[Idiom] get off

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yuriya

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Hello, everyone! Please explain what "get off" means in the following:

" . . . They need someone they can trust. You are not that person." . . . I was not exactly brave, hero type. But trustworthy? Come on! I could be trusted. I was a good guy. Where did she get off calling me untrustworthy?

Thanks in advance!
 

TheParser

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Hello, everyone! Please explain what "get off" means in the following:

" . . . They need someone they can trust. You are not that person." . . . I was not exactly brave, hero type. But trustworthy? Come on! I could be trusted. I was a good guy. Where did she get off calling me untrustworthy?

Thanks in advance!

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Good morning, Yuriya.

(1) Where did she get off calling me untrustworthy?

(a) Something like:

How dare she call me that!

What a nerve of her to call me that!

Who does she think she is to call me that!

(2) By the way, those two little words can mean many things in

different contexts. I would be VERY careful before using them.

Have a nice day!
 

yuriya

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Syntactically, is it close to where did she get that(calling me a liar) from? That is, calling me a liar is the object of "get off somewhere"?
 

Barb_D

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No, they aren't.

"Where does she get off" calling me... = How does she justify calling me... = What gives her the right to call me...
 

TheParser

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Hello :)
Is it correct not to add an s after call?

Cheers!

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Good morning, Nightmare.

(1) "Dare" and "need" are sometimes used as modal auxiliaries. As you

know, one does not use "s" after a modal auxiliary:

(a) How dare Sue TALK to me that way!

(b) Tell Tom that he need not CALL me anymore!

(2) I am sure that you have Mr. Michael Swan's Practical

English Usage. He does a great job in explaining it.

(3) If you use the search box at this website, you might get some

good threads, too.

(4) The good news is that native speakers seldom use it as a modal.

Its most common use is one of indignation:

How dare you speak to me in that tone of voice! You just keep your

place, mister!!!

***** Have a nice day!
 

yuriya

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Thank you all guys! It seems that where do you get off (doing)? is related to tell someone where to get off.
 
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