to get someone's back
3
5.5
- phrasal verb
- Informal
:
apoyar a alguien
- In a tough meeting, I know she will always get my back and support my ideas.
Examples
-
-It was the only way... -...I could get Tomas's men off my back.
-
Everybody's got each other's back.
-
You get your partner's back, Shawn.
-
We've got each other's backs.
-
We've cried on each other's shoulders, and we've gotten each other's backs.
Blog text (32) -
When you face challenges, it's important to have friends who will get your back.
-
During difficult times, good colleagues will get each other's back.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Give help to a person or idea
932
1.0
To support someone or something
354
3.0
Help someone or show evidence for an idea
187
3.2
Support someone through difficult times
182
1.3
Give someone support with a task or problem when they need it
28
2.7
To give help to someone during a difficult time
20
2.6
To help and encourage each other during difficult times
16
3.1
To help someone who is in trouble or danger
4
4.1
Look out for each other in dangerous situations
1
9.6
To give help to someone in a difficult or dangerous time
Support and protect someone in hard times
To stand up for someone when they are in trouble
To help someone out of a dangerous or very bad situation at the last moment
Antonyms
How Supportive
∞
1.0
691
2.8
- Informal
3
5.5
187
3.2
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The support meaning is signaled by 'back' (to back someone = to support), so a learner who knows that verb sense could partly infer the MWE. However, the combination with 'get' is non-standard (English prefers 'have someone's back') and 'get' does not transparently contribute the supportive sense, making the exact meaning and usage uncertain without prior exposure.
Etymology
Get someone's back comes from the simple picture of a friend standing behind you to protect you. To get someone's back is like standing at their back ready to help, so it means 'to support or protect someone'.