go1

Pronunciation: /gəʊ/

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Definition of go

verb (goes /gəʊz/, going /ˈgəʊɪŋ/; past went /wɛnt/; past participle gone /gɒn/)

1 [no object, usually with adverbial of direction] move from one place to another; travel:he went out to the shops she longs to go back home we’ve a long way to go
travel a specified distance:you just have to go a few miles to get to the road
travel or move in order to engage in a specified activity:let’s go and have a pint [with infinitive]:we went to see her [with present participle]:she used to go hunting
(go to) attend or visit for a particular purpose:we went to the cinema he went to Cambridge University
(of a thing) lie or extend in a certain direction:the scar went all the way up her leg
change in level, amount, or rank:prices went up by 15 per cent
[in imperative] begin motion (used in a starter’s order to begin a race):ready, steady, go!
informal said in various expressions when angrily or contemptuously dismissing someone:go and get stuffed

2 [no object] leave; depart:I really must go
(of time) pass or elapse:the hours went by three years went past
pass a specified amount of time in a particular way:they went for two weeks without talking
come to an end; cease to exist:a golden age that has now gone for good 11,500 jobs are due to go by next year
cease operating or functioning:the power went in our road last week
die (used euphemistically):I’d like to see my grandchildren before I go
be lost or stolen:when he returned minutes later his equipment had gone
(go to) be sold or awarded to:the top prize went to a twenty-four-year-old sculptor
(of money) be spent, especially in a specified way:the rest of his money went on medical expenses

3 (be going to be/do something) intend or be likely or intended to be or do something (used to express a future tense):I’m going to be late for work she’s going to have a baby

4 [no object, with complement] pass into or be in a specified state, especially an undesirable one:the food is going bad no one went hungry in our house he’s gone crazy
(go to/into) enter into a specified state or course of action:she went back to sleep the car went into a spin
make a sound of a specified kind:the engine went bang

5 [no object] proceed or turn out in a specified way:how did the weekend go? at first all went well
be acceptable or permitted:underground events where anything goes

6 [no object] be harmonious, complementary, or matching:rosemary goes with roast lamb the earrings and the scarf don’t really go
be found in the same place or situation; be associated:cooking and eating go together

7 [no object] (of a machine or device) function:my car won’t go
continue in operation or existence:the committee was kept going even when its existence could no longer be justified

8 [no object] (go into/to/towards) contribute to or be put into (a whole):considerable effort went into making the operation successful
used to indicate how many people a supply of a resource is sufficient for or how much can be achieved using it:the sale will go a long way towards easing the huge debt burden a little luck can go a long way

9 [no object] (of an article) be regularly kept or put in a particular place:remember which card goes in which slot
fit into a particular place or space:you’re trying to squeeze a quart into a pint pot, and it just won’t go

10 [no object] (of a song or account) have a specified content or wording:if you haven’t heard it, the story goes like this
(go by/under) be known or called by (a specified name):he now goes under the name Charles Perez
[with direct speech] informal say:the kids go, ‘Yeah, sure.’

11 [no object] informal use a toilet; urinate or defecate: he had to go but couldn’t, because she was still in the bathroom

12 [no object] informal used to emphasize the speaker’s annoyance at someone’s action:then he goes and spoils it all [with present participle]:don’t go poking your nose where you shouldn’t

noun (plural goes)

informal

1chiefly British an attempt or trial at something:have a go at answering the questions yourself

2British a person’s turn to use or do something:I had a go on Nigel’s racing bike come on Tony, it’s your go
used in reference to a single item, action, or spell of activity:he drank a pint in one go

3 [mass noun] British spirit, animation, or energy:there’s no go in me at all these days
vigorous activity:it’s all go around here

4 dated a state of affairs:this seems a rum sort of go
an attack of illness:he’s had this nasty go of dysentery

