Meaning of Idiom ‘Get Away From It All’
To get away from it all means to take a holiday (take a vacation in American English) to a place that is far from a situation that is considered stressful, busy, etc.; to take a respite from the pressures of everyday life; to remove oneself from one’s normal routine, problems, or surroundings in order to unwind, relax, and recover from the exhaustion and stress of modern life. 1“away, adv., adj., and n.” OED Online, Oxford University Press, March 2021, www.oed.com/view/Entry/13905. Accessed 2 March 2021.,2Brenner, Gail. Webster’s New World American Idioms Handbook. John Wiley & Sons, 2011.,3Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
Usage
A place that considered to be ‘away from it all’ is usually a remote location where modern technology is not as ubiquitous. However, such a place need not be rustic or uncomfortable. A vacation resort may be considered ‘away from it all.’
Examples Of Use
“I’ll be glad when this pandemic is over so I can get away from it all.”
“People often say they want to get away from it all, but they always bring along the very things that keep them connected to the things they are trying to escape!”
“My rich uncle told me he needed to get away from it all. I asked him what he wanted to get away from, his mansion, his chauffeur, or his private chef?”
“This has been a tough year. What do you say we go somewhere to get away from it all?”
“Sometimes you just get tired of the city and need to get away from it all. A trip to the country is just what the doctor ordered.”
Origin
The idiom ‘away from it all’ has been used since at least the 1840s. The variant ‘to get away from it all’ has been used since at least the 1880s.
More Idioms Starting with A
More All Idioms
More Away Idioms
- Run Away With (something)
- Run Away
- When the Cat’s Away, the Mice Will Play
- Get Away with Murder
- Miles Away, to be