Important idioms and phrases which start with the letter ‘G’
Gain an advantage over
Meaning: Be in a better position.
Example: She is her best friend but she has an advantage over her in all respects.
Gall and worm wood
Meaning: Something extremely bitter or painful.
Example: The information about the salesmen’s death was gall and worm wood to his friends.
Gather around
Meaning: Come together round.
Example: The crowd gathered around to have a keep in the film shooting.
Gather together
Meaning: Collect.
Example: She gathered the luggage together before shifting to her new home.
Gather up
Meaning: (i) Pick up and place together, gather in.
Example: The secretary gathered up the office files and kept them in the drawers.
(ii) Contract one’s limbs, etc.
The old lady was not able to gather up her limbs.
Gaze at
Meaning: Look steadily at.
Example: The ladies were gazing from the windows of the car and enjoying the scenic beauty.
Get about
Meaning: Move freely, travel, be able to move again after sickness.
Example: The man was not able to get about due to paralysis.
Become accustomed to (doing) something
Meaning: Be used to.
Example: He has become accustomed to taking homeopathic medicines.
Get-accross
Meaning: (i) (Cause to) pass from one side to the other.
Example: To get accross that lake we had to hire a boat.
(ii) Annoy, offend.
She got accross the thieves for having stolen her gold necklace.
Get along
Meaning: (i) Go, move on.
Example: Let’s get along and watch a film in the multiplex.
(ii) Manage to live or work.
Nobody in the world can get along without money.
Get-along with
Meaning: Have a friendly relationship with.
Example: She is a snob. She can’t get along with anyone.
Get at
Meaning: (i) Hint.
Example: He was not able to understand what Parveen was getting at.
(ii) Set to work on.
Let’s get at completing this assignment as soon as possible.
Get away
Meaning: (i) Escape.
Example: The terrorists got away from the prison, but they were caught by the police within a few days.
Get away with
Meaning: (i) Go unpunished for.
Example: Don’t think that you would be able to get away with all the wrongs you do. One day you would suffer the wrath of God.
Get back
Meaning: (i) Come hack.
Example: When shall you get back to your work.
(ii) Retreat.
He began to get back when he saw a truck arriving on the main road.
Get-back at
Meaning: Gain revenge on.
Example: Don’t get back at your enemies. Correct them instead.
Get-behind
Meaning: (i) Fall behind.
Example: Don’t get behind, Run and win the race.
(ii) Fall in to arrears.
He never fell behind in all his payments of rent and electricity.
(iii) Support.
He thought that everybody would get behind him, but nobody did so.
Get by
Meaning: Pass.
Example: He got by with good marks in the Senior Secondary examination.
Get down
Meaning: (i) Descend.
Example: She was getting down the hill, when she saw a big snake.
(ii) Write down.
She is very quick to get down the things.
(iii) Depress.
Don’t get down on trifles. Be brave and overcome the obstacles of life valiantly.
Get down to
Meaning: Begin to give serious attention to.
Example: Son, get down to studies soon. Don’t neglect them.
Get even with
Meaning: Revenge.
Example: It’s not right to get even with people who harm you. Ignore 1 them instead.
Get going
Meaning: (i) Begin to move, get started.
Example: Let’s get going if you want to reach the railway station on time.
(ii) To make angry.
The theft committed by the maid servant made her owner get going.
Get in
Meaning: (i) Arrive.
Example: When will the deluxe bus from Jallandhar to Delhi get in.
(ii) Enter.
The police got in through the entrance and captured the thief hidden in the showroom.
Get into
Meaning: (i) Put on (clothes etc.)
Example: She got into her school uniform and went to school.
(ii) Acquire.
She got into drugs because of her friends, who misguided i her and ruined her life.
(iii) Enter.
The truck-driver got into the truck and drove away.
(iv) To become familiar with.
The secretary got into the computers to impress her boss.
Get into a scrape
Meaning: Get into a difficulty.
Example: I always helped my friend whenever she got into a scrape.
