n.
Pronunciation: ' g ō
Function: verb
Inflected Form: went \ ' went \ ; gone \ ' go ̇ n also ' gän \ ; go · ing \ ' g ō -i ŋ , ' go ̇ (-)i ŋ ; “ going to ” in sense 13 is often ' g ō ə -n ə or ' go ̇ -n ə or ' g ə -n ə \ ; goes \ ' g ō z \
Etymology: Middle English gon, from Old English g ā n; akin to Old High German g ā n to go, Greek kichanein to reach, attain
Date: before 12th century
intransitive verb
1 : to move on a course : PROCEED < go slow> < went by train> ― compare STOP
2 : to move out of or away from a place expressed or implied : LEAVE , DEPART < went from school to the party> < go ing away for vacation>
3 a : to take a certain course or follow a certain procedure <reports go through channels to the president> b : to pass by means of a process like journeying <the message went by wire> c : to proceed without delay and often in a thoughtless or reckless manner ― used especially to intensify a complementary verb <why did you go and spoil it> < go jump in a lake> d (1) : to extend from point to point or in a certain direction <the road go es to the lake> (2) : to give access : LEAD <that door go es to the cellar>
4 obsolete : WALK
5 : to be habitually in a certain state or condition < go bareheaded>
6 a : to become lost, consumed, or spent <our time has gone > b : DIE c : to slip away : ELAPSE <the evening went quickly> d : to come to be given up or discarded <these slums have to go > e : to pass by sale < went for a good price> f : to become impaired or weakened <his hearing started to go > g : to give way especially under great force or pressure : BREAK <the roof went >
7 a : to move along in a specified manner : FARE <everything was go ing well> b : to be in general or on an average <cheap, as yachts go > c : to be or become especially as the result of a contest <the election went in her favor> d : to turn out well : SUCCEED <worked hard to make the party go >
8 a : to apply oneself < went to work on the problem> b : to put or subject oneself < went to unnecessary expense> c chiefly Southern & Midland : INTEND <I didn't go to do it>
9 : to have recourse to another for corroboration, vindication, or decision : RESORT < go to court to recover damages>
10 a : to begin an action or motion <here go es > b : to maintain or perform a certain action or motion <still go ing strong> c : to function in the proper or expected manner : RUN <the motor won't go >
11 : to be known < go es by an alias>
12 a : to act in accordance or harmony <a good rule to go by> b : to come to be determined <dreams go by contraries> c : to come to be applied or appropriated <all proceeds go to charity> d : to pass by award, assignment, or lot <the prize went to a sophomore> e (1) : to contribute to an end or result <qualities that go to make a hero> (2) : to be of advantage <has a lot go ing for her>
13 : to be about, intending, or expecting something ― used in a progressive tense before an infinitive <is go ing to leave town>
14 a : EXTEND <his knowledge fails to go very deep> b : to come or arrive at a certain state or condition < go to sleep> c : to come to be : BECOME <the tire went flat> ― often used to express conversion to specified values or a specified state < gone Hollywood> < go condo> d : to undergo a change <leaves go from green to red>
15 a : to be in phrasing or expression : READ <as the story go es > b : to be capable of being sung or played <the tune go es like this>
16 : to be compatible, suitable, or becoming : HARMONIZE <the tie go es with his suit>
17 a : to be capable of passing, extending, or being contained or inserted <will these clothes go in your suitcase> b : to have a usual or proper place or position : BELONG <these books go on the top shelf>
18 : to have a tendency : CONDUCE <it go es to show>
19 a (1) : to carry authority <what she said went > (2) : to be acceptable, satisfactory, or adequate <anything go es here> b : to hold true : be valid <the rule go es for you, too>
20 : to empty the bladder or bowels
transitive verb
1 : to proceed along or according to : FOLLOW <if I were go ing his way> < went the conventional route>
2 : to travel through or along : TRAVERSE < went the length of the street>
3 a : to make a wager of : BET < go a dollar on the outcome> b : to make an offer of : BID <willing to go $50 for the clock>
4 a : to assume the function or obligation of <promised to go bail for his friend> b : to participate to the extent of <decided to go halves on the winnings>
5 : YIELD , WEIGH <this fish go es ten pounds>
6 a : to put up with : TOLERATE <couldn't go the noise> b : AFFORD <can't go the price> c : ENJOY <I could go a soda>
7 a : to cause (a characteristic sound) to occur <the gun went bang> b : SAY ― used chiefly in oral narration of speech
8 : to engage in <don't go telling everyone>
9 of a sports team or player : to have a record of < went 11-0 last season>
– go · er \ ' g ō - ə r \ noun
– go about : to set about
– go after : to try to get : SEEK
– go all the way
1 : to enter into complete agreement
2 : to engage in sexual intercourse
– go at
1 a : to make an attack on b : to make an approach to
2 : UNDERTAKE
– go back on
1 : ABANDON
2 : BETRAY
3 : FAIL
– go begging : to be in little demand
– go by the board
1 : to be carried over a ship's side
2 : to be discarded
– go easy : to be sparing < go easy with the sugar> < go easy on the kid>
– go fly a kite : to stop being an annoyance or disturbance <told him to go fly a kite >
– go for
1 : to pass for or serve as
2 : to try to secure or attain (as a goal) < go for the prize>
3 a : FAVOR , ACCEPT <cannot go for your idea> b : to have an interest in or liking for <she went for him in a big way ― Chandler Brossard>
4 : ATTACK , ASSAIL <my dog went for the intruder>
– go for broke : to put forth all one's strength or resources
– go great guns : to achieve great success
– go hang : to cease to be of interest or concern
– go into : to be contained in <5 goes into 60 12 times>
– go it
1 : to behave in a reckless, excited, or impromptu manner
2 : to proceed in a rapid or furious manner
3 : to conduct one's affairs : ACT <insists on going it alone>
– go missing
chiefly British : to become lost : DISAPPEAR
– go one better : OUTDO , SURPASS
– go over
1 : EXAMINE
2 a : REPEAT b : STUDY , REVIEW
– go places : to be on the way to success
– go public : to make a public disclosure
– go steady : to date one person exclusively and frequently
– go through
1 : to subject to thorough examination, consideration, or study
2 : EXPERIENCE , UNDERGO <had to go through quite an ordeal>
3 : CARRY OUT , PERFORM < went through his work in a daze>
– go to bat for : to give active support or assistance to : DEFEND , CHAMPION
– go to bed with : to have sexual intercourse with
– go to one's head
1 : to cause one to become confused, excited, or dizzy
2 : to cause one to become conceited or overconfident
– go to pieces : to become shattered (as in nerves or health)
– go to the mat : to make an all-out combative effort (as in support of a position)
– go to town
1 : to work or act rapidly or efficiently
2 : to be markedly successful
3 : to indulge oneself excessively
– go with
1 : DATE
2 : CHOOSE 2 < went with an iron off the tee>
– go without saying : to be self-evident
– go with the flow : CONFORM 2B
– to go
1 : still remaining <ten minutes to go >
2 of prepared food : sold for consumption off the premises