get at

present singular third person gets at · participle present getting at · past got at · UK participle past got at · US participle past gotten at

1. transitiveTo manage to gain access to.

   I have a lot of money in my trust fund. I just can't get at it.

   1 more example

   Siberian households used to store the little half-moon or triangular meat-stuffed dumplings in earthenware jars, buried in the ice; the ice was chipped away with an axe to get at the pelmeny jars.

   1967, Barbara Norman, “Pelmeny and Other Dumplings”, in The Russian Cookbook […], New York, N.Y.: Atheneum, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 83

2. transitiveTo understand or ascertain by investigation.

   We need to get at the root cause of all this.

3. transitiveTo mean, signify, imply.

   I don't understand. What are you getting at?

   Synonyms: drive at

4. transitiveTo attack verbally or physically; to annoy, bother.

   My cat was badly injured after the neighbour's dog got at her.

   1 more example

   He's a bit disheartened. The newspapers have been getting at him again.

5. transitiveTo persuade by intimidation; to tamper with; to corrupt.

   That was a ridiculous verdict. I think the jury was got at.

   1 more example

   All the while, Wolf's followers hounded me about why I had sold out to the “globalists” and was duping the public into believing that masks, vaccines, and restrictions on indoor gatherings were legitimate public health measures […] “I think she's been got at!” someone whose handle is “RickyBaby321” said of me[.]

   2023, Naomi Klein, Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World, Penguin, →ISBN, page 36

6. transitiveTo begin working on or dealing with.

   Stop procrastinating on your work and get at it!

   Synonyms: have at, get on

7. USslangtransitiveTo contact someone.

   I've got some things to do for about an hour. After that, get at me.

8. UKslangtransitiveTo tease (someone).