get-out
Americannoun
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Commerce. the break-even point.
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Chiefly British. a method or maneuver used to escape a difficult or embarrassing situation; cop-out.
The scoundrel has used that get-out once too often.
idioms
verb
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to leave or escape or cause to leave or escape: used in the imperative when dismissing a person
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to make or become known; publish or be published
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(tr) to express with difficulty
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to extract (information or money) (from a person)
to get a confession out of a criminal
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(tr) to gain or receive something, esp something of significance or value
you get out of life what you put into it
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(foll by of) to avoid or cause to avoid
she always gets out of swimming
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(tr) to solve (a puzzle or problem) successfully
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cricket to dismiss or be dismissed
noun
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an escape, as from a difficult situation
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theatre the process of moving out of a theatre the scenery, props, and costumes after a production
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Leave, escape, as in With good conduct he'll get out of prison in a few months , or In case of a fire, we just want to get out alive . [c. 1300] This phrase is also used as an imperative, ordering someone to depart. For example, Get out! You've no business being in here . [c. 1700] Also see get out of , def. 1.
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Become known, as in Somehow the secret got out . [Late 1800s] Also see out in the open .
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get something out . Publish something, as in Once we get out the newsletter, we can concentrate on other projects . [Late 1700s]
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Produce a sound, as in The singer had a sore throat and could hardly get out a note . [First half of 1800s] Also see the subsequent idioms beginning with get out .
Etymology
Origin of get-out
First recorded in 1880–85; noun use of verb phrase get out
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.
See Examples For:
She and her husband are taking an opportunity for further training in Newscastle in England, but said she "would be lying if I said we weren't actively looking our get-out plan."
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2024
It’s a get-on-board or get-out type of deal.”
From Washington Times ● Aug. 25, 2023
That is when the get-out gong begins to bang in earnest, a whole catalog from the dark side of Turner Classic Movies contained in its clammy, familiar feminine dread: “Gaslight,” “Rebecca,” “Rosemary’s Baby.”
From New York Times ● May 25, 2023
They may give the manufacturer a get-out in the event of a failure to obtain parts.
From Reuters ● Jan. 18, 2023
And back onto me, surfing among floating debris, angry as all get-out.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
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Tata Sons sought to get out of this classification by repaying their debt and arguing that they do not borrow directly from the public markets.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
Suki, who had been with her new family only a few weeks, had crawled into an opening in an entertainment center cabinet and could not get out.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
I hope I get out of the game before the sharks eat my legs, but I also know the odds are 50-50.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Successful Emmy hosts also understand that the mission is to get out of the way, not make the night about themselves.
From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026
“You get out of here, you hear me? I’ll call the police!”
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.