Learning English expressions with Ef Stein's comic strips

get the hang of

Learn the proper way of doing, using or handling something; acquire the knack of something. For example, I finally got the hang of this computer program. [Colloquial; mid-1800s]

See also: get, hang, of

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

done for

1. Exhausted, worn out, as in This old computer is just about done for. [Colloquial; c. 1800] Also see done in.

2. Doomed to death or destruction, as in Before he went to the hospital it seemed as if he was done for. [Colloquial; mid-1800s]

See also: done

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.