get off the ground
Start making progress
To get off the ground is to begin successfully or gain momentum after starting.
The metaphor evokes an airplane or rocket lifting into the air—the hardest part being initial liftoff: The project never got off the ground, Once the business gets off the ground, we'll hire more staff.
Often used in the negative to describe ventures that failed to launch.
Product of mass, velocity
- progressMovement toward improvement
- viableCapable of succeeding
- sustainableAble to endure long-term
- breakthroughSudden important advance
advancement · flourish · thrive · succeed · take hold · pick up steam · catch on · take shape
start
To set going
commence · establish · set up · found · create · originate · embark · debut · introduce · pioneer
momentum
Product of mass, velocity
- progressMovement toward improvement
- viableCapable of succeeding
- sustainableAble to endure long-term
breakthrough · advancement · flourish · thrive · succeed · take hold · pick up steam · catch on · take shape · come together
get off the groundfall flat
Fail to impress
fizzle out · collapse · fold · crash and burn · flop
get off the groundstall
Enclosed compartment or delay
stagnate · grind to a halt · hit a wall · bog down · lose steam
getting, ground, grounds, grounded, grounding, groundless, groundwork