idiom · informal
get something off one's chest
UK/ɡɛt ˈsʌmθɪŋ ɒf wʌnz ˈtʃɛst/US/ɡɛt ˈsʌmθɪŋ ɔːf wʌnz ˈtʃɛst/get·SOM·ething·off·one's·CHEST
to express or talk about something that has been worrying you so you feel relieved
Examples
“I finally told my friend about the mistake to get it off my chest.”
“She needed to get something off her chest, so she called her sister.”
“After weeks of worrying, he got it off his chest and felt better.”
Band 8 sentence
“I decided to get it off my chest and explain why I disagreed, which actually improved our relationship.”
Collocations
- get something off one's chest to someone
- need to get sth off my chest
Word family
Common mistakes
get off my chest→get it off my chest / get something off my chest
take something off my chest→get something off my chest
Say it for a higher band
5tell someone→6confide in someone→7+get something off one's chest
Synonyms
confide in someone
unburden oneself
Easily confused
confide in someone
“She confided in her colleague about the problem at work.”
Related words
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In Emotions
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