get down

verb

1. (intr; also preposition) to dismount or descend

2. (tr; also preposition) to bring down

   we could not get the wardrobe down the stairs

3. (tr) to write down

4. (tr) to make depressed

   your nagging gets me down

5. (tr) to swallow

   he couldn't get the meal down

6. to attend seriously (to); concentrate (on) (esp in the phrases get down to business or brass tacks )

7. informal,  (intr) to enjoy oneself uninhibitedly, esp by dancing

Idioms and Phrases

Descend; bring down; also, swallow. For example, He's getting down from the ladder , or Can you get the cat down from the tree? or I can't seem to get this pill down . [Late 1500s]

get down to . Give one's attention to, as in Let's get down to work , or It's time we got down to business . [Late 1800s] For the most important variants, see under get down to brass tacks .

get down on . See down on .

get someone down . Discourage or depress someone. For example, Don't let Mary's troubles get you down , or Day after day of rain really gets me down . [c. 1930]

Describe in writing, as in Can you get down all he's saying?

Lose one's inhibitions, enjoy oneself fully. For example, At our reunion we got down with all our old friends . Slang

Example Sentences

Her son helps with visits to the bathroom and she often has to get down the stairs on her bottom.

From BBC

Security told me I had to get down.

From Los Angeles Times

Next year's World Cup will have 104 matches and will take 72 games – eight games more than an entire 32-team World Cup – just to get down to 32 teams.

From BBC

He had got down in the lift past two security doors.

From BBC

Mason said the suspect was seen running to that area after getting down from the roof.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• disembark 
• get off