go

Idioms · Synonyms · Usage Examples · Quotes

go¹ Definition

go (gō)

intransitive verb went, gone, go′·ing

Etymology: ME gon < OE gan, akin to Du gaan, Ger gehen < IE base *ĝhē-, orig., to leave behind, go away > Sans jíhītē, (he) goes; the pt. went is < wend replacing OE eode, ME yede

transitive verb

to travel or proceed along to go Route 90
to bet; wager
☆ Informal to tolerate; put up with I can't go him
Informal to furnish (bail) for an arrested person
Informal to be willing to pay, bid, etc. (a specified sum)
☆ Informal to appreciate or enjoy could you go a piece of pie?
Informal to say: used to describe dialogue [He goes “When?” and she goes “Tonight!”]

noun pl. goes

the act of going
something that operates successfully; a success to make a go of a marriage
Informal the power of going; animation; energy
Informal a state of affairs
☆ Informal an agreement, or bargain is it a go?
Informal a try; attempt; endeavor
Brit., Informal a quantity given or taken at one time
Cribbage
1. a call made by a player who cannot play a card because any card in his hand will carry the count above 31
2. a point received for playing the last card in any sequence with a count less than 31

adjective

functioning properly or ready to go
all right; OK

go¹ Idioms

as people (or things) go

in comparison with how other people (or things) are

from the word “go''

☆

from the outset

go about

to be occupied with; be busy at; do
to move from place to place; circulate
come about (sense ) (at come)

go after

Informal to try to catch or get; pursue

go against

to be or act in opposition to

go along

to proceed; continue
to agree; cooperate
to accompany: often with with

go around

to enclose; surround
☆ to be enough to provide a share for each
to move from place to place; circulate

go at

to attack
to work at

go back on

☆ Informal

to be faithless or disloyal to; betray
to break (a promise, etc.)

go beyond

to exceed

go by

to pass
to be guided or led by
to be known or referred to by

go down

to descend; sink; set
to suffer defeat; lose
to be perpetuated, as in history
to fall; decline prices went down
to be swallowed
Informal to be accepted with approval
Informal to take place; happen
Brit. to leave a university, esp. upon graduation

go down on

Vulgar, Slang to perform oral sex on

go for

to be regarded or taken as
to try to get
☆ to advocate; support
☆ Informal to attack
Informal to be attracted by; like very much

go hard with

to cause trouble or pain to

go in for

☆

Informal to engage, take part, or indulge in; be given to

go into

to inquire into
to take up as a study or occupation
to examine or review
to be contained in 5 goes into 10 twice

go in with

to share expenses or obligations with; join

go it

Informal to carry on some activity; proceed; act to go it alone

go missing

Chiefly Brit. to become lost or absent, often under suspicious circumstances; disappear the ship went missing in the dense fog

go off

to go away; leave, esp. suddenly
to explode; detonate
to make a noise
to happen

go on

to move ahead; proceed; continue
to behave
to happen; take place
Informal to chatter or rant
Theater to make an entrance

go (a person) one better

☆

Informal to outdo or surpass (a person)

go out

to come to an end; specif.,
1. to be extinguished
2. to become outdated
to attend social affairs, the theater, etc.
to go on strike
to try out (for an athletic team, etc.)
Golf

go over

to examine thoroughly
to do again
to review
☆ Informal to be successful

go some

☆

Informal to do or achieve quite a lot

go through

to perform thoroughly
to endure; suffer; experience
☆ to look through; search
☆ to get approval or acceptance
to spend

go through with

to pursue to the end; complete

go to!

Archaic come!indeed!: used to express disapproval, disbelief, etc.

go together

to match; harmonize
☆ Informal to date only each other

go under

☆ to fail, as in business

go up

to rise in value, price, etc.; increase
Brit. to enter a university

go up in flames (or smoke)

to burn

go with

Informal to be a sweetheart of

go without

to manage or do without

have a go at

Informal to try; attempt

let go

to set free; let escape
to release one's hold or grip
to give up; abandon, as one's interest in something
to dismiss from a job; fire

let oneself go

to be unrestrained or uninhibited

no go

Informal not possible; without use or value

on the go

Informal in constant motion or action

to go

Informal

☆ to be taken out: said of food in a restaurant
remaining; still to be completed, etc. one finished, two to go

what goes?

