1
general::
Phrase(s): get something down (in black and white) [and] get something down (on paper); get something down
Fig. to record some important information in writing. (Alludes to the black of ink and the white of paper.) • Be sure to get his statement down in black and white. • I’m glad we have agreed on a price. I want to get it down in black and white. • Get down every word of it! • This is important. Please get it down on paper., Phrase(s): get down (on all fours)
to position oneself on one’s hands and knees. • He got down on all fours and played with the children. • Mary got down and walked around like a dog., Phrase(s): get something down (on paper)
Go to get something down (in black and white) and get something down (on paper); get something down, Phrase(s): get someone or something down something [and] get someone or something down
to manage to put or force something downward. • We finally got her down the stairs, but it was a struggle. • Don had to push and push to get his laundry down the chute., Phrase(s): get down
1. Sl. to lay one’s money on the table. (Gambling.) • Okay, everybody get down. • Get down, and let’s get going! 2. Sl. to concentrate; to do something well. • I’m flunking two subjects, man. I gotta get down. • Come on, Sam, pay attention. Get down and learn this stuff. 3. Sl. to copulate. • Hey, let’s get down! • All Steve wants to do is get down all the time., Phrase(s): get someone or something down (from something)
to bring someone or something down from a higher place. • See if you can get my cat down from the tree. • Please get down the sugar from the top shelf., Phrase(s): get someone down
to depress a person; to make a person very sad. • My dog ran away, and it really got me down. • Oh, that’s too bad. Don’t let it get you down., Phrase(s): get something down
1. to manage to swallow something, especially something large or unpleasant. • The pill was huge, but I got it down. • I get down all the pills despite their size. • It was the worst food I have ever had, but I got it down somehow. 2. Go to get something down (in black and white) and get something down (on paper); get something down., Phrase(s): get down (from something)
to get off something; to climb down from something. • Please get down from there this instant! • Get down before you fall!
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
2
general::
1. Descend; bring down; also, swallow. For example, He's getting down from the ladder, or Can you get the cat down from the tree? or I can't seem to get this pill down. [Late 1500s] 2. Get down to. Give one's attention to, as in Let's get down to work, or It's time we got down to business. [Late 1800s] For the most important variants, see under GET DOWN TO BRASS TACKS. 3. get down on. See DOWN ON. 4. get someone down. Discourage or depress someone. For example, Don't let Mary's troubles get you down, or Day after day of rain really gets me down. [c. 1930] 5. Describe in writing, as in Can you get down all he's saying? 6. Lose one's inhibitions, enjoy oneself fully. For example, At our reunion we got down with all our old friends. [Slang]
American Heritage Idioms