“get off the ground”是一个多义短语,核心含义围绕“从静止/准备状态进入实施/运动状态”,具体可分为抽象意义(最常用)和字面意义(较少用):
指飞机、热气球等离开地面,起飞(较口语化,正式场合更常用“take off”)。
主动态:sth. gets off the ground(某事启动)
被动态:sth. is struggling to get off the ground(某事难以启动)
否定式:sth. never gets off the ground(某事从未启动)
外力协助:help/assist sth. to get off the ground(帮助某事启动)
例句:Our new online store finally got off the ground after six months of website development.(我们的新网店经过六个月的网站开发,终于启动了。)
It took years for her idea of opening a animal shelter to get off the ground—she needed to raise enough money first.(她开动物收容所的想法花了好几年才付诸实践——她得先筹够钱。)
The startup struggled to get off the ground because it couldn’t find a mentor or investors.(这家初创公司难以启动,因为找不到导师或投资者。)
Their plan to organize a city marathon never got off the ground due to COVID-19 restrictions.(他们组织城市马拉松的计划因新冠限制从未启动。)
The university’s grant helped the student-led environmental club get off the ground.(大学的拨款帮助学生主导的环保俱乐部启动了。)
The plane finally got off the ground after a two-hour delay caused by fog.(由于大雾延误两小时,飞机终于起飞了。)
The hot air balloon got off the ground slowly and rose into the clear sky.(热气球缓缓起飞,升上晴朗的天空。)
never get off the ground:强调“计划/想法始终未实施”(停留在理论阶段)。
例:His dream of becoming an astronaut never got off the ground—he was too scared of heights.(他当宇航员的梦想从未实现——他太恐高了。)
get sth. off the ground:主动促使某事启动(主语是人,强调“推动”的动作)。
例:As the team leader, my job is to get the new product launch off the ground by next quarter.(作为团队 leader,我的工作是在 next 季度前启动新产品发布。)
“get off the ground”的核心是“突破初始状态,进入行动/运作”——无论是抽象的“计划启动”还是具体的“飞机起飞”,都围绕“离开‘地面’(准备/静止),开始前进”的逻辑。
日常交流中,抽象用法远多于字面用法,尤其适合描述“创业、项目、创意”等从“想法”到“实践”的关键一步。