If somebody has been doing poor work or not enough, the boss might say, “If he wants to keep his job he’d better ________.”
| GET ON THE BALL | 310 |
| STRAIGHTEN UP | 100 |
| SHAPE UP | 74 |
| GET BUSY | 47 |
| BUCKLE DOWN | 46 |
| TOE THE MARK | 36 |
| GET WITH IT | 32 |
| STEP ON IT | 31 |
| IMPROVE | 26 |
| KNUCKLE DOWN | 26 |
| WAKE UP | 24 |
| DO BETTER | 20 |
| PERK UP | 17 |
| SNAP OUT OF IT | 17 |
| SHAPE UP OR SHIP OUT | 16 |
| GET GOING | 15 |
| NR | 14 |
| GET ON THE STICK | 12 |
| PICK UP | 12 |
| STRAIGHTEN OUT | 12 |
| CHANGE HIS WAYS | 11 |
| GET A MOVE ON | 11 |
| GET TO WORK | 11 |
| MEND HIS WAYS | 10 |
| SETTLE DOWN | 10 |
| SETTLE DOWN TO BUSINESS | 10 |
| SMARTEN UP | 9 |
| SPRUCE UP | 9 |
| TOE THE LINE | 9 |
| GET DOWN TO BUSINESS | 8 |
| GET THE LEAD OUT | 8 |
| HUSTLE | 8 |
| QUIT GOOFING OFF | 8 |
| HOP TO IT | 7 |
| PEP UP | 7 |
| PUT OUT | 7 |
| SHAKE A LEG | 7 |
| STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT | 7 |
| WISE UP | 7 |
| MIND HIS P’S AND Q’S | 6 |
| SNAP INTO IT | 6 |
| WATCH HIS STEP | 6 |
| DIG IN | 5 |
| GET ON THE JOB | 5 |
| GET THE LEAD OUT OF HIS PANTS | 5 |
| HUSTLE UP | 5 |
| START WORKING | 5 |
| STOP GOOFING OFF | 5 |
| TURN OVER A NEW LEAF | 5 |
| GET ON HIS TOES | 4 |
| GO TO WORK | 4 |
| APPLY HIMSELF | 3 |
| COME ACROSS | 3 |
| DO BETTER WORK | 3 |
| GET A MOVE ON HIM | 3 |
| GET THE RAG OUT | 3 |
| GET TO IT | 3 |
| HIT THE BALL | 3 |
| PAY ATTENTION | 3 |
| PRODUCE | 3 |
| PUT HIS NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE | 3 |
| QUIT LOAFING | 3 |
| QUIT SHIRKING | 3 |
| SPEED UP | 3 |
| STIR HIS STUMPS | 3 |
| STOP SHIRKING | 3 |
| TEND TO HIS KNITTING | 3 |
| WATCH HIS P’S AND Q’S | 3 |
| WORK HARDER | 3 |
| BRACE UP | 2 |
| BRUSH UP | 2 |
| BUCK UP | 2 |
| BUCKLE UNDER | 2 |
| BUCKLE UP | 2 |
| CHANGE HIS TUNE | 2 |
| COME ALIVE | 2 |
| COME UP TO PAR | 2 |
| GET A MOVE ON HIMSELF | 2 |
| GET A WIGGLE ON | 2 |
| GET CRACKING | 2 |
| GET DOWN TO BRASS TACKS | 2 |
| GET IN ACTION | 2 |
| GET IN LINE | 2 |
| GET IN THE BUGGY | 2 |
| GET MOVING | 2 |
| GET ON THE BEAM | 2 |
| GET ON WITH IT | 2 |
| GIT WITH IT | 2 |
| HAUL ASS | 2 |
| HURRY UP | 2 |
| IMPROVE HIS WORK | 2 |
| KEEP ON HIS TOES | 2 |
| PEARTEN UP | 2 |
| PITCH IN | 2 |
| PONY UP | 2 |
| QUIT MONKEYING AROUND | 2 |
| QUIT SLUFFING OFF | 2 |
| QUIT THROWING OFF | 2 |
| SHARPEN UP | 2 |
| SHOW MORE INTEREST | 2 |
| SNAP TO IT | 2 |
