Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts (56 page)

get off scot-free
to end up not having to pay the penalty. (
Scot
[old] = tax or burden.)
Do you really think you can pull a trick like that and get off scot-free? You're lucky you're not in jail!
I explained to the judge about how I was out of a job, and my kids were sick, and my wife left me, and my mother needed an operation, and I thought I would get off scot-free. He threw the book at me!

Get out of here
!
Go away!; Leave this place!
J
OHN
: I've heard enough of this! Get out of here! B
ILL
: I'm going! I'm going!
B
ILL
: Where have you been? You smell like a sewer! Get out of here! F
RED
: I can't imagine what you smell.

Get out of my face
!
Go away and stop bothering me!; Get yourself away from me!
A
LICE
: Beat it! Get out of my face! Go away and stop bothering me! F
RED
: What on earth did I do?
B
ILL
: You really think I'll buy something that has been copied? B
OB
: I want you to give my proposal some thought. B
ILL
: Get out of my face! I'll never buy something that's stolen!

Get over it
!
Forget about it!; Don't think about it!
D
ON
: So he broke up with you. Get over it!
I'm really broken up about it. I keep saying to myself, “Get over it!
”

Get over yourself
!
Don't be so conceited!; Stop being the center of your life!
I
SABEL
: I said to him, “You're your own hobby. Get over yourself!
”
A
NDY
: You think you're so smart! Get over yourself!

Get the lead out
!
AND
Shake the lead out
!
Hurry up! (Slang. As if slowed down by lead in one's pockets or somewhere else.)
“Move it, you guys!” hollered the coach. “Shake the lead out!
”
B
OB
: Get the lead out, you loafer! B
ILL
: Don't rush me!

Get the message?
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