I. ˈgō verb
( went ˈwent ; gone ˈgȯn also ˈgän ; go·ing ˈgō-iŋ, ˈgȯ(-)iŋ; “gȯing to” in sense 13 is often ˈgōə-nə or ˈgȯ-nə or ˈgə-nə ; goes ˈgōz)
Etymology: Middle English gon, from Old English gān; akin to Old High German gān 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 ˈgō-ər noun
•
- go about
- go after
- go all the way
- go at
- go back on
- go begging
- go by the board
- go easy
- go fly a kite
- go for
- go for broke
- go great guns
- go hang
- go into
- go it
- go missing
- go one better
- go over
- go places
- go public
- go steady
- go through
- go to bat for
- go to bed with
- go to one's head
- go to pieces
- go to the mat
- go to town
- go with
- go without saying
- go with the flow
- to go
II. ˈgō noun
( plural goes )
Date: 1727
1. : the act or manner of going
2. : the height of fashion : rage
elegant shawls labeled…“quite the go ” — R. S. Surtees
3. : an often unexpected turn of affairs : occurrence
4. : the quantity used or furnished at one time
you can obtain a go of brandy for sixpence — C. B. Fairbanks
5. : energy , vigor
6.
a. : a turn in an activity (as a game)
it's your go
b. : attempt , try
have a go at painting
7. : a spell of activity
finished the job at one go
8. : success
made a go of the business
9. : permission to proceed : go-ahead
gave the astronauts a go for another orbit
•
- no go
- on the go
III. adjective
Date: 1961
: functioning properly : being in good and ready condition
declared all systems go
IV. noun
Usage: often capitalized
Etymology: Japanese
Date: 1890
: a game played between two players who alternately place black and white stones on a board checkered by 19 vertical lines and 19 horizontal lines in an attempt to enclose the larger area on the board