get across

English

Verb

get across (third-person singular simple present gets across, present participle getting across, simple past got across, past participle (UK) got across or (US) gotten across)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To cross; to move from one side (of something) to the other, literally or figuratively.

   In heavy rain, the cavalry couldn't get across the river.

   It's impossible to get across with all checkpoints closed.

   Bridge the digital divide. Let the poor get across.

2. (transitive) To make an idea evident; to successfully explain a thought or feeling; put over.

   I couldn't get across to the board this simple economic fact.

   Better organized writing helps to get the point across.

3. (intransitive, slang, African-American Vernacular, dated) To succeed; to do well.
4. (transitive, slang) To annoy (someone); to get on someone's bad side.

Derived terms

• get it across one's head

Translations

to cross; to move from one side (of something) to the other

• Czech: přejet (cs)
• French: traverser (fr)
• Indonesian: melewati (id), menyeberang (id)
• Italian: attraversare (it)
• Spanish: cruzar (es)

to make an idea evident; to successfully explain a thought or feeling

• Catalan: evidenciar (ca), patentitzar (ca)
• Czech: objasnit (cs)
• French: mettre en évidence (fr)
• Indonesian: menyampaikan (id)
• Italian: evidenziare (it), trasmettere (it)
• Portuguese: evidenciar (pt)
• Spanish: evidenciar (es), patentizar (es)

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