off the ground

off the ground

Beyond the initial stages and at a point of stable or self-sufficient progress or development. Now that this project is finally off the ground, we can start to focus some of our attention on other areas of the business. He had a great idea for a business, but he didn't have the time or resources to ever get it off the ground.
See also: ground, off
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

off the ground

Under way, as if in flight: Because of legal difficulties, the construction project never got off the ground.
See also: ground, off
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • be off the ground
  • ourself
  • scratch for (oneself)
  • new town
  • every tub must stand on its own bottom
  • live off (of) (one's) (own) hump
  • live on (one's) (own) hump
  • live on your hump
  • let every tub stand on its own bottom
  • pity
References in periodicals archive
"The space never changes, but when we're touring, sometimes it's a tiny corner of Meols Park or the backdrop of the Atlantic on the coast in Ireland!" Adopted Scouser Chris, who's originally from Yorkshire, studied drama at Liverpool John Moores University and met Off the Ground's artistic director and founder Dan Meigh when he gave a lecture on touring theatre and the challenges of starting your own company.
Off The Ground is around a 20-1 chance for the two-and-a-half-mile Grade One.
Shirley said the storm in Chobham, Surrey, on Saturday was like a "minitornado", adding her granddaughter jumped out of a shed moments before it was lifted off the ground and smashed to pieces.
Chris, who was helped by Flying Officer Matthew Smyth, said: "I thought, 'I can pull this off the ground.' If I hadn't they would have had to stay there under fire.
Scott Van Duzer was so excited to be meeting the President that he bear hugged Mr Obama and lifted him off the ground.
Chapman said that the Australian Venom Zoo at Kuranda would send four men to attempt to capture it, after the 5.5m male snake lifted his colleague clean off the ground.
If you feel your weight trying to creep back into the right Leg, you may want play with the right foot off the ground to keep from fatting back and scooping the ball into the air.
This has been a community effort with everyone playing their part, residents, officers and politicians of all parties coming together to get this scheme off the ground and finished on time and on budget.
He failed to get off the ground, damaging the Flyer in the process, and Orville took his turn as pilot when repairs had been effected three days later.
But after reading the October 2006 issue, I am more than enthusiastic about getting this project off the ground.
* When your team leader gives the word, lift the tent off the ground and take a step back to expand the tent.
With one foot kept off the ground, try to touch the object with the opposite hand.
If you ever had an idea for a project but weren't sure how to get it off the ground, ACPE's newest program may be able to help.
New research suggests that those electric fields help the whirlwind lift material off the ground, enabling dust devils to pump enough dust into Earth's atmosphere to possibly affect climate (SN: 9/29/01, p.
With his feet strapped facing sideways on his snowboard, Shaun makes turns by "carving." When he leans his weight on his toes, that side of his board pushes into the snow, while the edge of the board beneath his heels pops off the ground.