Dictionary

get away with murder en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (excessive) To do something bad or illegal and escape the punishment that others would receive.
   • He'd spoil the boy just as we have all spoiled him, and though he's a big strapping fellow and a soldier at that, he'd let Ned get away with murder just as I've done. 1984, James Purdy, On Glory's Course, Viking Press, →ISBN, page 147:
   • It's because you let people get away with murder, Quill. 2000, Claudia Bishop, Marinade for Murder, Berkley, →ISBN:
   • Just yesterday it was fashionable to be black. Remember? Any black writer could get away with murder, just as any Jewish-American writer can get away with murder. 1980, Gore Vidal, Robert J. Stanton, Views from a Window: Conversations with Gore Vidal, L. Stuart, →ISBN, page 245:
   • And what do you say to someone who might be on the left, who’d be listening to this conversation and would say: Oh look, Bannon is absolutely right. There was a financial crisis. Wall Street got away with murder. 2025 January 31, Ross Douthat, “Steve Bannon on ‘Broligarchs’ vs. Populism”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
   • He said I found out about everything he did and said, 'I can't get away with nothing, and Jim can get away with murder.' I don't think that I let any of my kids get away with murder, and I don't think any one of them ever did much serious mischief. 2005, James M. Hill, Sr., I Have Been Blessed!: Hard Work and Happiness, Aforesight Press, →ISBN, page 205:

Forms

Translations (6)

pl ujść płazem (to do something bad or illegal and not be punished) · ru вы́йти сухи́м из воды́ (to do something bad or illegal and not be punished) · pl uchodzić płazem (to do something bad or illegal and not be punished) · pl ujść na sucho (to do something bad or illegal and not be punished) · pl uchodzić na sucho (to do something bad or illegal and not be punished) · pl upiec się (to do something bad or illegal and not be punished)