[Vocabulary] get in behind us?

[hhtt21]

When you are not busy, would you please explain "get in behind us"? I wonder about it but it is too high of my level. It is like a combat scene.

"The CounterArmor trucks are fleeing west for the Iraq border. The Turks have invaded, the chief is telling us. Or maybe it’s the Russians. Tactical nukes have been used, near Qom and Kashan in the No-Go Zone; or maybe that’s false too. “Get in behind us,” he shouts. “We’re gonna need every gun we can get.”

The Profession Excerpt | Steven Pressfield

 

[GoesStation]

It means Get into this vehicle, [in the seats] behind us.

 

[hhtt21]

It means Get into this vehicle, [in the seats] behind us.

Do warriors get in the same truck, or will they come behind who says that?

 

[Skrej]

It means Get into this vehicle, [in the seats] behind us.

Do warriors get in the same truck, or will they come behind who says that?

Actually, reading a bit more of the context, it likely means 'follow our vehicles with your vehicles.

The speaker is telling the men in the CounterArmor trucks to join his convoy of jeeps and follow them, most likely. It just depends on how many men there are in the CounterArmor trucks, and how much space there is in the jeeps.

 

[emsr2d2]

I agree with Skrej now. I think it's an order (or suggestion) for the others to join/make a line of vehicles behind the lead vehicle.

 

[hhtt21]

Would you please give more information about it? Is it a standard usage of "get" or phrasal verb "get in" ? Can you please basically define its meaning?

Can you see a similar meaning in this link?

https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/get

 

[emsr2d2]

It's "get in" so you won't find it in a definition of just "get".

For me, in the context, it's similar to saying "Get in line behind us".

 

[jutfrank]

It means get in the convoy behind us.

 

[hhtt21]

It means get in the convoy behind us.

Your version seems quite basic and easy to learn but I need more clarification. What does "get in" mean here? I worked it out as just the same as "join", implying that "come with us". But neither Lexico (Oxford), nor Collins cover such a meaning. So can you please basically explain the meaning?

 

[jutfrank]

Do you know what a convoy is? Imagine a line of vehicles with the commander's vehicle at the head. The commander is giving an instruction to join the convoy, in a position behind his lead vehicle.

The preposition in is used because we think of convoys as being essentially like containers. It's similar to how we say get in the queue or get in line. Once the CounterArmor vehicles have joined, they are then 'in' the convoy. The verb get very basically means 'move'.

 

[Skrej]

I worked it out as just the same as "join", implying that "come with us". But neither Lexico (Oxford), nor Collins cover such a meaning. So can you please basically explain the meaning?

You're correct, it basically does mean 'join us'.

. So can you please basically explain the meaning?

For me, in the context, it's similar to saying "Get in line behind us".

Emsr's summary is a good one, as is your own of 'join us'. Jutfrank explained it very similarly - if they join the convoy, they're in line behind them. Convoys travel single file. I'm not sure what more of an explanation you're asking for.

Compare it to verb definition #2 for 'fall in'. Given the military context, he could just as easily told them to 'fall in behind us' as 'get in behind us'.