☆

Slang what's happening?

go² Definition

go (gō)

noun

a Japanese game played with black and white stones on a board marked with many intersecting lines

Etymology: Sino-Jpn

GO Definition

general order(s)

go Synonyms

go

To depart
quit, withdraw, run away; see leave 1.
To proceed
travel, progress, proceed; see advance 1, move 1.
To function
work, run, perform; see operate 2.
To fit or suit
conform, accord, harmonize; see agree, agree with 2, fit 1.
To extend
stretch, cover, spread; see reach 1.
To belong
mesh, fit in, be designed for, be adapted for; see belong 1, 2, fit 1.
To elapse
be spent, waste away, transpire; see pass 2.
To fail
decline, weaken, worsen; see fail 1.
To continue
maintain, carry on, persist; see continue 1.
To appeal
apply for a retrial, contest, reopen; see appeal 2.
To die
pass on, depart, succumb; see die 1.
To end
terminate, finish, conclude; see stop 2.
To endure
persevere, go on, persist; see endure 1.
*To bet
wager, gamble, hazard; see bet.
*To tolerate
let, permit, consent to; see allow 1.

as people (<strong>or </strong>things) go

in comparison with other people, in comparison with other things, by general standards, according to certain criteria; see compared.

from the word ""go''*

from the outset, at the start, beginning with; see at first at first.

go (a person) one better*

outdo, surpass, do better than; see exceed.

have a go at*

attempt, endeavor, try one's hand at; see try 1.

let oneself go

be unrestrained, be uninhibited, free oneself, have fun; see relax 1.

no go*

impossible, worthless, without value; see useless 1.

on the go*

in constant motion, moving, busy; see active 2.

what goes?*

what's is happening?, what's up?, what is going on?; see what 2.

go Usage Examples

Object

round: I ran out naked and went round the house thinking to find her there.
home: The man whose vision of Britain is now engraved in the popular mind could not go home again.
shopping: Had lunch at the Gallery and went shopping at Sainsbury's.

Preposition: on

holiday: Between 1880-1914 Cromer became the fashionable place to go on holiday.

Adjective complement

wrong: It was his turn to ask to himself ' What went wrong?
mad: The players certainly looked pleased and the fans were going mad.
unnoticed: In the busy foyer of Norwich art school, a swarm of stylish bees goes unnoticed by the flock of young creatives.
crazy: Its that easy and everyone is going crazy about it.

Followed by an intransitive particle

on: Try to find out what's really going on.
through: The regional winners will go through to the national round of judging and the chance to win the top prize of £ 25,000.
down: Hans was hanging on to the most important sail and would have been the last to go down.
along: Learn the intricate mudras hand gestures to go along with the chanting.
out: Why did I even bother going out with him?
off: Race Day Don't panic go off at your own pace.

Followed by a transitive particle

down: And of course our standard sudoku puzzles are sure to go down a treat.

Used with why or when

where: But Koi are very adaptable and their need for food means that they will, sooner or later, go where the rations are.

Infinitive complement

happen: There are so many twists in the story you never know what is going to happen.

Present participle complement

miss: The table was at his studio space, but has recently gone missing.

Preposition: without

hitch: Considering the logistics of a " weekend in Cheshire " for Studio - we are over the moon that all went without a hitch.

Preposition: from

strength: Univ's Veterans Luncheon Club goes from strength to strength.

go Quotes

The night is darkening round me, The wild winds coldly blow; But a tyrant spell has bound me And I cannot, cannot go.

—Bronte« , EmilyJane

Go along and get along.

—Rayburn, Sam(uel Taliaferro)

David said moreover,The L that delivered me out of thepawofthelion, and out ofthepawofthebear, hewill deliver me outofthehand ofthis Philistine. And Saulsaid unto David,Go, and the L be with thee.

—Bible (Old Testament)

Go directlyösee what she's doing, and tell her she mustn't.

—Punch

Go, go, go, said the bird: human kind Cannot bear very much reality.

—Eliot,T(homas) S(tearns)

Some time, Rock, when the team's up against it, when things are wrong and the breaks are beating the boys^tell themtogo intherewith all they'vegot and win just one for the Gipper.

—Gipp, George

The trouble is that I have to go with so much still to say.

—Barto¤ k, Be¤ la

I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

—Bible (Old Testament)

Drink! for you know not whence you came, nor why: Drink! for you know not why you go nor where.

—Fitzgerald, Edward

Led go! You are hurtig be!

—Kipling, (Joseph) Rudyard

Let my people go.

—Bible (Old Testament)

I must have two you knowöto come and go.One to come, and one to go.

—Dodgson

When things go wrong and will not come right, Though you do the best you can, When life looks black as the hour of nightö

—Myles na Gopaleen

'Home is the place where, when you have to go there, They have to take you in.' 'I should have called it Something you somehow haven't to deserve.'

—Frost, Robert Lee

Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest,Iwill lodge: thy peopleshall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the L do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

—Bible (Old Testament)

I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

—Bible (Old Testament)

'Will ye gang wi'me, Lizzy Lindsay, Will ye gang to the Highlands wi'me? Will ye gang wi'me, Lizzy Lindsay. My bride and my darling to be?'

—Ballads

Browse dictionary entries near go

‹ Gnutella
‹ gnu
‹ GNP
‹ gnotobiotics
‹ Gnosticism
‹ gnostic
‹ -gnosis
‹ gnosis
‹ -gnomy
‹ gnomonic

go

go

as people (<strong>or </strong>things) go

from the word ""go''*

go (a person) one better*

have a go at*

let oneself go

no go*

on the go*

what goes?*

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