get away
No objectThis verb takes no object at all.
How to say it
Stress the particle, not the verb: get AWAY. Saying “GET away” is the clearest learner tell — the verb stays light and the particle carries the beat.
The /t/ flaps. Between vowels, American /t/ and /d/ both become a quick tap, so “get away” comes out as “ge-daway” — closer to a fast D than a T.
Verb vs noun
As a noun the stress flips to the front: the verb is get AWAY, the noun is GETAWAY. Same two words, different beat — “to get AWAY” is the action, “a getaway” is the thing. Getting this backwards makes the sentence land oddly even when every sound is right.
2 meanings
- 1
To escape.
- “The thieves got away before the alarm sounded.”
Similar: escape, flee
- 2
To take a short holiday.
- “We're trying to get away for a few days in March.”