get off the ground

Idioms and Phrases

Make a start, get underway, as in Because of legal difficulties, the construction project never got off the ground . This expression, alluding to flight, dates from the mid-1900s. The similar-sounding get off to a flying start , meaning “make a successful start,” alludes not to flight but to a quick start in a race, a usage from the late 1800s. For example, He's off to a flying start with his dissertation .

More About Get Off The Ground

What does get off the ground mean?

The phrase get off the ground means to begin or get started, especially after some kind of delay or obstacle, as in The football season finally managed to get off the ground after numerous delays. 

The thing that is starting (or not) can also be placed within the phrase, as in The team wasn’t even able to get the project off the ground due to lack of funding. 

The phrase is often used when something has struggled to get started or failed to start.

Example: The mysterious donor managed to provide the money the artists needed to get their art show off the ground.

Where does get off the ground come from?

The first records of get off the ground come from the mid-1900s. The expression is a reference to an airplane taking flight—a flight doesn’t actually begin until a plane actually gets off the ground.

The phrase get off the ground is often used in the context of projects, events, or other ambitious plans. It is especially used in situations involving obstacles or a difficult start, implying that it took effort to get something going. Get off the ground is also used in the negative in situations in which something was prevented from starting for some reason, such as opposition, struggle, or incompetence, as in Unfortunately, the new magazine never got off the ground due to lack of interest from advertisers.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for get off the ground?

• start
• begin
• commence
• go ahead
• launch

What are some words that share a root or word element with get off the ground? 

• get
• off 
• ground
• get going

What are some words that often get used in discussing get off the ground?

• project
• event
• plan
• problems
• hurdles
• cancel
• delay

How is get off the ground used in real life?

Get off the ground is typically used in the content of something that is just beginning or getting started, especially if it faced problems.

Huge congratulations for getting this off the ground…& for making it so beautiful modern and inviting. There's no greater pleasure than enjoying hours browsing in a bookshop. Hope this inspires many other Somalis – wherever they are in the region https://t.co/vIUuK19Clf

— Rageh Omaar (@ragehomaar) November 17, 2020

A few years ago, my film producer and I were really lucky to get funding for me to write my first ever feature film, a pet project I've been trying to get off the ground for years.

— Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla) December 27, 2019

As I was having head shots taken this morning, it occurs to me how lucky I am to have this job, because honestly, my modelling career was never going to get off the ground…

— Kate Buckley (@EchinoKate) February 25, 2020

 

 

Try using get off the ground!

Is get off the ground used correctly in the following sentence?

The festival was cancelled because the organizers never managed to get it off the ground.