5North American an enterprise which has been approved:tell them the project is a go

adjective

[predic.] informal

functioning properly:all systems go

Phrases

all the go: British informal, dated in fashion.
as (or so) far as it goes: bearing in mind its limitations (said when qualifying praise of something):the book is a useful catalogue as far as it goes
as —— go: compared to the average or typical one of the specified kind:as castles go it is small and old
from the word go: informal from the very beginning.
get going
get someone going: British informal make someone angry or sexually aroused:I want a girl who’s sexy, but in a subtle way—that’s what gets me going
get something going: succeed in starting a machine, vehicle, process, etc.:we got the car going again after much trying
go figure!: North American informal said to express the belief that something is amazing or incredible: there’ll even (go figure) be an Elvis impersonator
go halves (or shares): share something equally: she’d promised to go halves with him if he got anywhere in the negotiations
going!, gone!: an auctioneer’s announcement that bidding is closing or closed.
go off on one: British informal become very angry or excited: Jim just went off on one, ranting and raving like a madman, telling me he could do what he wanted
going on —— (British also going on for ——): approaching a specified time, age, or amount:I was going on fourteen when I went to my first gig
go (to) it: British informal act in an energetic or dissipated way:Go it, Dad! Give him what for!
go to show (or prove): (of an occurrence) serve as evidence or proof of something: the whole mess goes to show that faith in the chairman is no substitute for studying the balance sheet
go well: South African used to express good wishes to someone leaving.
have a go at: chiefly British attack or criticize (someone): she’s always having a go at me
have —— going for one: informal used to indicate how much someone has in their favour or to their advantage:Why did she do it? She had so much going for her
make a go of: informal be successful in (something):he’s determined to make a go of his marriage
on the go: informal very active or busy: he’s dead beat, he’s been on the go all evening
to be going on with: British to start with; for the time being:this is not a full critical appraisal but it will do to be going on with
to go: North American (of food or drink from a restaurant or cafe) to be eaten or drunk off the premises:one large cheese-and-peppers pizza, to go
what goes around comes around: proverb the consequences of one’s actions will have to be dealt with eventually.
who goes there?: said by a sentry as a challenge.

Phrasal Verbs

go about
go against: oppose or resist:he refused to go against the unions; be contrary to (a feeling or principle):these tactics go against many of our instincts; (of a decision or result) be unfavourable for: the tribunal’s decision went against them
go ahead: proceed or be carried out:the project will go ahead
go along with: consent or agree to (a person or proposal): he will probably go along with the idea
go around: see .
go around with: be regularly in the company of:he goes around with some of the local lads
go at: energetically attack or tackle:he went at things with a daunting eagerness
go back
go back on: fail to keep (a promise):he wouldn’t go back on his word
go down
go down on: vulgar slang perform oral sex on.
go down with: begin to suffer from (an illness):I went down with an attack of bronchitis
go for
go forward: (of a clock) be set to a later standard time, especially summertime.
go in for
go into
go off
go on
go out
go over
go round (chiefly US also go around)
go through
go through with: perform (an action) to completion despite difficulty or unwillingness: he bravely went through with the ceremony
go to!: archaic said to express disbelief, impatience, or admonition.
go under
go up
go with
go without: suffer lack or deprivation:I like to give my children what they want, even if I have to go without

Origin:

Old English gān, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch gaan and German gehen; the form went was originally the past tense of wend

The use of go followed by and, as in I must go and change (rather than I must go to change), is extremely common but is regarded by some grammarians as an oddity. For more details, see and (usage).

go in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of go in the US English dictionary

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Other

verb (goes /gəʊz/, going /ˈgəʊɪŋ/; past went /wɛnt/; past participle gone /gɒn/)

noun (plural goes)

adjective

Phrases

all the go

as (or so) far as it goes

as —— go

from the word go

get going

get someone going

get something going

go figure!

go halves (or shares)

going!, gone!

go off on one

going on —— (British also going on for ——)

go (to) it

go to show (or prove)

go well

have a go at

have —— going for one

make a go of

on the go

to be going on with

to go

what goes around comes around

who goes there?

Phrasal Verbs

go about

go against

go ahead

go along with

go around

go around with

go at

go back

go back on

go down

go down on

go down with

go for

go forward

go in for

go into

go off

go on

go out

go over

go round (chiefly US also go around)

go through

go through with

go to!

go under

go up

go with

go without

Origin:

go in other Oxford dictionaries

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