get a move on

get a move on — idiom

1. to start moving or acting more quickly, usually because you are running late or

1.idiomB2
Definition

to start moving or acting more quickly, usually because you are running late or someone is waiting for you to finish

Example

Xiu told the children to get a move on before the school bus left.

James, get a move on — the meeting starts in five minutes!

imperative use: spoken command to hurry

Common collocations
  • tell someone to get a move on
  • better get a move on
  • get a move on with something
Synonyms
  • hurry up

    direct equivalent, equally informal; more common as a standalone command

  • get moving

    similar meaning and register; often implies starting from a standstill

  • speed up

    less colloquial; can be used in more formal contexts

Antonyms

Usage Note

Used almost only in informal spoken English and casual writing. It often appears as an imperative or follows 'tell someone to'.

Common Mistakes

The manager asked the team to get a move on the quarterly report.
The manager told the team to get a move on with the quarterly report.
When you name the task, use 'get a move on with something', not 'on something'.

Synonym discussion

Sense: idiom/1

All four expressions tell someone to be faster, but they differ in tone and setting. 'Get a move on' and 'hurry up' are the closest pair — both are informal spoken phrases, though 'hurry up' is more common as a bare command ('Hurry up!'). 'Get moving' shares the same casual register but emphasises starting after a pause: you might say it to someone still in bed. 'Speed up' is the most neutral of the group and works in both casual and semi-formal contexts ('We need to speed up production'). 'Step on it' comes from driving — it literally means press the accelerator harder — and is used when urging someone to go faster in a vehicle. Choose 'get a move on' when you want to sound urgent but not harsh, especially with children or friends.

hurry up ↗get moving ↗speed up ↗step on it

Etymology

English

An informal British phrase that appeared in the early 20th century. It combines 'get a' — a casual way of forming an instruction in English (as in 'get a grip' or 'get a life') — with 'move on', meaning to proceed or continue forward. The expression spread widely through spoken English and is now common in many varieties of English worldwide.