get away with (something)

1. To avoid the consequences of one's actions. You'll never get away with cheating—one of your teachers is bound to figure it out. You got lucky when you ran that red light. Next time you might not get away with it. How long do you think you'll be able to get away with avoiding the dentist? Eventually, you're going to have a cavity—or five!

2. To leave or flee with or something. The robbers got away with the TV but not much else. Thank goodness some passerby tackled the thief, so he wasn't able to get away with my purse. No, you did the right thing letting that creep get away with your car. We can replace a car, but we can't replace you.

See also: away, get

get away with someone or something

to escape, taking someone or something with one. The kidnapper got away with little Brian. The burglars got away with a lot of cash and some diamonds.

See also: away, get

get away with something

and get by with something

to do something and not get punished for it. (See also get away with murder) You can't get away with that! Larry got by with the lie.

See also: away, get

get away with

1. Escape the consequences or blame for, as in Bill often cheats on exams but usually gets away with it. [Late 1800s]

2. get away with murder. Escape the consequences of killing someone; also, do anything one wishes. For example, If the jury doesn't convict him, he'll have gotten away with murder, or He talks all day on the phone-the supervisor is letting him get away with murder. [First half of 1900s]

See also: away, get

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.

get away with, to

To escape the usual penalty. This Americanism originated in the second half of the nineteenth century and at one point also meant to get the better of someone. It was still considered slangy when it appeared in the Congressional Record in 1892: “[They] will have to be content with the pitiful $240,000 that they have already ‘got away with.’”