To get out of bed on the wrong side, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To be testy or cross-grained. [A corruption of an old saying, ‘To rise on the right side is accounted lucky’; hence the reverse meant trials to temper, patience, and luck.]
1607. Marston, What You Will. You rise on your right side to-day, marry.
1608. Machin, Dumb Knight, iv., 1. Sure I said my prayers, ris’d on my right side, Wash’d hands and eyes, put on my [[136]]girdle last; Sure I met no splea-footed baker, No hare did cross me, nor no bearded witch, Nor other ominous sign.
1614. Terence in English. C. What doth shee keepe house alreadie? D. Alreadie. C. O good God!; we rose on the right side to-day.
1647. Beaumont and Fletcher, i. Women Pleased. You rose o’ your right side.
1890. Globe, 15 May, p. 2, col. 2. Some of them had—if we may employ such a vulgar expression—got out of bed on the wrong side.
To get out (or Round), verb. phr. (racing).—To back a horse against which one has previously laid; to Hedge (q.v.).
1884. Hawley Smart, From Post to Finish, p. 318. He had an idea Johnson was this time cleverly working a very well authorised commission, and that he personally had taken more than one opportunity of what is termed getting out.
To get set, verb. phr. (cricketing).—1. To warm to one’s work at the wicket, and collar the bowling; to get one’s eye well in.
To get there, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To attain one’s object; to be successful; to make one’s jack (q.v.); to get there with both feet = to be very successful.