got
Definition
Verb (past tense of get):
- To have obtained, received, or acquired something: "got" indicates that the action of getting (obtaining, receiving, or acquiring) happened in the past.
- To have become or arrived at a state: "got" can describe a change of state that occurred in the past.
- To have understood or grasped something: "got" can mean "understood" in the past tense.
Verb (past participle of get):
- Used with "have" or "has" to form the present perfect tense: "got" (in British English) or "gotten" (in American English) indicates that the action of getting has been completed up to the present moment.
Usage Examples
Past tense (simple past):
- She got a new job last week. (She obtained a new job.)
- He got tired after running for an hour. (He became tired.)
- I got the joke after he explained it. (I understood the joke.)
Past participle (present perfect):
- I have got a letter from my friend. (I have received a letter.)
- They have got lost in the woods. (They have become lost.)
Advanced Usage
"have got" (idiomatic possession): In informal English, "have got" is used to mean "have" (to possess or own).
- She has got a beautiful house. (She owns a beautiful house.)
- I have got two brothers. (I possess two brothers.)
"have got to" (obligation): "have got to" is an informal way to express necessity or obligation, similar to "must" or "have to."
- I have got to finish this report by noon. (I must finish this report.)
- You have got to see that movie! (You must see that movie.)
Variants and Related Words
- Get (base form): the present tense of the verb.
- I get up early every day. (I rise early.)
- Gotten (past participle, American English): used in place of "got" in perfect tenses.
- She has gotten a promotion. (She has received a promotion.)
- Getting (present participle): the ongoing form.
- He is getting better at playing the piano. (He is improving.)
Synonyms
- Obtained: received or acquired.
- She obtained a visa for her trip. (She got a visa.)
- Became: changed into a state.
- He became angry. (He got angry.)
- Understood: comprehended.
- I understood the instructions. (I got the instructions.)
Phrasal Verbs
- Get along: to have a friendly relationship.
- They got along well at the party. (They had a good relationship.)
- Get over: to recover from something.
- She got over her illness quickly. (She recovered from her illness.)
- Get through: to complete or survive something.
- He got through the exam. (He completed the exam successfully.)
Related Idioms
- Get the hang of: to learn how to do something.
- I finally got the hang of driving a stick shift. (I learned how to do it.)
- Get a grip: to control one's emotions.
- You need to get a grip and calm down. (You need to control yourself.)
- Get the ball rolling: to start a process.
- Let's get the ball rolling on this project. (Let's start the project.)