Keep in touch with
Meaning: Communicate with.
Example: Mother told her newly married daughter to keep in touch with her.
Get lost
Meaning: (i) Go away.
Example: Get lost from here, you don’t know how to talk to a girl.
Get off
Meaning: (i) Mail despatch.
Example: She wrote a letter to her aunt and got it off by speed post.
(ii) Begin a journey.
She got off to Simla with her parents.
(iii) Get down.
Please get off the bus immediately, lest you may get ahead of your stop, due to driver’s carelessness.
(iv) Escape punishment.
You can’t get off the wrath of God, if you torture innocent people.
Get on
Meaning: (i) Fare, manage.
Example: Are you getting on well in life.
(ii) Go, move on.
Now shall we get on to the playground to play cricket.
(iii) Board a bus, etc.
Some people were not able to get on the train.
Get on in years
Meaning: Grew very old.
Example: He is already 77 years old and is getting on in years.
Getting on one’s nerves
Meaning: Annoy one, make one nervous.
Example: Mona kept on getting on Tom’s nerves by poking too many questions to him.
Get on to
Meaning: (i) Make contact with someone.
Example: We must get on to her father immediately to know about her whereabouts.
(ii) Move from one activity or phase to another.
The Doctor got on to see the other patient.
Get on with
Meaning: Continue.
Example: Please don’t waste your time in backbiting. Get on with your work.
Get out of
Meaning: (i) Escape from.
Example: In the past, it was difficult for the slave to get out of the clutches of his master.
(ii) Avoid.
Jack never get out of studies, that is the reason why he always stand first in the school.
Get out of order
Meaning: Stops functioning properly.
Example: His car has got out of order, thus he would reach late at home tonight.
Get over
Meaning: (i) Climb.
Example: He got over the ladder to repair the fan.
(ii) Overcome a difficulty.
It is possible to get over every difficulty with firm faith on God.
Get rid of
Meaning: (i) Discard, remove.
Example: He got rid of his^ habit of smoking after gaining knowledge about its drastic consequences on health.
(ii) Get free from.
He wanted to get rid of his cruel step-mother by running away from home, but could not do so because of his father’s interference.
Get round to
Meaning: Find time to do.
Example: When shall you get round to complete your assignment.
After completing his office work, he got round to teach his daughter.
Get sick/tired of
Meaning: Not able to tolerate.
Example: She got sick of her husband’s endless demands for dowry.
He got sick of his nagging wife.
Get the hand of a thing
Meaning: Understand the general meaning and implications of something.
Example: He got the hand of the computer after continuous practice.
Get to
Meaning: Start.
Example: After finishing the talk on ‘Dowry demands by the beggars’ they got to discussing ‘Old age problems’.
She got to her uncle’s house at 5 a.m.
Get to the bottom of
Meaning: To find out the real cause of.
Example: The scientists made many experiments to get to the bottom of things.
Get together
Meaning: Assemble, meet.
Example: The Muslims get together to enjoy their holy festival Eid with great gay and gaiety.
Get up
Meaning: (i) Stand up.
Example: He got up to wish his boss.
(ii) Rise from one’s bed.
He got up at 7 a.m. to leave for his office.
(iii) Climb.
The girl fell down as she got up the ladder to reach the roof of her house.
(iv) Memorize.
She got up maths before going to the examination.
Get up to
Meaning: Catch up with, reach.
Example: He got upto last page of that story book.
Get what is coming to one
Meaning: Recieve the good or bad that one deserves.
Example: One must get what is coming.
Get wind of
Meaning: Get news of.
Example: The Indian army got wind of the plan to conquer India’s territories by the enemy country.
Get wise to
Meaning: Become aware of.
Example: The farmers are getting wise to the tricks of the money lenders who exploit them on the pretext of giving help.
Get with it
Meaning: Pay attention to.
Example: The president of sport’s club told the players to get with it.
(ii) Got busy about.
The maid got with it, after the arrival of her owner at home.
(Not the) ghost of a chance
Meaning: Not the least chance.
