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to get across

to get across

53 1.8
Move from one side to the other, for example across a road or river
  • phrasal verb
  • /ɡɛt əˈkrɔs/
translation icon : cruzar
  • We couldn't even get across 51st St.; there were so many people.
  • get across the street
  • get across the bridge
  • get across the river

And we're all going to get this torch across America.

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Examples

  • She carefully waited for a break in traffic to get across the busy street.

  • The river was swollen, but they managed to get across using a small boat.

  • How am I gonna get across the border?

  • He'll help you get across the border.

  • We gotta get across the river.

  • I want to get across town, and a car is the best way to do this.

    Blog text (19)
  • I need help getting across the street.

    Academic text (1996)
  • We get to one of the bridges and get across the river!

  • All right, we've gotta get across the line.

  • Don't worry, we'll get across.

    Fiction book (1996)

Synonyms

to pass
vsto get across
1.0

To move past something or someone

is focused specifically on going from one side to the other
to cross
vsto get across
1.0

To go across something from one side to the other

is the same idea but often used in everyday speech
to get over
vsto get across
100 3.3

Move across something like a river or mountain

is used for simple crossings from one side to the other
to move through
vsto get across
80 2.1

Pass from one point to another during a journey or process

is the simple act of going from one side to the other
to cut through
vsto get across
51 3.0

To go straight across a place, for example through land or a crowd

is about moving between sides without implying force or breaking
to pass over
vsto get across
26 3.3

To move across a place, often above the ground

describes physical side-to-side movement rather than moving above
to traverse
vsto get across
16 5.6

To move across land or water from one side to the other

is a plain, everyday action of going from one side to another
to cut across
vsto get across
8 3.2

To go through a place like a park to make a shorter route

is the ordinary side-to-side movement, not necessarily a shortcut
to hop across
vsto get across
1 2.2

To jump lightly from one side to the other using small jumps

is the basic act of going side to side without jumping
to tramp across
vsto get across
1 5.4

To walk with heavy steps across a large area

is neutral movement between sides without heavy or forceful steps

How Far

traverse
1 6.7
to cross
1.0
to get across
53 1.8

Surface Forms

get across infinitive
getting across present participle
gets across third person singular
got across past
got across past participle

Morphology

get + across

The verb 'get' (move/bring) combined with the spatial particle 'across' evokes a common metaphor of transferring something to the other side, so a learner who knows both words can often infer a sense like 'move an idea to someone' (i.e. convey). However, the specific communicative nuance of successfully causing understanding is a metaphorical extension of the spatial sense and not strictly literal, so the sense is only partially predictable without prior exposure.

Etymology

Get across paints a simple picture: to get something across is to move it to the other side, like walking across a street or river. So it means 'to cross' from one side to the other.