lightly

Related to lightly: take lightly

easy come, easy go

When something is easily obtained, it is typically lost just as easily. Of course you found a $10 on the street and immediately spent it—easy come, easy go!
See also: easy, go

get off

1. To physically climb off of or disembark from something. We're in the last row, so it’s going to take us a while to get off the plane. Get off that ladder before you fall and hurt yourself! Get off the couch and start helping me already.
2. To remove someone or something from some surface. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "get" and "off." Hey, get your feet off the table! Can you get your stuff off my bed?
3. To depart. When do you guys get off on your trip?
4. To shoot ammunition. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "get" and "off." I could only get off one shot before the burglars fled.
5. In sports, to successfully complete an action, such as a shot or pass, before time expires or contact is made. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "get" and "off." I'm not sure he got off that shot before the buzzer went off. It will be difficult for him to get a pass off with all of this defensive pressure.
6. To send something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "get" and "off." Have you gotten off that email yet? If not, I have a few more lines to add.
7. To physically remove something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "get" and "off." I just can't seem to get this sticky stuff off the floor. Get off those wet clothes before you catch cold!
8. To receive a less severe punishment or avoid punishment altogether. I can't believe that known criminal got off with such a light sentence. You're only grounded for a week? You got off easy if you ask me. As a prosecutor, I know what it's like when someone who I know is guilty gets off.
9. To cause someone to receive a less severe punishment or avoid punishment altogether. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "get" and "off." Do you really think you can get this guy off with a lighter sentence?
10. To finish one's workday. I get off today at three, so I'll stop by on my way home.
11. To stop bothering or nagging someone. Get off my back, will you? I'm working as fast as I can! If he doesn't get off my case soon, I'm going to lose it.
12. To be so bold as to do something. She's not my boss, so where does she get off assigning me yet another project?
13. slang To be or become particularly excited by or enthusiastic about something, especially in, or likened to, a sexual manner. Can be considered vulgar. It seems like Kaya gets off on the power of her new corporate management role. I don't know why you get off on going to the gym every day—it just seems like a chore to me!
14. slang To have an amorous or sexual encounter with someone. Primarily heard in UK. We weren't at the party for more than 30 minutes when Jake got off with some guy he'd just met. I heard Janet got off with one of her co-workers.
15. vulgar slang To experience orgasm.
16. vulgar slang To cause someone to experience orgasm. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "get" and "off."
See also: get, off

get off lightly

1. To have or face less difficulty than would normally be the case. Whereas some graduate students tell horror stories of the hours upon hours of work they have to do for their programs, I feel like I got off quite lightly with mine! Last summer, we seemed to have endless rain, but we got off lightly this year.
2. To face less severe punishment than might be expected, or to escape punishment entirely. I hope you realize you got off lightly. If your uncle—the senator—hadn't intervened, you'd be in jail right now. In the end, we only had to pay a small fine for the damage, so I'd say we got off pretty lightly!
See also: get, lightly, off

not take (something) lightly

To regard something with a great amount of seriousness or gravity. I hope you aren't taking these allegations lightly—they could mean a life in prison! I can promise you that I won't take this job interview lightly.
See also: lightly, not, take

once over lightly

Very quickly, cursorily, or carelessly. Hyphenated if used as an adjective before a noun. It's clear that the repairs were done as cheaply and once over lightly as possible. The senator assured reporters that this will not be a once-over-lightly investigation.
See also: lightly, once, over

take (something) lightly

To regard something without much seriousness; to be very casual or carefree about something. I hope you aren't taking these allegations lightly—they could mean a life in prison! I've learned to take my work more lightly in recent years. There are just more important things to worry about.
See also: lightly, take

tread lightly

1. To walk carefully, so as not to disturb what is underfoot or nearby. This is rare alpine vegetation, so tread lightly. Tread lightly so you don't wake up the baby.
2. To be extra tactful in one's dealing with someone so as not to offend or aggravate. The boss is really irritable today, so if you have bad news for him, tread lightly. Tread lightly if you ask Mrs. Smith for extra credit—she usually gets annoyed with those requests.
See also: lightly, tread
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

