get physical

Idioms

Make physical contact, either forcefully or sexually. For example, Stop pushing—there's no need to get physical, or Thirteen is too young to get physical in that way. [Slang; second half of 1900s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Canada will grab and jostle the U.S., get physical and hope to throw off their mojo.

From The Wall Street Journal

The two discussed several properties, including whether they had any liens and whether the two could get physical access to them.

From Los Angeles Times

The culinary pros at Golden Krust, a Jamaican chain with locations in several states, also had to get physical when it came to devising their holiday recipe for jerk turkey—jerk being that country’s spicy method of preparing meat.

From The Wall Street Journal

There was a "verbal fight", the star said - but she insisted it "didn't get physical".

From BBC

“No,” replied Cardi B, who insisted it was a “verbal fight. ... It did not get physical at all.”

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023