As Panj says, this is an allusion to the old western movies whereby the good Sheriff of Dodge City (it could be any old west town but it's often "Dodge City") chases the bad guys out of Dodge. Because this is where this saying comes from "Dodge" is always capitalized and does not mean "to dodge" something. The phrase would be used in this way:According to MerriamWebster, get out of Dodge is "to leave or get out in a hurry."
I wonder if one could say "get out of dodge from something" like
getting out of dodge from your fears
Actually, it's quite common in my neck of the woods, Joelline. You hear it from kids on the playgrounds, in school, etc. Anytime one of them jumps on a bike with a gang of friends to go zooming around the neighbourhood, the rallying cry is "Let's get out of Dodge".Hi,
I've heard "Get out of Dodge" since I was a child--primarily used in cowboy movies in the US. It is frequently used as a command in sentences such as, "Get out of Dodge by noon or face the consequences."
I suppose it could be used figuratively to mean "to leave or get out in a hurry," but this is not common.
Customarily, one had until sundown.Get out of Dodge by noon or face. . .
No, "Dodge" is an Anglo-Saxon proper name as well as verb meaning to evade.Does it have the same root at dodge in draft-dodger?
Thank you.No, "Dodge" is an Anglo-Saxon proper name as well as verb meaning to evade.
It would be a different version of Gunsmoke than I was watching as a kid. (And Miss Kitty wasn't really a prostitute--just a friendly lady saloon owner.)To be honest, I usually "Get the fuck out of Dodge," but that's a question of register and depends on audience, you know?