gets, got, gotten, getting
to get off
phrasal verbE
To avoid punishment or receive a light punishment
- 1He got off with just a warning.
- 2She got off lightly after the incident.
When someone does something wrong but does not get in serious trouble, or only gets a small punishment, it means they are not punished as much as expected. For example, if a student cheats but only gets a warning, they are not punished very much.
Police and court stories often use "get off" when talking about someone who avoids jail or gets a lighter sentence than expected.
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in a medieval setting
A Close Call
Jennifer
Did you hear about the knight who broke the king's vase?
Michael
Yes, I can't believe he managed to get off with just a warning.
Jennifer
He's lucky the king was in a good mood.
Michael
Indeed, anyone else would have faced harsher consequences.
at the animal care center
A Lucky Break
Anthony
Did you hear about Mark's dog chewing up the waiting room chairs?
Lisa
Yeah, I thought he'd be in big trouble for that.
Anthony
Surprisingly, he managed to get off with just a warning.
Lisa
Wow, that's lucky! Those chairs looked expensive.
at the beauty salon
A Lucky Break
Sandra
Did you hear about Mark's speeding ticket?
Donna
Yeah, he managed to get off with just a warning!
Sandra
That's surprising, he was going way over the limit.
Donna
I know, he was really lucky this time.
in a restaurant
A Close Call
Mark
Did you hear about Tom's speeding ticket?
Cynthia
Yeah, he managed to get off with just a warning.
Mark
That's surprising; he was going pretty fast.
Cynthia
I know, he's really lucky this time.
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Similar to "to get off":
- 1escape
- 2avoid
