get the lead out en · VERB
Etymology
A shortened form of get the lead out of one's shoes (or one's pants). Here, lead refers to a very heavy metal, thus the expression means roughly to get rid of whatever is slowing one down and hurry up.
Meanings
- (dated, idiomatic) To go faster; to hurry up.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| gotten the lead out | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | US | lexicographic |
| gets the lead out | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| got the lead out | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | UK | lexicographic |
| got the lead out | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| getting the lead out | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |