Dictionary

get down en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ɡɛt ˈdaʊn/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• (General-American) audio

Meanings

1. (intransitive, transitive) To bring or come down; to descend; to cause to bring or come down.
   • Don't worry, I got the kitten down.
   • The kitten climbed the tree, but then couldn't get down again.
2. (transitive) To swallow (something).
   • The pill was so large that he couldn't get it down.
3. (informal, intransitive) To duck or take cover, usually to avoid harm. Commonly used as a caution or warning in the imperative.
   • With bullets flying, all I could do was get down and pray.
4. (intransitive) To concentrate; attend.
   • To get down to the matter at hand.
5. (transitive) To depress; discourage; fatigue.
   • Everything gets me down until I figure out I have to shove it off again because it's important to be able to be depressed - to feel - but it's not what I'm alive for - feeling as bad as I usually do. 1999, Jennifer Robin, Bouzi, page 51:
   • Nothing gets me down so much as a rainy day.
6. (idiomatic, informal, intransitive) To relax and enjoy oneself completely; be uninhibited in one's enjoyment.
   • Getting down with a bunch of old friends.
   • It's Friday, Friday / Gotta get down on Friday / Everybody's lookin' forward to the weekend, weekend 2011, “Friday”, performed by Rebecca Black ft. Patrice Wilson:
7. (informal, intransitive) To dance, particularly without inhibition or restraint, or in a sexually suggestive manner.
8. (informal, intransitive) To party.
9. (informal, intransitive, slang) To have sex.
   • And women will not care if Dick finally got down with Jane on Search for Tomorrow 1971, Gil Scott-Heron, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”:
   • You get naked, honey, I'll get down / I'm gonna chase you around 1978, “Dirty Weekend”, in Blondes Have More Fun, performed by Rod Stewart:
   • Oh, do a little dance / Make a little love / Get down tonight, get down tonight 1975, “Get Down Tonight”, performed by KC and the Sunshine Band:
   • She's always willing to get down with him.
10. (UK, informal, intransitive, of a child) To leave the table after dining.
    • Mummy, can I get down please?
11. (transitive) To record, most often in writing.
    • "Get this down, lad," he said, with a note of sharp authority that admitted no discussion. "You have a bit o' paper and a pencil, haven't you? 'C-a-r-r—'" 1934, Ernest Bramah, The Bravo of London:
    • They got the whole song down in an hour.
    • Quick, here's a pen, get this down will you, before I forget.
12. (transitive) To criticise; to be strict towards.
    • Ann is always getting down on these students.
13. (US, intransitive, slang) To use a drug, especially heroin.
    • I can't wait to get home and get down.
14. (US, intransitive, slang, transitive) To do or perform well; to make happen; to make a serious effort at doing something.
    • I've got this process down.
15. (US, intransitive, slang, transitive) To bet on (something); to place bets; to gamble.
    • He's gotta get down on this sure thing.
16. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see get, down.

Forms

Deriveds

get down to brass tacks

Synonyms

lay the pipe · attrist · get down · mate · dash · shelve · give somebody a piece of one's mind · have it off · savage · lambaste · tilt · approach · lecture · criticize · desolate · hump · intercourse · copulate · chide · do it · lace into · get down · admonish · clap cheeks · roger · make the beast with two backs · bonk · have sex · get physical · share a bed · company · common · rate · chastise · bang · find fault · hook up · make whoopee · root · denunciate · get busy · sleep together · blame · sadden · have intimate relations · Netflix and chill · hike the Appalachian Trail · ride · get one's end away · vituperate · get one's groove on · play hide the sausage · eff · pain · exchange flesh · bring down · contristate · couple · tosh · berate · get one's oats · frack · get one's leg over · denounce · objurgate · rail · make love · rebuke · moan · lay into · wear out · crack · make out · engender · bump nasties · animadvert · know · oppress · begloom · do for · poop · bone · show someone one's etchings · tristitiate · charge · go all the way · scorch · tumble · threap · slash · berisp · celebrate · sex · take down · tick off · scold · dance · reprehend · have it away · vilify · get one's freak on · ming · haul one's ashes · tear into · bounce · wear · reprimand · begrieve · shoot up · make it · run someone ragged · get down · unhappy · tell off · get lucky · lay pipe · bump uglies · tire · bawl out · deject · get at · stick · knock boots · screw · repent · despirit · expletive deleted · meddle · censure · rue · do the deed · pound · get freaky · tire out · excoriate · light into · have marital relations · get jiggy · rock and roll · bauf · derogate · get some · shag · drag · chew out · fatigue · boink · beleaguer · see someone's etchings · catch a dick · fuck · rubbish · boogie down · cohabit · come down on · lash · graft the forked tree · upbraid · dip one's pen in someone's inkwell · frak · hide the salami · engage in sex · gas out · slate · fordo · hide the wienie · pipe down · dress down · pooh-pooh · get down · breed · inveigh · get it on · strain · dispraise · play · skewer · keelhaul · discuss Uganda · scold · bash · ungladden · deprecate · put someone on blast · depress · blast · get one's dick wet · cannonade · give somebody what-for · grieven · forset · get it · grieve · pipe · jade · dispirit · jig-jig · know someone in the biblical sense · upset · darken · fulminate · reprove · boff · exhaust · rip into · ingurgitate · reproach · castigate · beat · besorrow · slap bellies · ingest · condemn · sadden up · shaboink · do the nasty · get laid · frick · engrieve · get up · knock up · bop · frig · hide the sausage · get it on · have sexual relations · read somebody the riot act · make love · penetrate · slam · weary · roll around · castigate · wear down · aggrieve · eat someone alive · get the dirty water off one's chest · get down