dad fetch my buttons

Oh my goodness! An exclamation of surprise. Dad fetch my buttons, I didn't expect such an outpouring of support from y'all! Wait, my poem won first place in the contest? Dad fetch my buttons! A surprise party, for me? Dad fetch my buttons!

fetch (something) out of (something)

To take something out of something. Can you please go and fetch the rest of the groceries out of my car? Here, I fetched a drink out of the fridge for you. Grandpa has a bad headache? OK, I'll go fetch the aspirin out of the medicine cabinet.

fetch and carry (for someone)

To perform menial tasks or errands at the behest of someone else. I thought the internship would teach me valuable skills in business, but all I did was fetch and carry for the office manager. I am only an intern, so I don't mind having to fetch and carry for my boss. Honestly, that's what I figured I'd be doing anyway. Sure, you can delegate tasks to your direct reports, but please do not lean on them to fetch and carry for you.

See also: and, carry, fetch

fetch away

1. old-fashioned To go up to someone or something with the express purpose of taking them or it away. A noun or pronoun can be used between "fetch" and "away." I had been at the party for less than an hour before my parents fetched me away in a fury. I sent my assistant to fetch away my new clothes from the tailor. Did you just fetch the ball away from your brother? Well, that's not very nice!

2. obsolete Of something on a sailing vessel, to come loose from restraints during a storm and slide, roll, or otherwise move leeward. The storm pitched so violently that all the furniture began fetching away. If you had secured everything on the aft deck properly, it wouldn't have fetched away! We hit such choppy waters that all sorts of items fetched away in the galley.

fetch in

To retrieve something and bring it inside. A noun or pronoun can be used between "fetch" and "in." Can you please go out to my car and fetch in the rest of the groceries? A: "Aww, you didn't fetch in a drink for me too?" B: "I didn't know you wanted one!" Grandpa has a bad headache? OK, I'll go fetch in the aspirin.

fetch out

To take something out of something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "fetch" and "out." Can you please go and fetch the rest of the groceries out of my car? Here, I fetched out a drink for you. Grandpa has a bad headache? OK, I'll go fetch out the aspirin.

fetch up

1. To make up the difference between oneself and someone or something, so as to be at an equal level, status, or point of progress If we speed up, we might be able to fetch up with the car ahead of us! The senator has led in the polls for most of this election campaign, but his opponent has fetched up in the last couple of weeks. The home team enjoyed a 21-point lead at half time, but their opponents have been steadily fetching up.

2. To reach a particular location, often unintentionally. We wanted to go to the beach on Saturday, but because traffic was so bad, we fetched up at the mall instead. When my car's engine overheated, I fetched up at the mechanic instead of my big job interview. Hey, how was Saturday night? Where did you fetch up at?

3. To reach the same level, progress, or quality as someone or something else. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "fetch" and "up." If you don't fetch up your play to the level of your teammates, you'll probably start your season on the bench. You're going to have to study really hard to fetch up to the rest of the class. Mona's the fastest girl in the class—you'll never even fetch up to her in a race, let alone beat her.

4. To produce, make, or yield something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "fetch" and "up." How on earth did the caterers fetch up 100 cupcakes with just 20 minutes' notice? A: "Wait, I'm supposed to fetch up a 10-page paper for class tomorrow?" B: "Well, we actually had weeks to work on it, but, yeah." We can't show up empty-handed! We have to stop and fetch up a dessert or a bottle of wine—something!

5. To stop something. Geez, can someone please fetch up that blaring alarm? A: "We can't waste all this paper!" B: "I'm trying to fetch up the printer, but it's not responding to my commands!" Well, you can fetch up that camera right now because this interview is over!

6. slang To vomit. I felt like I was going to fetch up from seasickness out on that boat. I've been so sick that I feel like I've fetched up everything I've ever eaten. She's so squeamish that she fetches up at the merest sight of blood.

See also: fetch, up

fetch up at (some place)

To arrive at some place or destination. So when do you guys think you'll fetch up at the hotel? Ugh, with all this traffic, we won't fetch up at home till after 10:00! Hey, do you know when Mom is going to fetch up at home?

See also: fetch, up

Dad fetch my buttons!

Rur. What a surprise!; Goodness me! Dad fetch my buttons! It's a letter from Aunt Rita! Dad fetch my buttons, I never was so happy in all my life!

fetch something in

to bring or pull something in. Would you please fetch some more firewood in? Can you fetch in the paper?

fetch something out of something

and fetch something out

to pull something out of something. Could you fetch me another hot dog out of the pot? I'll fetch out a hot dog for you.

fetch up

Sl. to empty one's stomach; to vomit. I really felt like I was going to fetch up. Somebody fetched up in here and didn't clean it up.

See also: fetch, up

fetch up at

some place to reach a place; to end up at a place. We fetched up at Sam's house at about midnight. The car fetched up at the cabin and everyone got out.

See also: fetch, up

fetch and carry

Do errands and other menial tasks, as in She was hired as administrative assistant, but all she does is fetch and carry for the department's supervisor . This expression originally alluded to dogs that were taught to carry various objects for their masters. It has been applied to humans since the late 1700s.

See also: and, carry, fetch

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

fetch and carry

go backwards and forwards bringing things to someone in a servile fashion.

This phrase was originally used to refer to a dog retrieving game that had been shot.

See also: and, carry, fetch

fetch and ˈcarry (for somebody)

be always doing small jobs for somebody; act as if you were somebody’s servant: I hate having to fetch and carry for my husband all day. Why can’t he do more for himself?

See also: and, carry, fetch

fetch up

1. To move fast enough to attain the same progress as another; catch up: They struggled to fetch up with the leader of the hike.

2. To make something equal or on a par with something else: You'd better fetch up your grades to the class average. Fetch your scores up to our median and you'll have a good chance for admission.

3. To bring something forth; to produce something: We fetched up a basketful of blueberries to make a pie. Please fetch some tomatoes up from the garden.

4. To reach a stopping place or goal; end up: I fell over my skis and fetched up in a heap on the snow.

5. To bring something to a halt; to stop something: Please fetch up the noise; I can't hear.

See also: fetch, up

fetch up

in. to empty one’s stomach; to vomit. I really felt like I was going to fetch up.

See also: fetch, up

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