What is the meaning of the phrase ‘go get ‘em’?
Go and get them. (Or go and succeed at the challenge.)
What is the origin of the phrase ‘go get ‘em’?
The phrase ‘go get ‘em’ is an abbreviation of a slightly longer phrase ‘go and get them’. It is not known how far this phrase may date back. Possibly quite a long time.
However, the phrase ‘go get ‘em’ is more commonly known as part of a different longer phrase, specifically, phrase ‘go get ‘em tiger’ and the origin of this phrase is well documented…
In 1968, the Detroit Tigers baseball team used the line ‘go get em tiger’ in their theme song, where it’s used as a line of encouragement to bolster the team in their games.
Since then, the phrase has attracted widespread use in two main forms, namely ‘go get ‘em’ and phrase ‘go get ‘em tiger’. Today, you are very likely to overhear it said in everyday conversation and on TV, in film, and on social media.
So, while the phrase was originally one to encourage the Detroit Tigers in their games, the meaning has since expanded to become a phrase of encouragement for any endeavour someone might face.
What are some notable uses of the phrase ‘go get ‘em’?
The phrase ‘go get ‘em tiger’ also appeared in several advertising campaigns for the cereal Kellogg’s Frosties, where the phrase is used by the animated character Tony the Tiger. Here, Tony implies that a bowl of Kellogg’s Frosties will set kids right for the day ahead, and have them raring to go. It’s not Tony the Tiger’s main catchphrase however, which is ‘They’re gr-r-reat!’