| STEP IT UP | 2 |
| STEP UP | 2 |
| STEP UP A LITTLE | 2 |
| STOP GOLDBRICKING | 2 |
| TEND TO BUSINESS | 2 |
| TEND TO HIS BUSINESS | 2 |
| TIGHTEN UP | 2 |
| WORK UP | 2 |
| ACT AS THOUGH HE WAS ALIVE | 1 |
| ACT LIKE HE BELONGS HERE | 1 |
| ACT RIGHT | 1 |
| ANTE | 1 |
| ANTE UP | 1 |
| BASUFFT | 1 |
| BE MORE PARTICULAR | 1 |
| BE ON THE LOOKOUT | 1 |
| BEGIN TO PRODUCE | 1 |
| BRIGHTEN UP | 1 |
| BRING UP HIS STANDARDS | 1 |
| BUCK THE LINE | 1 |
| BUCK UP AND DO BETTER | 1 |
| BUCKLE | 1 |
| BUCKLE DOWN TO WORK | 1 |
| BUCKLE IN | 1 |
| BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL | 1 |
| CHANGE HIS MIND | 1 |
| CHANGE HIS WAY OF DOING | 1 |
| CHOP WOOD | 1 |
| COME ALONG | 1 |
| COME THROUGH WITH IT | 1 |
| COME TO | 1 |
| COME TO LIFE | 1 |
| COME TO TIME | 1 |
| COME UP TO SNUFF | 1 |
| COME UP WITH HIS WORK | 1 |
| CUT OUT BOTCHING | 1 |
| CUT OUT HIS MONKEYSHINES | 1 |
| CUT THE BUCK | 1 |
| CUT THE MUSTARD | 1 |
| DELIVER THE GOODS | 1 |
| DO A BETTER JOB | 1 |
| DO BETTER THAN THAT | 1 |
| DO EXTRA WORK | 1 |
| DO HIS JOB | 1 |
| DO HIS JOB BETTER | 1 |
| DO HIS JOB RIGHT | 1 |
| DO HIS PART | 1 |
| DO LOTS BETTER | 1 |
| DO MORE WORK | 1 |
| DO SOME WORK | 1 |
| DROP THE LID AND GET GOING | 1 |
| EARN HIS KEEP | 1 |
| FACE UP | 1 |
| FALL IN LINE | 1 |
| FIND HIMSELF | 1 |
| FLY STRAIGHT | 1 |
| GET A HUMP ON | 1 |
| GET A WIGGLE ON HIM | 1 |
| GET A-GOIN’ | 1 |
| GET AWAKE | 1 |
| GET HEP | 1 |
| GET HIGH BEHIND | 1 |
| GET IN HIGH | 1 |
| GET IN THE GROOVE | 1 |
| GET IN THE HARNESS | 1 |
| GET LINED OUT | 1 |
| GET OFF HIS BUTT | 1 |
| GET OFF HIS DEAD ASS | 1 |
| GET OFF OF IT | 1 |
| GET ON A STICK | 1 |
| GET ON HIS HORSE | 1 |
| GET ON HIS P’S AND Q’S | 1 |
| GET ON IT | 1 |
| GET ON THE MOVE | 1 |
| GET ON THE WAGON | 1 |
| GET ON TO IT | 1 |
| GET ONTO HIMSELF | 1 |
| GET SMART | 1 |
| GET SOME ACTION | 1 |
| GET THE LEAD OUT OF HIM | 1 |
| GET THE LEAD OUT OF HIS BRITCHES | 1 |
| GET THE LEAD OUT OF IT | 1 |
| GET TO DOING SOMETHING | 1 |
| GET UNDER LOCOMOTION | 1 |
| GET UP OR GET OUT | 1 |
| GET WISE TO HIMSELF | 1 |
| GET WISE TO WHERE HE’S GOING | 1 |
| GIT BUSY | 1 |
| GIT IN | 1 |
| GIT IN GEAR | 1 |
| GIVE HIM A TOUCH OF HIGH LIFE | 1 |
| GO DIFFERENTLY | 1 |
| HAUL LOGS | 1 |
| HOLD UP HIS END | 1 |
| HURRY | 1 |
| HUSTLE A LITTLE BIT | 1 |
| HUSTLE ALONG | 1 |
| HUSTLE AND BUSTLE | 1 |
| IMPROVE HIS WAY | 1 |
| KEEP HIS END UP | 1 |
