get away

get away

See also: getaway and get-away

English

Etymology

get + away

Verb

get away (third-person singular simple present gets away, present participle getting away, simple past got away, past participle (UK) got away or (US) gotten away)

1. (literally) To move away (from).

   Get away from the edge of the cliff!

   Get away from me!

2. (with 'from' when used with an object) To avoid capture; to escape; to flee (from).

   Surround the bank! Don't let the robber get away!

   I almost caught the critter, but it got away from me.

3. (with 'to' when used with an object) To take a break from one's present circumstances; to journey (to), especially on holiday.

   This place is really getting me down. I need to get away for a while.

   Next weekend we're hoping to get away to the seaside.

4. To start moving; to depart.

   The train got away exactly on time.

   • 2007 September 27, Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood, distributed by Paramount Vantage & Miramax Films, spoken by Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis):

     I couldn't get away sooner because my new well was coming in at Coyote Hills and I had to see about it.

5. To slip from one's control.

   I can't cope any more. Things are getting away from me.

Translations

to move away (from)

Finnish: liikkua (fi) ((poispäin) + elative), loitota (fi), häipyä (fi) Galician: arredar (gl), sacar (gl) Italian: venire via Spanish: alejarse (es)

to avoid capture; to escape (from) — see escape

to take a break from one's present circumstances

Finnish: poistua (fi), lähteä (fi) Italian: allontanarsi (it)

to journey (to), especially on holiday

Finnish: matkustaa (fi) Italian: andarsene (it), staccare (it), allontanarsi (it)

To start moving; to depart — see depart

to slip from one's control

Finnish: lähteä lapasesta Italian: sfuggire (it) Spanish: escaparse (es)

Interjection

get away

1. Expressing disbelief.

   You bought that for twenty pounds? Get away!

Related terms

• getaway
• get away with

Anagrams

• gateway, waygate