get the goods on

Idioms  

1. 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.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

get the goods on

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

If Mrs. Hutchins is suspicious enough to send a lot of spies here to get the goods on you, don’t you think she has some notion of taking some sort of drastic action?”

From Campfire Girls at Twin Lakes The Quest of a Summer Vacation by Stella M. Francis