DictionarygetStriking a target
verb

get

To strike someone with a forceful effect.

The punch gets him squarely in the jaw.

Etymology

The older verb concerns getting or obtaining. In the striking sense, the action reaches and catches its target, as when a blow gets someone in the shoulder.

More examples

  • A flying rock got him in the shoulder.
  • She vows to get him back for the prank.
  • That final scene gets me every time.

Forms

get · gets · got · gotten · getting

Similar words

hit
Directly describes physical contact, without implying punishment or emotion.
strike
Often suggests a deliberate or especially forceful physical blow.
punish
Specifically means imposing a penalty for wrongdoing, not simply hitting.