Example: He doesn’t have the ghost of a chance to win the championship as he has not done any practice.
Gift of the gab
Meaning: The ability to speak effectively.
Example: She gives very good speeches. She has the gift of the gab.
Give a ball
Meaning: Have a large dance party.
Example: They gave a ball in celebration of their marriage anniversary.
Give a piece of one’s mind
Meaning: To rebuke.
Example: His mother gave a piece of his mind for roaming around with his girlfriends everyday.
Give a wide berth
Meaning: To avoid (a person).
Example: The innocent girl was not able to understand why her mother- in-law was giving a wide berth to her.
Give-and-take
Meaning: Willingness of each person to yield to (some of) the other’s wishes.
Example: The husband and wife should not keep on quarelling on small issues. There should be a give and take from both sides.
Give away
Meaning: (i) Give as a present.
Example: She gave away a part of her property to her step sister.
(ii) Distribute.
He gave away Rs. 10,000 to the orphans in the orphanage.
(iii) Lose carelessly.
He has given away an opportunity by rejecting the post of the chairman of the association.
(iv) Hand over the bride to the bride-groom at the wedding.
Everyone on the girl’s side began to shed tears with a heavy heart when her father gave away his daughter.
Give back
Meaning: (i) Return.
Example: Kindly give her calculator back. She wants it immediately.
Give birth to
Meaning: (i) Produce.
Example: Don’t give birth to enmity by taking revenge. Ignore your enemies and forgive them.
(ii) Bring into the world.
She gave birth to a lovely baby girl with chubby cheeks and rosy lips.
Give ear to
Meaning: To pay attention to.
Example: Don’t give ear to greedy people who demand money from you.
Give forth
Meaning: (i) Publish.
Example: The journalist gave forth the opinion of the people of the newly formed government in newspaper.
(ii) Emit.
The dustbin gave forth a foul smell due to the accumulation of left over vegetables and wastes.
Give (somebody) hell
Meaning: Scold very roughly in anger.
Example: Her mother gave her hell when she came to know that she was getting married without her consent.
Give in
Meaning: (i) Surrender, yield.
Example: Queen Laxmibai did not give in to the British force till the last breath of her life.
(ii) Hand in.
Please give in the files to the officer.
Give it to
Meaning: Scold.
Example: Don’t give it to your child for small reasons.
Give of
Meaning: Devote or contribute generously.
Example: The kind hearted doctor gave of ample time to the poor patients.
Give one’s life
Meaning: Devote one’s life.
Example: She gave of her life for the upliftment of downtrodden.
Give oneself airs
Meaning: To look self-important.
Example: Don’t praise her too much. She shall give herself airs.
Give oneself away
Meaning: Show one has done wrong.
Example: Her husband broke her teeth and gave himself away by taking her to the doctor.
Give oneself up
Meaning: Surrender.
Example: The dacoit gave himself up to the police.
Give out
Meaning: (i) Hand out, distribute.
Example: The hawkers gave out the newspapers to readers daily.
(ii) Become exhausted.
The man gave out after working for hours together.
Give over
Meaning: To hand over (charge, etc.).
Example: The outgoing Chief Justice handed over the charge to newly appointed Chief Justice.
Give rise to
Meaning: Cause.
Example: Jealousy gives rise to enmity and enmity is the cause of downfall.
Give the cold shoulder
Meaning: To refuse help.
Example: Most of us demand help from others in our need but give a cold shoulder when others are in dire need.
Give the devil his due
Meaning: Tell the truth about a person even though you don’t like him.
Example: Mr. Sam is extremely strict person, thus not many people like him, but to give the devil his due we must admit that he is knowledgeful.
Give up
Meaning: (i) Stop indulging in.
Example: Please give up bad habits. They shall ruin your life.
(ii) Surrender.
The terrorists gave up when they found no other alternative.
Give up the ghost
Meaning: To die.
Example: His great-grand mother gave up the ghost at the ripe age of hundred years.
Give way
Meaning: (i) Yield.
