shape up or ship out
Definitions
To either improve one's behavior or else be required to leave; to either improve one's performance in an activity or else withdraw from that activity completely.
Examples
“Portions of those letters quoted by Bruccoli indicate⟳ that though Hemingway could be sympathetic, he used a lot of ink telling Fitzgerald to shape⟳ up or ship out.”
CEFR level
C2
Mastery
This word is part of the CEFR C2 vocabulary — mastery level.
This word is part of the CEFR C2 vocabulary — mastery level.
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