get at

British  

verb

1. to gain access to

   the dog could not get at the meat on the high shelf

2. to mean or intend

   what are you getting at when you look at me like that?

3. to irritate or annoy persistently; criticize

   she is always getting at him

4. to influence or seek to influence, esp illegally by bribery, intimidation, etc

   someone had got at the witness before the trial

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get at Idioms  

1. Touch, reach successfully, as in Mom hid the peanut butter so we couldn't get at it . [Late 1700s]

2. Try to make understandable; hint at or suggest. For example, I think I see what you're getting at . [Late 1800s]

3. Discover, learn, ascertain, as in We must get at the facts of the case . [Late 1700s]

4. Bribe or influence by improper or illegal means, as in He got at the judge, and the charges were dismissed . [ Colloquial ; mid-1800s]

5. Start on, begin work on, attend to, as in “Get at your canvassing early, and drive it with all your might” (Mark Twain, letter to his publishers, 1884). [ Colloquial ; late 1800s]

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Example Sentences

People might also need to decide what to do with any additional shares they get at a discount through employee stock-purchase programs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

That doesn’t guarantee deals will be made, but it does mean more motivation to get at least some done.

From Barron's • May 11, 2026

One of the hardest things as a parent whose child is not sleeping is how furious you can get at 4 a.m., even though you know you shouldn’t be angry, because they’re just a baby.

From Slate • May 3, 2026

"Earlier we would get at least six days of work a week, now it's down to four," he said.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

If you’re going to intercept somebody in the lavatory, you get, at best, about two chances a day: one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan

Related Words

• ascertain
• get hold of