Sarunnio  +  288238 Wed, 01 Nov 06 02:14 PM Hi everyone, I'd like to know what "get off the mark" means in this context; Gerrard scored 23 times last season for the Reds, but took 16 games to get off the mark this time around, finally breaking his duck as Liverpool clinched a place in the knockout stages. Any idea would be appreciated. Thank you! Sarunnio Joined on Fri, Oct 7 2005 Junior Member 84

	Tam Sadek  +  288249 Wed, 01 Nov 06 02:32 PM "Quick off the mark" doesn't mean the same as is "get off the mark"... Personally I'd suggest you look for the idiom you mentioned i.e. "get+off+the+mark" here... http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/get+off+the+mark Mind you it does say it's British and Australian... Does that mean you don't have it in US English? Tam Sadek Idioms

	Marius Hancu  +  288254 Wed, 01 Nov 06 02:44 PM Get off the mark also means IMO to start and is of course only related to quick off the mark (which indicates quickness in starting) It means to start because you're leaving the starting blocks/marks in a running race. The site I mentioned shows: quick off the mark which I see as quick (to get) off the mark ----- --Fast to start or try something ---- thus (to get) off the mark IMO is clealy to start Another related idiom: Get off the dime is mentioned by Spears as meaning to start moving, to get out of a stopped position. Marius Hancu Idioms

	Tam Sadek  +  288268 Wed, 01 Nov 06 03:04 PM Yes it also has those meaning as well Marius, but we're not talking what it could mean... We're talking what it does mean in this context... i.e. football/soccer. Look at the poster's question: "I'd like to know what "get off the mark" means in this context; Gerrard scored 23 times last season for the Reds, but took 16 games to get off the mark this time around, finally breaking his duck as Liverpool clinched a place in the knockout stages." And here it is very clear for anyone who knows English football, Stevie Gerrard and who watched last night's European Champions League match between Liverpool and Bordeaux, or who read about it online today... Steven Gerrard scored last night for the first time this season which is why it is used in this context to mean 'to score for the first time'! There is no need to give a list of all the possible meanings of an idiom when it is clear from the context. The site I mentioned above gives the following: get off the mark (British & Australian) to score for the first time in a sports competition. Liverpool got off the mark with a blinding goal. How much clearer could it be in this context? Tam Sadek Idioms, Football

	Marius Hancu  +  288272 Wed, 01 Nov 06 03:16 PM Your interpretation is applied to a more limited case, to start scoring, and is correct of course. I think I've provided an answer which is more general in purpose. The readers will chose whatever information they want. Marius Hancu

	Tam Sadek  +  288280 Wed, 01 Nov 06 03:25 PM I agree that you have supplied a very extensive answer Marius, and it is often very useful to make learners aware of the multiple possibilities in the meaning of lexis... However, as I said, I think a more concise context-based answer is more appropriate in this case... Regards Tam Tam Sadek Regards