1 B2 idiomatic neutral
To damage or disrupt a relationship between two people by interfering.
"Don't let money get between you and your best friend."
inseparable
get between
B2 neutral inseparable transitive
To position yourself between two people or things, or to interfere with a relationship.
In plain English
To go in the middle of two things or people, or to cause problems between two people who are close.
What does "get between" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To physically place or move yourself between two people or things.
"A police officer got between the two men before the fight broke out."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To move physically into the space between two things — the figurative sense of damaging relationships follows from this image.
Actually means
To go in the middle of two things or people, or to cause problems between two people who are close.
Usage tip
Most commonly used to describe interfering in a personal relationship or friendship. Can also be used physically to describe placing something between two other things.
Words that pair with "get between"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
friends couple us them two people relationship
How to conjugate "get between"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
get between
I/you/we/they
3rd person
gets between
he/she/it
Past simple
got between
yesterday
Past participle
got/gotten between
have + pp
-ing form
getting between
continuous
Hear "get between" in the wild
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Other ways to say "get between"
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