To successfully communicate with or make someone understand your message, often after difficulty or repeated attempts.
This phrase emerged from telecommunications in the early-to-mid 20th century, originally referring to successfully connecting a telephone call. The metaphorical extension to general communication followed naturally, as making a phone connection became a common experience that paralleled the challenge of reaching someone mentally or emotionally.
The phrase captures the often frustrating reality of human communication - that simply speaking isn't enough. Research shows that successful communication requires not just sending a message, but ensuring the receiver processes and accepts it, much like how early telephone operators had to work to establish clear connections through sometimes faulty lines.
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