easy come, easy go

Cliché said to explain the loss of something that required only a small amount of effort to acquire in the first place. Ann found twenty dollars in the morning and spent it foolishly at noon. "Easy come, easy go," she said. John spends his money as fast as he can earn it. With John it's easy come, easy go.
See also: easy, go

get off

 
1. to start off (on a friendship). Tom and Bill had never met before. They seemed to get off all right, though. I'm glad they got off so well.
2. to leave; to depart. What time did they get off? We have to get off early in the morning before the traffic gets heavy.
3. Go to get off (easy); get off (of) someone or something; get off (of) something; get off something; get off to something; get off with something.
See also: get, off

get off (easy)

 and get off (lightly)
to receive very little punishment (for doing something wrong). It was a serious crime, but Mary got off easy. Billy's punishment was very light. Considering what he did, he got off lightly.
See also: get, off

get off (with something)

to receive only a light punishment for something. Let's hope John gets off with a light sentence. Max got off with only a few years in prison.
See also: get, off

get off

(of) someone or something and get off to get down from someone or something. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) Please get off of me. I can't play piggyback anymore. Get off of the sofa!
See also: get, off

get off

(of) something and get off Inf. to stop discussing the topic that one is supposed to be discussing [and start discussing something else]; to stray from the topic at hand. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) I wish you wouldn't get off the subject so much. This writer gets off of his topic all the time.
See also: get, off

get off

(something) to climb down from something. Please get off the stairs. You know you shouldn't play on the stairs. I wish that the children would get off that ladder before they fall off.
See also: get, off

get off

(to something) to leave for something. I've got to get off to my violin lesson. We have to get off to the hospital immediately!
See also: get, off

get off (with something)

to receive only a light punishment for something. Let's hope John gets off with a light sentence. Max got off with only a few years in prison.
See also: get, off

get someone off

 
1. to get someone cleared of a criminal charge. Ted's lawyer got him off, although we all knew he was guilty. I hope someone can get her off. She is innocent no matter how it looks.
2. to get someone freed from a responsibility. (See also get off the hook.) I think I can get you off. What do I need to do to get myself off?
See also: get, off

get someone or something off someone or something

 and get someone or something off
to remove someone or something from someone, oneself, or something. Come in and get those wet clothes off. Get him off of me!
See also: get, off

get something off (to someone or something)

 and get something off
to send something to someone or something. I have to get a letter off to Aunt Mary. Did you get off all your packages?
See also: get, off

once-over-lightly

 
1. Fig. a quick and careless treatment. (A noun. Said of an act of cleaning, studying, examination, or appraisal.) Bill gave his geometry the once-over-lightly and then quit studying. Ann, you didn't wash the dishes properly. They only got a once-over-lightly.
2. Fig. cursory; in a quick and careless manner. (An adverb.) Tom studied geometry once-over-lightly. Ann washed the dishes once-over-lightly.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

easy come, easy go

Readily won and readily lost, as in Easy come, easy go-that's how it is for Mark when he plays the stock market. This phrase states a truth known since ancient times and expressed in numerous proverbs with slightly different wording ( lightly come, lightly go; quickly come, quickly go). The adverb easy was substituted in the early 1800s.
See also: easy, go

get off

1. Dismount, leave a vehicle, as in She got off the horse right away, or Let's get off the train at the next stop. [Late 1600s]
2. Start, as on a trip; leave. For example, We got off at the crack of dawn. [Mid-1700s]
3. Fire a round of ammunition; also, send away. For example, He got off two shots, but the deer fled, or I got off that letter just in time.
4. Escape from punishment; also, obtain a lesser penalty or release for someone. For example, He apologized so profusely that he was sure to get off, or The attorney got her client off with a slap on the wrist. This sense is sometimes amplified to get off easy or get off lightly. Where there is no punishment at all, the expression is sometimes put as get off scot-free, originally meaning "be free from paying a fine or tax ( scot)," dating from the 1500s. [Mid-1600s]
5. Remove, take off, as in I can't seem to get this paint off the car. [Second half of 1600s]
6. Succeed in uttering, especially a joke. For example, Carl always manages to get off a good one before he gets serious. [Mid-1800s]
7. Have the effrontery to do or say something. For example, Where does he get off telling me what to do? [Colloquial; early 1900s]
8. Experience orgasm, as in She never did get off. [Slang; first half of 1900s]
9. Also, get off of one. Stop bothering or criticizing one, as in Get off me right now! or If you don't get off of me I'm walking out. [Slang; c. 1940] Also see get off on; off one's back.
See also: get, off

