GET OFF (ONE’S) HIGH HORSE, GET OFF/GO SCOT-FREE, GET (ONE’S) ACT/IT TOGETHER: American English Idioms #84

GET OFF (ONE’S) HIGH HORSE

This idiom typically means to stop being arrogant or haughty, and it is often used when someone has been proven wrong. The phrase comes from the old English proverb ‘to get off one’s high horse,’ which was believed to be a literal act of getting down from one’s horse.

Most people associate the phrase “get off one’s high horse” with arrogance, which is often considered to be an undesirable trait.

The idiom “get off one’s high horse” means to show less arrogance and more humility. The idiom is an allusion to the galloping of a horse, and the rider wishes to show that he has the necessary control over the animal so as not to be unseated by such movement.

A “high horse” is an analogy for someone who is acting in a superior fashion. The phrase “get off one’s high horse” means to be less self-absorbed and more humble.

A person who is riding a high horse is someone who has an overinflated ego or self-esteem. This term references the ostentatious behavior of people who act as though they are superior to others because they have achieved some degree of social standing.

A person should not get off their high horse because it indicates to others that one’s ego is not inflated by one’s own accomplishments, but by the achievements of another.

GET OFF/GO SCOT-FREE

The phrase, “get off scot-free” is an idiom that means to escape without consequences. Its origin comes from the fact that Scottish people and/or people who lived in Scotland would traditionally pay their taxes in kind with goods rather than in cash. Therefore, if they were caught stealing, they technically hadn’t stolen anything, as they had traded their goods for the goods taken by the thief.

The term “get off scot-free” is often used to describe the perpetrator of a crime who goes through the legal process, but does not experience any consequences for their actions. The phrase is derived from Scots law in which a person could be found not guilty and acquitted if they paid a fee or penalty before leaving Scotland.

To “get off scot-free” means to evade punishment, pay nothing, or escape consequences. It is generally used in the negative form where someone fails to be punished or has escaped consequences. The idiom may come from an old English law called the Scots Law whereby anyone who was not caught for a crime was free of their sentence.

Getting off scot-free is an idiom that means to escape without penalty. The term derives from the Scottish Border Region, where a person who committed a crime would be free of punishment if they could make it across the border before being captured.

GET (ONE’S) ACT/IT TOGETHER

To “get it together” means to be able to function effectively. For instance, if someone is feeling ill or just not doing well at work due to stress or psychical illness, they may need to take time off work and relax, during which time they are able to “get it together.

A common idiom is “get it together,” which is generally used when someone needs to get their act together.  An example would be when your friend calls you and tells you they really need help with their homework, but you don’t have the time to help them because you’re busy with school work. You might tell them that they should “get it together” and do the homework themselves.

This idiom is an imperative phrase meaning “put your life in order.” This can be achieved by prioritizing your needs, focusing on the present, and taking time for yourself.

If someone needs to “get it together,” they need to stop acting so irrationally and be more mentally stable.

The phrase “get it together” is used when someone needs to focus and put in more effort. The person may need to take the initiative and organize their thoughts in order to proceed with a task, or they might need to get over an emotional hurdle in order to make rational decisions.

A common idiom, “get it together”, is a call to someone to more effectively organize their thoughts or a task. It can be used as a colloquial expression of encouragement or as a more forceful directive. One could say this to their colleagues who have been slacking off from the workload, for example.