Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[BMO]

Does it refer to public transportation?

Thanks.

bmo

[bud]

It could. It could also refer more generally to getting from one place to another. For example, a city's streets are named and laid out logically, so it is easy to figure out how to get from here to there.

It could also mean something very different. One example I can think of is getting around rules = finding some technicality so that you can avoid obeying the rule. I mean, if you find a technicality, then you are not "disobeying" the rule, but you are disobeying the spirit behind the rule.

[BMO]

Thanks, and understood both.

bmo

[river1974]

I get around my father to lend me his car.
= I convince my father to lend me his car.

Is that right?

Thanks.

[bud]

No, that doesn't work very well because it's not about a rule. Suppose your father punished you by saying, "You cannot take the car any day for the next two weeks." You might decide that since he will be away on Friday night, you will use the car then. After all, it's the night, not the day, right? Then you have found a way to get around your punishment, although if your father finds out, he may not agree with your reasoning.

Another example: Sometimes people come up with very clever ways to get around having to pay their taxes.

[river1974]

Thanks bud. It is now very clear to me.

[bud]

My pleasure, River.

[Blossom]

[toe]

blossom, i haven't heard the expression used in that sense before.

but a way i have heard it used is perhaps a colloquialism (?), for example, a parent admonishing a teenager:

when you get around those friends of yours, you start acting just like them!

as in to say the parent doesn't care for the teen's choice of friends, and when the teen is hanging out with them, he/she acts as ill-mannered as they are.

toe

[bud]

Good one, Toe!

I never herad it used in River's/Blossom's sense either. It is possible that it is used that way in some regions, though, but none that I know of.