get at

vouloir dire, insinuer

Chercher à exprimer une idée, souvent sans la dire directement.

En anglais simple : To try to express an idea, often without saying it directly.

• What are you getting at?
• I finally understood what she was getting at.
• Are you getting at the need for more staff?

Comment l'utiliser : what someone is getting at (I understand what you are getting at.)

Synonymes : mean, imply, suggest

Expressions courantes : get at something, trying to get at

accéder à, atteindre

Atteindre quelque chose pour pouvoir l'utiliser, le toucher ou le prendre.

En anglais simple : To reach something so you can use, touch, or take it.

• I cannot get at my money.
• She moved the chair to get at the shelf.
• Can the children get at these medicines?

Comment l'utiliser : get at something (Can you get at the box behind the sofa?)

Synonymes : access, reach

Expressions courantes : get at something, get at the money

découvrir, élucider

Découvrir la vérité ou la cause de quelque chose en l'examinant attentivement.

En anglais simple : To discover the truth or cause of something by examining it carefully.

• We must get at the truth.
• The study got at the cause of the problem.
• These questions help us get at what really happened.

Comment l'utiliser : get at something (We need better evidence to get at the truth.)

Synonymes : discover, uncover, establish

Expressions courantes : get at the truth, get at the cause

s'en prendre à, harceler

Attaquer ou critiquer quelqu'un, ou le déranger sans arrêt.

En anglais simple : To attack, criticize, or keep bothering someone.

• Stop getting at me.
• Her boss got at her about every small mistake.
• The dog tried to get at the stranger through the fence.

Comment l'utiliser : get at someone (The newspapers keep getting at the coach.)

Synonymes : attack, pick on, bother

Expressions courantes : get at someone, always get at someone

corrompre, intimider

Pousser quelqu'un à agir malhonnêtement par des menaces ou une offre d'argent.

En anglais simple : To make someone act dishonestly by threatening them or offering them money.

• They tried to get at the jury.
• The witness had been got at and changed his story.
• Police feared the gang would get at the judge.

Comment l'utiliser : get at someone (Someone had got at the witness before the trial.)

Synonymes : bribe, intimidate, corrupt

Expressions courantes : get at a witness, get at the jury

se mettre à, commencer

Commencer une tâche ou se mettre à traiter un problème.

En anglais simple : To start working on a task or dealing with a problem.

• Let us get at it.
• She got at the paperwork after lunch.
• We need to get at this job today.

Comment l'utiliser : get at something (We should get at the repairs before winter.)

Synonymes : start, begin, get down to

Contraires : stop

Expressions courantes : get at it, get at the work