get the goods on

Idioms

Also, have the goods on. Acquire or possess confidential information about someone, especially of a damaging or incriminating kind. For example, “Trouble is, they've got the goods on me” (Owen Johnson, The Lawrenceville Stories, 1909). [Slang; 1870s] Also see get on one.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Not only are there spots that you can chase all over town, some have found more permanent homes — residencies, if you will — where you can reliably get the goods on a regular schedule.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 28, 2023

I wanted to get the goods on Savile.

From BBC • Sep. 30, 2016

Cary, ever the martyr for Kalinda, offered to testify, while pragmatic Kalinda wouldn’t testify but would somehow get the goods on Lemond.

From New York Times • Apr. 26, 2015

Call yours right away to get the goods on what's going on, suggests the blog of server-monitoring services company Alertra.

From Inc • Sep. 13, 2012

That’s safest; wait till we get the goods on them.

From The Crimson Tide A Novel by Chambers, Robert W. (Robert William)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023