Why do we have "with" in this sentence?

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Maymhight  #226366  Thu, 18 May 06 06:37 AM

Hi!

Could you tell me  why we have "with" in the follwing sentence?

"Let's start now." " I just want to get it over with."

Is the word "me" dropped after "with"?

  
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CalifJim  #226391  Thu, 18 May 06 08:20 AM
"me" is not dropped after "with", no.  Neither "me" nor any other similar personal pronoun is part of the idiom.

With "get", "over with" means "finished".  This idiom is used in circumstances where there is something undesirable or unpleasant about the task to be finished, and the idea is usually that it will be a relief to have it finished soon.

In brief get it over with = get it finished = be finished with it

-- We have to move all the furniture out on the lawn before the carpet layers come.
-- What a pain!  Come on.  Let's do it now.  Let's get it over with.  Then we can have a snack while we wait for them.


CJ

  
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Maymhight  #235150  Mon, 12 Jun 06 10:36 AM

Guru San,

Thank you very much for your detailed reply.

I'm still wondering why we have "with "here.

Does the word add any meaning?  If it is a preposition, it seems to me that it should have its object, though it could be dropped if obvious.

Besr regards,

Maymhight

  
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