| KEEP ON THE LINE | 1 |
| KEEP UP | 1 |
| KNUCKLE UNDER | 1 |
| LITE OUT THE RAG | 1 |
| LIVEN UP | 1 |
| LOOK OUT | 1 |
| LOOK TO HIS GUNS | 1 |
| LOOK TO HIS LAURELS | 1 |
| MAKE A BETTER SHOWING | 1 |
| MAKE A CHANGE | 1 |
| MAKE A SHOW | 1 |
| MAKE GOOD | 1 |
| MEND YOUR WAYS | 1 |
| MIND HIS BUSINESS | 1 |
| MOVE | 1 |
| MOVE UP | 1 |
| NOT LIE DOWN ON THE JOB | 1 |
| PEARTEN | 1 |
| PERK OUT OF IT | 1 |
| PICK UP A LITTLE | 1 |
| PROVE HIS STUFF | 1 |
| PULL HIMSELF TOGETHER | 1 |
| PULL HIS FREIGHT | 1 |
| PULL IN HIS HORNS | 1 |
| PULL UP HIS SOCKS | 1 |
| PUT HIS BEST FOOT FORWARD | 1 |
| PUT HIS SHOULDER AGIN THE WHEEL | 1 |
| PUT IN MORE EFFORT | 1 |
| PUT SOME PEP IN HIS STEP | 1 |
| PUT UP | 1 |
| QUIT BLUFFING | 1 |
| QUIT DEADBEATING | 1 |
| QUIT DOGGING IT | 1 |
| QUIT GOLDBRICKING | 1 |
| QUIT GOLDDIGGING | 1 |
| QUIT GOOFING | 1 |
| QUIT HIS LOAFING | 1 |
| QUIT HIS SLUFFING | 1 |
| QUIT HORSING AROUND | 1 |
| QUIT POKING AROUND | 1 |
| QUIT RATTING | 1 |
| QUIT SHIRKING ON THE JOB | 1 |
| QUIT SITTING DOWN | 1 |
| QUIT SOLDIERING | 1 |
| QUIT STALLING | 1 |
| REFORM | 1 |
| ROLL UP HIS SLEEVES | 1 |
| SETTLE DOWN AND GET TO WORK | 1 |
| SHAG IT | 1 |
| SHAKE HIS ASS | 1 |
| SHAKE OUT | 1 |
| SHAPE UP OR GET OUT | 1 |
| SHIT OR GET OFF THE POT | 1 |
| SHOW A LITTLE ACTION | 1 |
| SHOW AN IMPROVEMENT | 1 |
| SHOW ME | 1 |
| SHOW SIGNS OF LIFE | 1 |
| SHOW SOME RESULTS | 1 |
| SPEED IT UP | 1 |
| SPEED UP HIS WORK | 1 |
| SRAIGHTEN OUT | 1 |
| START DOING HIS HOMEWORK | 1 |
| START HUSTLING | 1 |
| START PRODUCING | 1 |
| START PULLING HIS OWN WEIGHT | 1 |
| START SHOWING HIS STUFF | 1 |
| STEP A LITTLE LIVELIER | 1 |
| STICK TO BUSINESS | 1 |
| STICK TO HIS GUNS | 1 |
| STOP DEADBEATING | 1 |
| STOP DRAGGING FEET | 1 |
| STOP DRAGGING HIS FEET | 1 |
| STOP DUBBING OFF | 1 |
| STOP FUCKING OFF | 1 |
| STOP LOAFING | 1 |
| STOP NIGGERING ON ME | 1 |
| STOP SCREWING UP | 1 |
| STOP SHAMMING | 1 |
| STOP SLIGHT | 1 |
| STOP SOLDIERING | 1 |
| STRAIGHTEN HIMSELF OUT | 1 |
| TIGHTEN DOWN | 1 |
| TIGHTEN UP A LITTLE | 1 |
| TIGHTEN UP ON IT | 1 |
| TRY TO IMPROVE | 1 |
| TURN OFF SOME MORE WORK | 1 |
| TURN ON | 1 |
| WALK STRAIGHT | 1 |
| WALK THE CHALKLINE | 1 |
| WHIP IT UP | 1 |
| WHIP UP | 1 |
| WISEN UP | 1 |
| WORK A LITTLE FASTER | 1 |
| WORK AT IT | 1 |
| WORK MORE | 1 |
| WORK UP A LITTLE | 1 |
DARE Data Summary by Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.