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got

v.
A2 Elementary US //ˈɡɑt// UK //ɡˈɒt// got Dialect Informal

v. the past tense of 'get'. You use it to show that you received, bought, or became something in the past.

v. the past tense and past participle of 'get'. In British English, it serves as the standard past participle, whereas American English often prefers 'gotten' for the participle sense.


SIMPLE

I got a new phone yesterday.

CONTEXTUAL

She got very tired after walking for three hours in the heat.

COMPLEX

The team got the results they were hoping for after months of rigorous testing and data analysis.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

Analogous to Chinese 有, such as Hokkien 有 (ū), Cantonese 有 (jau⁵), Mandarin 有 (yǒu). Sense 1 is also comparable to Malay ada.

Usage

In informal speech, 'have got' is frequently used to indicate possession or necessity instead of 'have'.

Pitfall

I have got a car last yearI got a car last year'Got' is the past tense for a completed action; 'have got' is used for present possession.

Idioms8 entries

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