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get at

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phrasal verb [transitive]
Word Forms
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present tense
I/you/we/theyget at
he/she/itgets at
present participlegetting at
past tensegot at
past participlegotten at
  1. 1
    [usually progressive] get at something to try to suggest something without saying it directly

    What are you getting at?

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  get atThesaurus entry for this meaning of get at
  2. 2
    get at something to discover the true facts about something

    This was an attempt to stop reporters from getting at the truth.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  get atThesaurus entry for this meaning of get at
  3. 3
    get at something to manage to reach or touch something

    I keep the cookies up here where the children can’t get at them.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  get atThesaurus entry for this meaning of get at
  4. 4
    get at someone British informal to criticize someone again and again in a way that is unfair

    Why are you always getting at me?

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  get atThesaurus entry for this meaning of get at

This is the American English definition of get at. View British English definition of get at.

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