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Glite Dictionary
to get out of someone's hair

to get out of someone's hair

1 6.3
To stop bothering someone so they can work or think
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : dejar en paz
  • If you could just get out of their hair, they might be able to finish the project.

Examples

Synonyms

to leave alone
vsto get out of someone's hair
∞ 2.3

To avoid touching and disturbing a person, animal or object

focuses on leaving them alone specifically so they can work or think
to back off
vsto get out of someone's hair
  • Informal
356 2.8

Move away from someone, or stop taking part in something

means withdraw to allow the person quiet space to work or think
to knock it off
vsto get out of someone's hair
  • Informal
321 8.1

Tell someone to stop doing something annoying

means leaving the person alone rather than only scolding their action
to stay out of it
vsto get out of someone's hair
56 3.8

To avoid getting involved in an argument or fight

concerns stopping direct bothering so the person can focus on tasks
to keep one's hands off
vsto get out of someone's hair
42 3.6

Not to touch or interfere with something that belongs to someone else

is broader, meaning stop bothering in any way so they can think or work
to mind your own business
vsto get out of someone's hair
  • Informal
35 5.8

Tell someone not to ask about or get involved in other people's lives

is about stopping personal bother so the person can work or think
to butt out
vsto get out of someone's hair
  • Informal
25 8.9

To stop getting involved in other people's business

aims to let the person be uninterrupted so they can work or think
to get out of someone's sight
vsto get out of someone's hair
  • Informal
10 4.9

Leave a person because they are angry with you

is about stopping disturbance so they can focus, not only avoiding anger
to get out of someone's face
vsto get out of someone's hair
  • Informal
8.6

To leave someone alone when you bother them

focuses on leaving them alone so they can work or think
to stay out of someone's beeswax
vsto get out of someone's hair
  • Slang
9.9

To not ask about or get involved in someone's private matters

focuses on leaving a person alone to work or think rather than topics

Antonyms

to interrupt
909 2.5

To stop someone speaking or an activity

to disturb
183 2.1

Interrupt someone's quiet or stop them from resting

How Forceful

to knock it off
  • Informal
321 8.1
to back off
  • Informal
356 2.8
to get out of someone's hair
  • Informal
1 6.3

Surface Forms

get out of someone's hair infinitive
got out of someone's hair past
got out of someone's hair past participle
getting out of someone's hair present participle
gets out of someone's hair third person singular

Morphology

get + out + of + someone's + hair

The verb phrase 'get out of' clearly conveys leaving or removing oneself, but 'someone's hair' is used figuratively to mean being in someone's way or bothering them. Because the locution relies on a metaphorical extension of 'hair' and is not fully compositional or universally predictable across languages, a B1 learner who knows the words may partially infer the sense but would not reliably derive it without prior exposure.

Etymology

The phrasal verb get out of someone's hair comes from the image of a person standing so close and in the way that they are nearly in another person's hair, so to get out is to move away. That's why it now means 'stop bothering someone' or 'leave them alone'.