Phrase guide

get one's ass in gear

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To exert effective effort; to get going; to get moving; to start producing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, idiomatic

Examples

  • He had been sitting there for two hours until the boss showed up and told him to get his ass in gear.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: panna liikettä niveliin — to exert effective effort
  • Polish: ruszać dupę — to exert effective effort
  • Polish: ruszyć dupę — to exert effective effort
  • Portuguese: mexer-se — to exert effective effort
  • Russian: вка́лывать (vkályvatʹ) — to exert effective effort
  • Russian: горба́титься (gorbátitʹsja) — to exert effective effort
  • Russian: въёбывать (vʺjóbyvatʹ) — to exert effective effort
  • Russian: въя́бывать (vʺjábyvatʹ) — to exert effective effort
  • Spanish: mover el culo — to exert effective effort