[fol.low] vb [ME folwen, fr. OE folgian; akin to OHG folgen to follow] vt (bef. 12c) 1: to go, proceed, or come after "~ed the guide"
2. a: to engage in as a calling or way of life: pursue "wheat-growing is generally ~ed here" b: to walk or proceed along "~ a path" 3 a: to be or act in accordance with "~ directions" b: to accept as authority: obey "~ed his conscience"
4. a: to pursue in an effort to overtake b: to seek to attain "~ knowledge"
5: to come into existence or take place as a result or consequence of "disaster ~ed the blunder"
6. a: to come or take place after in time, sequence, or order b: to cause to be followed "~ed dinner with a liqueur" 7: to copy after: imitate
8. a: to watch steadily "~ed the flight of the ball" b: to keep the mind on "~ a speech" c: to attend closely to: keep abreast of "~ed his career with interest" d: to understand the sense or logic of (as a line of thought) ~ vi 1: to go or come after a person or thing in place, time, or sequence
2: to result or occur as a consequence, effect, or inference -- as follows : as comes next--used impersonally -- follow one's nose 1: to go in a straight or obvious course
2: to proceed without plan or reflection: obey one's instincts -- follow suit 1: to play a card of the same suit as the card led
2: to follow an example set syn follow, succeed, ensue, supervene mean to come after something or someone. follow may apply to a coming after in time, position, or logical sequence "speeches followed the dinner". succeed implies a coming after immediately in a sequence determined by natural order, inheritance, election, or laws of rank "she succeeded her father as head of the business". ensue commonly suggests a logical consequence or naturally expected development "after the talk a general discussion ensued". supervene suggests the following or beginning of something unforeseen or unpredictable "supervening events brought unhappiness to him". syn see in addition chase
[2]follow n (1870) 1: the act or process of following
2: forward spin given to a ball by striking it above center--compare draw, english