hook.
- Get off scot-free: To escape punishment entirely.
- The corrupt official got off scot-free due to a technicality.
Verb
- deliver verbally
- He got off the best line I've heard in a long time
- get high, stoned, or drugged
- He trips every weekend
- send via the postal service
- I'll mail you the check tomorrow
- get out of quickly
- The officer hopped out when he spotted an illegally parked car
- alight from (a horse)
- enjoy in a sexual way
- He gets off on shoes
- escape potentially unpleasant consequences; get away with a forbidden action
- She gets away with murder!
- I couldn't get out from under these responsibilities
- cause to be acquitted; get off the hook; in a legal case
- The lawyer got him off, even though there was no doubt in everybody's mind that he killed his wife
- transfer
- The spy sent the classified information off to Russia
- be relieved of one's duties temporarily
- leave a vehicle, aircraft, etc.