get at

verb

1. to gain access to

   the dog could not get at the meat on the high shelf

2. to mean or intend

   what are you getting at when you look at me like that?

3. to irritate or annoy persistently; criticize

   she is always getting at him

4. to influence or seek to influence, esp illegally by bribery, intimidation, etc

   someone had got at the witness before the trial

Example Sentences

These tools may help them get at many questions surrounding capuchin monkey behavior, including how they decide whether to cooperate or compete with one another while they are interacting in their natural world.

From Science Daily

The increasing ease with which Brighton cut through City will have alarmed Guardiola, the statistics backing up the sense that they are much easier to get at this season.

From BBC

And there is this religious belief that the tough question is somehow the important way to get at some kind of truth.

From Salon

Our ads are an attempt to really get at Trump's ego and to cause him narcissistic upset and injury.

From Salon

Vance has gone on to say that he was "creating a story" to get at the larger issue.

From Salon

Related Words

• ascertain
• get hold of