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

get into a blue 
(come out of the blue)
get into the swing of things
(get into
full swing )
get into the way of something
(get in
the way something )
get it 
(buy it)
get it hot
(get hot)
get it off one’s chest 
(get it off )
get it through one’s head 
(get it into
one’s head)
get knotted 
(get tied up)
get life 
(get a life)
get off one’s soap box 
(get off one’s high
horse)
get off with someone
(get it off with
someone)
get off with you 
(get it off with some-
one)
get on one’s bike 
(get off one’s bike)
get on one’s horse
(get on one’s high
horse)
get on the move 
(get a move on)
get on top of something
(come on top
of something )
get on towards something
(get on to
something )
get on with someone
(get it on with
someone)
get one’s act together 
(get it together)
get one’s breath again 
(catch one’s
breath)
get one’s call (get a call)
get one’s feet wet 
(dip one’s toes in the
water)
get one’s head around something
(get
around something )
get one’s head together
(knock heads
together)
get one’s hooks into someone 
(hook
someone up)
get one’s lines crossed 
(cross the finish
line)
get one’s nuts off
(be off one’s nut)
get one’s picture of something 
(get
one’s picture in something )
get one’s start
(get a start)
get one’s ticket punched 
(get one’s
ticket)
get out of bed with the wrong foot
foremost 
(get off on the wrong foot)
get out of hand 
(come to hand)
get out of temper
(get into a temper)
get round to something
(get round
something )
get some shut-eye 
(shut one’s eyes)
get someone covered 
(cover for some-
one)
get someone off the hook 
(get someone
off )
get someone on his feet 
(carry someone
off his feet)
get someone started 
(give someone a
head start)
get someone through 
(get through to
someone)
get someone wrong 
(get someone in
wrong )
get someone’s point 
(get one’s point
across)
get something off the ground 
(bring
something to the ground)
get something over 
(get over some-
thing )
get something through 
(get through
something )
get stars in one’s eyes 
(see stars)
get stuck in
(get stuck)
get stuck into something
(get stuck in
something )
get stuck on something 
(get stuck for
something )
get stuck with something 
(get stuck for
something )
get the bird 
(get a duck)
get the blues
(get one’s blue)
get the chair 
(take a chair)
get the goods 
(deliver the goods)
get the hook 
(be hooked)
get the horrors 
(get the dry horrors)
get the pip
(get one’s second pip)
get the point 
(get a point)
get the rush 
(get the bum’s rush)
get the wrong end of the stick 
(get the
short end of the stick)
get through to something
(get through
something )
get through with someone
(get through
to someone)
get through with something
(get
through something )
get tied up in knots
(get tied up)
get to first base 
(get off base)
get to grips with something
(get a grip
on something )
get to someone
(get onto someone)
get to the bottom of the barrel
(get to
the bottom of something )
get to the point
(get to a point)
get under someone’s skin
(get into
someone’s skin)
get-up-and-go 
(get-go)
get up steam 
(get steamed up)
get wind
(get one’s wind)
get wind of something 
(get the wind of
something )
get with it 
(get on with it)
get your buns over here 
(bun is in the
oven, the)
ghost in the machine 
(deus ex machina)
ghost train 
(ghost ship)
GI Jane
(GI bride)
gin palace 
(gin house)
Girl Guider
(Girl Guide)
girlie-boy 
(girl-boy)
give a hint
(drop a hint)
give away the farm
(buy the farm)
give color to something
(add color to
something )
give it hot to someone 
(get the hots for
someone)
give it some stick 
(give someone stick)
give it the gun
(give it a shot)
give it to someone straight 
(give it to
someone)
give me a break
(give someone a break)
give mouth 
(give it mouth)
give one’s hand to someone 
(give one’s
arm to someone)
give one’s heart to someone
(give heart
to someone)
give one’s life to something 
(give one’s
life for something ) )
give one’s name to something 
(give a
name to something )
give or take
(give and take)
give promise
(give a promise)
give shape to something
(get something
into shape)
give someone a black look
(give some-
one a black eye)
give someone a fair shake 
(give some-
one a shake)
give someone a foot in the door
(give
someone a foot up)
give someone a free hand 
(give someone
a hand)
give someone a good hand 
(give some-
one a glad hand)
give someone a jump 
(get the jump on
someone)
give someone a kickback 
(give someone
the kick)
give someone a leg up 
(give someone a
foot up)
give someone a nice time 
(give some-
one a hard time)
give someone a pat on the shoulder
(give someone a pat on the back)
give someone a rise
(give someone a
lift)
give someone a rough ride 
(take a
sleigh ride)
give someone a run for his money
(give someone a run)
give someone a shake-up 
(give someone
a shake-down)
– 351 –
Phrase Index

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give someone a start
(give someone a
head start)
give someone a tip-off 
(give someone a
tip)
give someone an even break 
(give
someone a break)
give someone beans 
(be full of beans)
give someone best
(give of one’s best)
give someone credit 
(do someone
credit)
give someone grief 
(bring someone to
grief )
give someone high five 
(give someone
five)
give someone his freedom
(give some-
one freedom)
give someone his head
(give someone a
head)
give someone ideas
(give someone an
idea)
give someone leg 
(give someone a foot
up)
give someone line
(give someone a line)
give someone lip service 
(give someone
lip)
give someone one’s ear 
(give someone a
thick ear)
give someone one’s hand 
(give someone
a hand)
give someone pain 
(give someone a
pain)
give someone small change 
(give some-
one short change)
give someone the air
(give oneself airs)
give someone the bum’s rush 
(give
someone a rush)
give someone the evil eye
(give someone
a black eye)
give someone the eye
(give an eye to
someone)
give someone the eyeroll
(give an eye to
someone)
give someone the freedom of the
world 
(give someone the freedom of the
city)
give someone the kick in the teeth
(give someone the kick)
give someone the needle 
(needle some-
one)
give someone the push
(give someone a
push)
give someone the run 
(give someone a
run)
give someone the runs 
(give someone a
run)
give someone the shake 
(give someone
a shake)
give someone the time of day 
(give
someone the time)
give someone the word
(give someone
one’s word)
give someone time out 
(give someone
time)
give someone tongue 
(give someone the
rough side of one’s tongue)
give someone trouble 
(get someone into
trouble)
give someone wings 
(clip someone’s
wings)
give something a shot 
(get a shot at
something )
give something away
(give something
off )
give something out 
(give something off )
give something up as a bad job 
(don’t
give up the day job)
give the pledge 
(give a pledge)
give the word 
(give one’s word)
give tongue
(give someone the rough side
of one’s tongue)
give up the ship 
(abandon ship)
give way to something
(make way for
something )
give weight to something
(give full
weight to something )
glove compartment
(glove box)
go a long way 
(come a long way)
go about
(come about)
go about one’s business 
(send someone
about his business)
go across
(come across)
go after someone
(come after someone)
go ahead 
(come out ahead)
go along 
(come along )
go along with something 
(come along
with something )
go along with you 
(go along with some-
one)
go apart
(come apart)
go around 
(come around)
go around the bend 
(go straight)
go around to something 
(come around
to something )
go around with someone 
(go around
someone)