get the lead out

Idioms  

1. Also,. Hurry up, move faster. For example, Get the lead out of your pants, kids, or we'll be late, or, even more figuratively, Arthur is the slowest talker—he can't seem to get the lead out and make his point. This expression implies that lead, the heaviest of the base metals, is preventing one from moving. [Slang; first half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

While that huge park is a great place for your fast dog to get the lead out, it is also a good idea to do some socialization work in more controlled environments, too.

From Slate • Nov. 15, 2019

"The time for talk is over: it is time to get the lead out of Bagega."

From Reuters • Nov. 15, 2012

The last two nights we get the lead out early and the guys are coming out swinging.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 19, 2012

Doctors get the lead out with a process called chelation, using drugs that bind to the metal in the bloodstream, allowing it to be flushed out in the urine.

From Time Magazine Archive

In his charge he had frequent occasion to mention the "copper," which he uniformly called "lead," adding, "I beg your pardon, gentlemen,—copper; but I can't get the lead out of my head!"

From The Jest Book The Choicest Anecdotes and Sayings by Lemon, Mark