A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

get away • make one’s getaway
get away —
1
. leave a place, especially with some difficulty:
“Sorry I couldn’t get away sooner,” said Patrick. “I had some
things to finish up.” 2. escape from prison, the police, etc.:
Police say the suspect got away on a green motorcycle with no
tags. 3. escape smth. dangerous: There were five seconds
between him and eternity and how he got away before the
explosion is a mystery. 4. spend time away from a place: It
was nice to get away for a few days, and just enjoy each other’s
company.
make one’s getaway —
1
. = get away 2: A man suspected of
stealing made his getaway on a bicycle. 2. have a short vaca-
tion: Still no plans for your summer vacation? …but it’s not
too late to make your getaway.
get back at someone • get back to someone
get back at someone —gain revenge against a person: Students
have no way of getting back at a teacher who marks their work
unfairly.
get back to someone —speak to smb. again at a later time (by
telephone): I’ll take advice on this matter and get back to you
this afternoon.
get back on the rails • go off the rails
get back on the rails —successfully recover from adverse sit-
uation, etc.: Bob Taft’s campaign got back on the rails in last
week’s primaries. One victory came in Wisconsin…
go off the rails —(also: run off the rails) start behaving in a
way that is not acceptable: Returning to the U.S., he is dis-
owned by the CIA, which portrays him as a rogue agent who
went off the rails.
get by on something • get by with something
get by on something —survive by means of smth. (usually
inadequate): She gets by on odd jobs hoping to make it
through the worst crisis that has ever hit the economy.
get by with something —
1
. = get by on something: I don’t know
how she gets by with the money she earns from that job. 2.
manage with smth. that is available, for want of anything bet-
ter: You may be able to get by with one screwdriver but it’s
better to buy a large and a small one. 3. (also: get away with
something ) go unpunished for doing smth. reprehensible :
Don’t try to cheat on your income tax, you’ll never get by with
it.