Get off the ground
Meaning
To successfully start or launch something, making initial progress after a period of planning or stagnation.
Origin
The phrase "get off the ground" takes its vivid imagery directly from the thrilling, early days of aviation. Before the 20th century, lifting heavy objects into the air was a monumental task, often failing dramatically. With the pioneering flights of the Wright brothers in 1903 and the subsequent rapid development of aircraft, the literal act of a machine defying gravity and successfully achieving lift became a powerful symbol of initial success against great odds. The struggle and triumph of those early aviators, pushing their fledgling contraptions into the sky, resonated deeply, transforming "getting off the ground" into a potent metaphor for any venture—a business, a project, or an idea—that moves from stagnation or planning into actual, upward momentum.
Examples
- The new startup struggled for months, but with the latest funding round, they finally hope to get off the ground.
- We've done a lot of planning, and now it's time to put our ideas into action and get this project off the ground.