get across
B1 neutral separable transitive
In simple words
To make someone understand what you mean.
Literal meaning: To get something across — to carry it from one side to the other, as if crossing a gap.
Meanings
1 B1
idiomatic
neutral
To succeed in communicating an idea or message so that others understand it clearly.
"The teacher struggled to get the concept of irony across to the younger students."
Grammar: separable
2 A2 neutral
To physically move from one side of something to the other.
"We couldn't get across the river because the bridge was flooded."
Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes
Very common in both British and American English. The key sense is successful communication. Also has a literal sense of crossing from one side to another. The separable form is standard: 'get the point across', 'get it across'.
Commonly used with
message point idea meaning importance concept
Forms
Base
get across
I/you/we/they
3rd person
gets across
he/she/it
Past simple
got across
yesterday
Past participle
got/gotten across
have + pp
-ing form
getting across
continuous
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Synonyms
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