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Got something down

English Language & Usage Asked on April 27, 2021

Please help me to understand two last sentences in the following dialogue. What does "you got that X thing down" mean?

MURPHY :Just being blind, it’s exhausting. I spent three hours trying to find a cigarette I dropped the other day. It’s just my life which is exhausting
MAX: Why would you spend that long looking for a cigarette?
MURPHY: Because they’re expensive and I’m poor. The point is, I’m at the mercy of the world and I, I hate it.
MAX: I’m at the mercy of the world, I hate it.
MURPHY: Shut up. It’s now how…
MAX: Oh, it’s not?
MURPHY: I didn’t sound like that.
MAX: Are you sure about that? You know, you got that, uh, you got that
tortured hot girl thing down, don’t you?
MURPHY: Yeah, you got that narcissistic douche thing down don’t you?

Source: (TV Series) In The Dark, S1.E2, "Mummy Issues".

One Answer

To have something down means to understand it thoroughly and/or be fully skilled in it. Although here the use is ironic.

In the case of these two people (I assume that Murphy is a woman) Max is saying that Murphy is fully skilled at presenting herself as a sexually attractive (hot) girl with inner torment (tortured) but that Max believes that most, if not all, of the inner torment is fake.

Murphy says that Max is fully skilled at presenting the "narcissistic douche" personality, but the context makes the implication that she considers that to be Max's real personality rather than an act.

From an alternative definition in this entry it seems that "douche" is short for "douchebag" which has the slang meaning of "an obnoxious entitled jerk". The use of this term supports my suspicion that Max is a man.

Answered by BoldBen on April 27, 2021

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