Example: The host gave way to the guest.
(ii) Collapse.
The lofty building gave way.
Give way to
Meaning: (i) Be replaced by.
Example: The video has given way to cable in popularity.
(ii) Allow to go or pass.
Please give way to the ladies first.
(Be) given to
Meaning: Addicted to, in the habit of.
Example: She is given to talking ill of others.
He is given to tobacco from the last five years.
Glance at
Meaning: Take a quick look at.
Example: She glanced at her child and left him to her parents house.
Glance through
Meaning: Read cursorily.
Example: Just glance through the newspaper and find out the list of train accident victims.
Go a long way
Meaning: Help a lot.
Example: He went a long way in solving economical problems of his widow sister.
Go about
Meaning: (i) Travel from place to place.
Example: He went about propagating his preceptor’s preachings.
(ii) Be busy with.
His brilliant child went about studying.
Go after
Meaning: Try to get.
Example: He goes after money, but unfortunately he is not able to get any.
Go against
Meaning: (i) Turn out unfavourable to.
Example: He filed a case against his father to grab his entire property, but the case went against him.
The wrong doers go against the laws of God.
Go ahead
Meaning: (i) Make progress.
Example: The scientific technology have gone ahead rapidly.
(ii) Continue.
He went ahead for studies in England.
Go all out
Meaning: Apply maximum effort.
Example: He went all out to win over his mother-in-law.
Go along
Meaning: Move along, continue.
Example: He went along writing articles for the newspaper.
Go along with
Meaning: Go together.
Example: I went along with my parents to watch a movie.
Go astray
Meaning: Be misled.
Example: Teenagers go astray, if parents are not able to give them right guidance.
Go at
Meaning: Attack.
Example: The excited woman went at her husband for instigating her.
Go away
Meaning: Depart, leave.
Example: Please go away and don’t come to my house.
Go back on
Meaning: Betray.
Example: Never go back on people who are kind to you.
Go back to
Meaning: (i) Extend backwards in space or time.
Example: We can go back to the time of creation of the world through the power of deep meditation on God.
(ii) Return.
He went back to India in the year 2006.
Go beyond
Meaning: Exceed.
Example: It is going beyond the power of the new principal to control the mischievous teenagers of the school.
Go broke
Meaning: To owe more than you can pay.
Example: Some wealthy people go broke as they don’t spend money wisely.
Go by
Meaning: (i) Make a brief visit.
Example: My friend went by to American embassy to find a job over there.
(ii) Pass.
My childhood friend went by me.
(iii) Judge by.
We should not go by a person’s external appearance.
Go down
Meaning: (i) Set.
Example: The blazing sun goes down at around 7 o’clock in the evening.
(ii) Go lower.
The prices of some commodities have gone down.
(iii) Be swallowed.
The child consumed a safety pin by mistake and it went down.
(iv) Sink.
The ship went down and all the passengers aboard got killed.
Go for
Meaning: (i) Attack.
Example: The terrorist went for the informer.
(ii) Go to fetch or seek.
Kindly go for an engineer and get the TV repaired.
Go hot and cold
Meaning: Have an attack of fever or tofeel shameful.
Example: When her mother chided her going to night clubs, she went hot and cold.
Go in for
Meaning: (i) Follow seriously as a hobby.
Example: She went in for Billiards in the pool.
(ii) Enter or take.
She went in for the classical dance competition.
Go into
Meaning: (i) Enter as a profession or business.
Example: Renu go into the job of a computer analyst.
(ii) Examine.
Please go into your child’s report card and find out the subjects in which he is lagging behind.
Go into force
Meaning: Become effective.
Example: The laws against the exploitation of women and children must come into force strictly.
Go it
Meaning: Run hard.
Example: Go it, you must win the race.
Go it alone
Meaning: Act independently.
Example: The children must be taught from the very childhood to go it alone in doing work.
Go off
Meaning: (i) Become worse.
Example: The sparrow went off when the fan hit it.
(ii) Fall asleep
The child went off when her mother sang a lullaby.
