GO ON

{v.} 1a. To continue; not stop. * /After he was hit by the ball, Billy quit pitching and went home, but the game went on./ * /The TV picture began to jump, and it went on like that until Father turned a knob./ * /I asked Jane a question but she went on reading and didn't answer./ * /Mother told Jim to stop, but he went on hitting Susan./ Syn.: KEEP ON. 1b. To continue after a pause; begin with the next thing. * /"Go on! I'm listening," said Mother./ * /The teacher pointed to the map, and went on, "But the land that Columbus came to was not India."/ - Often used before an infinitive. * /Father said Mother had gone to the hospital, and went on to say that Grandmother was coming to take care of us./ 1c. (Of time:) To pass. * /As time went on, Mary began to wonder if John had forgotten their date./ * /The years went on, and Betty's classmates became gray-haired men and women./ 2. To happen. * /Mr. Scott heard the noise and went to see what was going on in the hall./ * /The teacher knows what goes on when she leaves the room./ Syn.: TAKE PLACE. 3. To talk for too long, often angrily. * /We thought Jane would never finish going on about the amount of homework she had./ 4. To fit on; be able to be worn. * /My little brother's coat wouldn't go on me. It was too small./ 5. Stop trying to fool me; I don't believe you. - Used as a command, sometimes with "with". * /When Father told Mother she was the prettiest girl in the world. Mother just said, "Oh, go on, Charles."/ * /"Aunt May, your picture is in the paper." "Go on with you, boy!"/