once over lightly

Cursorily, quickly, as in I did go over the program once over lightly, but perhaps I should read it more carefully. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]
See also: lightly, once, over
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

easy come, easy go

INFORMAL
You say easy come, easy go to mean that if money or objects are easy to get, you do not care very much about spending it or losing them. Note: In the first idiom below, ABC is pronounced `a b c', as if you are spelling it out. My attitude to money is easy come, easy go. That's to say, I earn a lot, but I also give quite a lot away in different ways.
See also: easy, go
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

easy come, easy go

used to indicate that something acquired without effort or difficulty may be lost or spent casually and without regret.
Although recorded in this exact form only from the mid 19th century, easy come, easy go had parallels in medieval French and in the English sayings light come, light go (mid 16th century) and quickly come, quickly go (mid 19th century).
See also: easy, go
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

ˌeasy ˈcome, ˌeasy ˈgo

(saying) something that has been obtained very easily and quickly may be lost or wasted in the same way: Her parents have given her all the money she wants, but she’s always in debt. With her, it’s a case of easy come, easy go.
See also: easy, go

get off/be let off ˈlightly

(informal) be lucky and escape serious injury, punishment or trouble: Only two years in prison for stealing all that money? I think he got off very lightly.
See also: get, let, lightly, off
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

get off

v.
1. To remove oneself from something that supports, carries, or holds: I got off my chair and ran down the hall. After we got off the plane, we picked up our baggage. Get off the couch!
2. To remove something from a supporting, carrying, or holding thing: Get the cat off the table!
3. To start, as on a trip; leave. It took so long to pack that we didn't get off until noon.
4. To send something; transmit something: I'll get a letter off to you next week.
5. To cause something to be emitted, as when firing a weapon: The hunter got off two shots before the deer disappeared. The archer got three arrows off before hitting the bull's-eye.
6. To escape, as from punishment or danger: They thought the judge would sentence them harshly, but somehow they got off.
7. To obtain a release or lesser penalty for someone: The attorney got her client off with just a small fine.
8. To get permission to leave one's workplace: The sales crew got off early and went out for a walk.
9. Slang To stop pressuring, pestering, or domineering someone: The boss thought the employees were lazy and didn't get off them the whole day. Get off me!—I can't work with you watching over me.
10. Slang To feel great pleasure or gratification from something: They really got off on that roller coaster ride at the amusement park. I don't really get off on photography.
11. Slang To cause someone to feel great pleasure or gratification; satisfy someone: That movie really didn't get me off.
12. Vulgar Slang To achieve orgasm.
13. Vulgar Slang To cause someone to achieve orgasm.
See also: get, off
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.

get off

verb
See get off on something
See also: get, off

once over lightly

1. mod. quickly and superficially; carelessly; cursorily. (This is hyphenated before a nominal.) He looked at it once over lightly and agreed to do it.
2. n. a perfunctory examination; a quick glance. Once over lightly is not enough.
See also: lightly, once, over
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

easy come, easy go

What is readily achieved or gained is also readily lost. This principle was noted hundreds of years ago by the Chinese sage Chuang-tsze (“Quickly come and quickly go,” ca. 400 b.c.) and appears several times in Chaucer’s writings—for example, “As lightly as it comth, so wol we spende” (The Pardoner’s Tale). “Light come, light go” is also in John Heywood’s 1546 proverb collection. Easy was substituted for lightly and quickly in the nineteenth century.
See also: easy, go
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • easy come, easy go
  • be not for the faint-hearted
  • a mile off
  • a mile away
  • in too deep
  • (one) will have (someone or something) for breakfast
  • construe
  • construe (something) as (something)
  • construe as
  • cut corners, to
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