Learn English – What does it mean ‘if it gets too much’

meaning-in-context

She suggests to Pat that, if the herd sale does take place at Bridge
Farm, they could go off somewhere nice for the day. Later, Pat agrees
to the on-farm sale, explaining that she and Helen have plans if it
gets too much
. (thearchers.co.uk)

What does the highlighted part mean?

Best Answer

"If it gets too much" is a phrase meaning "if the situation becomes too difficult to deal with". In your example, Pat is saying that if the herd sale becomes too stressful, she has plans with Helen to go somewhere else instead.

Similarly you have the expression "It's just too much" for when a situation has already reached the point of whatever "too much" is in that context. Usually this refers to a negative situation (as in your example, where Pat wants to have an escape in case the sale is too stressful), but that's not always the case. For example if a surprise party is thrown, and the recipient is very surprised and happy, they might then also say "It's just too much".

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