get someone at it
C1 informal separable transitive
In simple words
To make someone start doing something right away.
Meanings
1 C1
idiomatic
informal
To direct or motivate someone to begin or continue working on a specific task immediately.
"We need the report by Friday — get him at it as soon as he arrives."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Fairly informal and mostly British. Often used by someone in authority who wants another person to begin a task without delay. 'It' usually refers to a task already known from context. Less common than alternatives like 'get someone on it' or 'get someone started.'
Commonly used with
right away straightaway immediately work job task
Forms
Base
get someone at it
I/you/we/they
3rd person
gets someone at it
he/she/it
Past simple
got someone at it
yesterday
Past participle
got/gotten someone at it
have + pp
-ing form
getting someone at it
continuous
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Synonyms
set someone to work get someone going put someone to work get someone started mobilise someone assign someone
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