(iii) Leave.
She went off, when she saw some people trying to insult her before others.
Go on
Meaning: (i) Happen.
Example: What went on yesterday with you, when you came out of your house crying.
(ii) Continue talking.
Go on with your plans.
Go on for
Meaning: Approach (a time etc.).
Example: She is going on for 18 years this month.
Go out
Meaning: (i) Go on strike.
Example: The doctors went out on strike for first time in the history of that hospital.
(ii) Cease to be fashionable.
The maxis have gone out, yet some girls love to wear them, as they find them elegant.
Go out for
Meaning: Seek to enter into.
Example: She went out for ladies cricket.
Go out of one’s way
Meaning: Go astray.
Example: Some person misguided her and she went out of her way.
Go over
Meaning: (i) To cross.
Example: She went over the bridge.
(ii) Examine.
They went over the judgements passed by the judges.
Go around
Meaning: Pass from person to person.
Example: A rumour went around about the sportstar’s marriage with a model, but that didn’t came out to be true.
(To) Go the whole hog
Meaning: To do a thing thoroughly.
Example: She went the whole hog to complete the project.
Go through fire and water
Meaning: To undergo all kinds of hardships and sufferings in order to attain a goal.
Example: She went through fire and water to become an EPS officer.
Go to pieces
Meaning: Become wild.
Example: The woman went to pieces due to the torture given by her in-laws.
She went to pieces due to the loss of her son in the tragedy.
Go to the dogs
Meaning: Be ruined.
Example: The company went to the dogs due to wrong business strategies.
Go to the wall
Meaning: To be neglected, to be allowed to suffer hardship.
Example: In Indian society, the characterful people go to the wall, while characterless people enjoy themselves.
Go under
Meaning: (i) Fail, become bankrupt.
She has gone under.
(ii) Sink.
The huge ship went under when the storm came.
Go up
Meaning: (i) Increase.
Example: Prices of many commodities have gone up.
The production of essential commodities must go up to keep the prices down.
(ii) Be built.
Many shopping malls have gone up this year.
(iii) Rise.
The plane went up and exploded within a minute of its take off.
Go with
Meaning: Accompany.
Example: Who shall go with me to the exhibition?
(ii) Match, suit.
This shirt does not go with orange coloured pant.
Go without
Meaning: Lack.
Example: The poor people go without food, clothes and shelter.
Go wrong
Meaning: (i) Fail.
Example: He was planning to become rich by establishing a factory, but all his plans went wrong.
(ii) Fall into bad way or habits.
It’s always better to follow the voice of your conscience if you never want to go wrong.
(iii) Stop working properly.
Something has gone wrong with this Invertor. Please call up the engineer to repair it.
Good for
Meaning: (i) Suitable for.
Example: This tonic is good for the child’s growth and development.
(ii) (With a) good grace : Cheerfully, without hesitation.
She gave her old garments to the poor woman with a good grace.
Good Samaritan
Meaning: A kind and charitable person.
Example: He saved many earthquake victims from the clutches of death and proved to be a good Samaritan.
Good turn
Meaning: Act of kindness or goodness.
Example: She did a good turn by giving food to a poor child who was hungry from the last few days.
Grasp at
Meaning: (i) Tty to seize.
Example: She tried to grasp at her mother’s bag as it was too heavy for her.
She grasped at a tree, after she fell off from the parachute.
Grateful to
Meaning: Thankful to.
Example: She is grateful to her sister for helping her in economic crisis.
Grease the palm of
Meaning: Bribe.
Example: These days, even an honest person has to grease the palms of corrupt officials to get the work done.
The criminal tried to grease the palm of the police official.
Grind up
Meaning: Grind thoroughly.
Example: Please grind up the spices into fine powder.
Grow into
Meaning: Develop into (some condition etc.).
Example: She grew into a beautiful damsel.
The bud grows into a beautiful flower.
Guard against
Meaning: Take precautions against.
Example: We must brush our teeth daily to guard against dental problems.