get the memo

English

Verb

get the memo (third-person singular simple present gets the memo, present participle getting the memo, simple past got the memo, past participle (UK) got the memo or (US) gotten the memo)

  1. (literally) To receive an item of information.
    • 2025 March 24, David Hytner, “Reece James bends it like Beckham to help England break down Latvia”, in The Guardian‎[1]:
      Apart from that, it was England’s attack against Latvia’s massed defence. Marcus Rashford had got the memo to take on his man; he was positive, although the end product consistently eluded him.
  2. (informal, chiefly in the negative, idiomatic) To be aware of the current state of affairs.
    Well it's a bit late now, to suddenly start caring about that. I guess you didn't get the memo?
    • 2010, Ana Homayoun, That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week, Penguin, →ISBN:
      They've gotten it into their head that there's a mystical secret to academic success, and they just didn't get the memo.
    • 2014, Tawni Waters, Beauty of the Broken, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN:
      My alarm clock didn't get the memo about the day off. Iggy's must have because I can hear him snoring through his bedroom door.
    • 2023 June 14, Alexandria Dale, “Kim Kardashian relaxes poolside in a bright pink thong bikini”, in Women's Health‎[2]:
      It seems even Kris Jenner has got the pink memo. The momager followed up Kim's post with her own, sharing a throwback pic of herself in a neon pink '80s swimsuit.
  3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see get,‎ memo.

Antonyms

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