difference between get going and start

[Mohammad.Moab]

I was reading some news on NBC News and one of them was about Trump's tweet:

... DC Police, get going — do your job and don’t hold back!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2020

I was wondering if there is any difference between get going and start in this sentence. Or can we use "begin" instead of get going?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I was reading some news on NBC News and one of them was about Trump's tweet:

... DC Police, get going — do your job and don’t hold back!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2020

I was wondering if there is any difference between get going and start in this sentence. Or can we use "begin" instead of get going?

That's a good question.

Yes, the literal meaning is start or begin.

But the expression "get going" always implies urgency. It means begin immediately, right away, this second, NOW!

 

[Mohammad.Moab]

So it means we must use "get going" in an imperative. Is that correct?

 

[emsr2d2]

"Get going!" as a standalone sentence can only be an imperative.