get the goods on (someone)

to get or have proof that someone has done something wrong.

For months, the cops were trying to get the goods on a drug dealer who lives down the street.

Usage notes: sometimes used in the form have the goods on someone:

Look, Stan, you may think you have the goods on me, but you don't.

• go through
• go through fire and water
• go through hell
• go through hoops
• go through like a dose of salts
• go through like a hot knife through butter
• go through like a knife through butter
• go through someone like a dose of salts
• go through something like a dose of salts
• go through something like a hot knife through butter
• go through something like a knife through butter
• go through the floor
• go through the mill
• go through the motions
• go through the roof
• go through the wringer
• go through with
• go through with something
• got it bad
• Got it in one!
• go to any lengths
• go to any lengths to do something
• go to bat for
• go to bat for someone
• go to bat for something