1. Home
2. Idioms
3. fetch

fetch

---

---

fetch and carry (for someone)

To perform menial tasks or errands at the behest of someone else. I thought the internship would teach me valuable skills in business, but all I did was fetch and carry for the office manager.

See also: and, carry, fetch

Dad fetch my buttons!

Rur. What a surprise!; Goodness me! Dad fetch my buttons! It's a letter from Aunt Rita! Dad fetch my buttons, I never was so happy in all my life!

See also: dad, fetch

fetch something in

to bring or pull something in. Would you please fetch some more firewood in? Can you fetch in the paper?

See also: fetch

fetch something out of something

 and fetch something out

to pull something out of something. Could you fetch me another hot dog out of the pot? I'll fetch out a hot dog for you.

See also: fetch, of, out

fetch up

Sl. to empty one's stomach; to vomit. I really felt like I was going to fetch up. Somebody fetched up in here and didn't clean it up.

See also: fetch, up

fetch up at

some place to reach a place; to end up at a place. We fetched up at Sam's house at about midnight. The car fetched up at the cabin and everyone got out.

See also: fetch, up

fetch and carry

Do errands and other menial tasks, as in She was hired as administrative assistant, but all she does is fetch and carry for the department's supervisor . This expression originally alluded to dogs that were taught to carry various objects for their masters. It has been applied to humans since the late 1700s.

See also: and, carry, fetch

fetch up

v.

1. To move fast enough to attain the same progress as another; catch up: They struggled to fetch up with the leader of the hike.

2. To make something equal or on a par with something else: You'd better fetch up your grades to the class average. Fetch your scores up to our median and you'll have a good chance for admission.

3. To bring something forth; to produce something: We fetched up a basketful of blueberries to make a pie. Please fetch some tomatoes up from the garden.

4. To reach a stopping place or goal; end up: I fell over my skis and fetched up in a heap on the snow.

5. To bring something to a halt; to stop something: Please fetch up the noise; I can't hear.

See also: fetch, up

fetch up

in. to empty one’s stomach; to vomit. I really felt like I was going to fetch up.

See also: fetch, up