get away with
get away with (someone or something)
1. To avoid the consequences of one's action. You'll never get away with cheating—one of your teachers is bound to figure it out. You got lucky when you ran that red light. Next time you might not get away with it.
2. To leave or flee with someone or something. The robbers got away with the TV but not much else.
See also: away, get
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
get away with someone or something
to escape, taking someone or something with one. The kidnapper got away with little Brian. The burglars got away with a lot of cash and some diamonds.
See also: away, get
get away with something
and get by with somethingto do something and not get punished for it. (See also get away with murder) You can't get away with that! Larry got by with the lie.
See also: away, get
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
get away with
1. Escape the consequences or blame for, as in Bill often cheats on exams but usually gets away with it. [Late 1800s]
2. get away with murder. Escape the consequences of killing someone; also, do anything one wishes. For example, If the jury doesn't convict him, he'll have gotten away with murder, or He talks all day on the phone-the supervisor is letting him get away with murder. [First half of 1900s]
See also: away, get
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
get away with, to
To escape the usual penalty. This Americanism originated in the second half of the nineteenth century and at one point also meant to get the better of someone. It was still considered slangy when it appeared in the Congressional Record in 1892: “[They] will have to be content with the pitiful $240,000 that they have already ‘got away with.’”
See also: away, get
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- get away with (someone or something)
- get away with you
- pay the price
- pay the price, to
- pay the price/penalty
- penalty
- pay the penalty
- on (one's) (own) head
- on head
- on one's head