GO ON

go on phrasal verb ( see also ↑ go )

1 . CONTINUE

a) to continue doing something or being in a situation

go on doing something

He went on working until he was 91.

go on with

One of the actors was unwell and couldn’t go on with the performance.

I can’t go on like this for much longer.

b) to continue without stopping:

The noise goes on 24 hours a day.

The screaming went on and on (=continued for a long time) .

⇨ ↑ ongoing

2 . HAPPEN to happen:

I don’t know what’s going on.

What were the children doing while all this was going on?

Like all good resorts, there is plenty going on.

⇨ ↑ goings-on

3 . DO SOMETHING NEXT to do something after you have finished doing something else

go on to do something

She went on to become a successful surgeon.

go on to

Go on to the next question when you’ve finished.

4 . CONTINUE TALKING to continue talking, especially after stopping or changing to a different subject:

Go on, I’m listening.

‘But,’ he went on, ‘we have to deal with the problems we’re facing.’

go on with

After a short pause Maria went on with her story.

5 . go on spoken

a) used to encourage someone to do something:

Go on, have another piece of cake.

b) used when you are agreeing to do something or giving permission for something:

‘Are you sure you won’t have another drink?’ ‘Oh, go on then.’

‘Can I go outside, Dad?’ ‘Yeah, go on then.’

c) ( also go on with you ) British English old-fashioned used to tell someone that you do not believe them

6 . USE AS PROOF go on something to base an opinion or judgment on something:

Police haven’t much to go on in their hunt for the killer.

7 . START TO WORK if a machine or piece of equipment goes on, it starts to work:

The heat goes on automatically at 6 o'clock.

8 . TIME to pass:

As time went on, I grew fond of him.

9 . BEHAVE British English informal the way someone goes on is the way they behave:

The way she’s going on, she’ll have a nervous breakdown.

10 . be going on (for) 5 o'clock/60/25 etc to be nearly a particular time, age, number etc:

Nancy must be going on for 60.

She’s one of those wise teenagers who’s 16 going on 70 (=she behaves as though she is older than she is) .

11 . GO IN FRONT ( also go on ahead ) to go somewhere before the other people you are with:

Bill went on in the car and I followed on foot.

12 . TALK TOO MUCH informal to talk too much:

I really like Clare but she does go on.

go on about

I got tired of him going on about all his problems.

He just went on and on about his new girlfriend.

13 . CRITICIZE British English informal to continue to criticize someone or ask them to do something in a way that annoys them:

The way she went on, you would have thought it was all my fault.

go on at

Stop going on at me!

go on at somebody to do something

My wife’s always going on at me to dress better.

go on at somebody about something

He’s always going on at me about fixing the door.

14 . DEVELOP British English spoken informal to develop or make progress

15 . to be going on with/to go on with British English informal if you have enough of something to be going on with, you have enough for now:

Have you got enough money to be going on with?