get through

G

get through

Meaning | Synonyms

  • to make it to the end of a particularly arduous or stressful experience
  • to assist someone in dealing with a traumatic event
  • to reach someone by telephone
  • to communicate with someone in such a way that makes them understand or acknowledge something
  • wear out
  • go through
  • use up

Example Sentences

  1. I didn’t think we would get through the last week of exams.
  2. I can’t wait to get through the first Christmas since my divorce. It is going to be very tough few weeks.
  3. We all need to help Andrea get through the death of her mother.
  4. After trying for hours, I was finally able to get through to their head office in Germany.
  5. His high school guidance counselor is the only person who was able to get through to him. She convinced him that he needs to apply for colleges soon if he wants any chance of a future.

Origin

The exact origin of the phrase is not known. However, in the context of “completing something or reaching the end,” it has been used since the 1600s.

In the 1700s people started using the phrase to describe surviving or passing something, like an illness. It is easy to see how it relates to the first meaning.

In the late 1800s, the phrase was expanded to include reaching someone. It is not easy to surmise how they came to this definition.

The last definition is closely linked to the previous. Since the 1900s people have been using the phrase “get through” to mean making oneself understood. It is an informal use of the phrase.

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