DEFINITIONverb ( goes |gəʊz|, going |ˈgəʊɪŋ|; past went |wɛnt|; past participle gone |gɒn| )
1 [ no obj., usu. with adverbial of direction ]move from one place to another; travel: hewent out to the shops | she longs to go back home | we've a long way to go.• travel a specified distance: you just have to go a few miles to get to the road.• travel or move in order to engage in a specified activity: let's go and have a pint | [with infinitive ] : we went to see her | [ withpresent participle ] : she used to go hunting.• (go to) attend or visit for a particular purpose: we went to the cinema | he went to Cambridge University.• (of a thing) lie or extend in a certain direction: the scar went all the way up her leg.• change in level, amount, or rank: priceswent up by 15 per cent.• [ in imperative ] begin motion (used in a starter's order to begin a race): ready, steady, go!• informal said in various expressions when angrily or contemptuously dismissing someone: go and get stuffed.2 [ no obj. ] leave; depart: I really must go.• (of time) pass or elapse: the hours went by| three years went past .• pass a specified amount of time in a particular way: they went for two weeks without talking.• come to an end; cease to exist: a golden age that has now gone for good | 11,500 jobs are due to go by next year.• cease operating or functioning: the power went in our road last week.• die (used euphemistically): I'd like to see my grandchildren before I go.• be lost or stolen: when he returned minutes later his equipment had gone.• (go to) be sold or awarded to: the top prize went to a twenty-four-year-old sculptor.• (of money) be spent, especially in a specified way: the rest of his money went on medical expenses.3 (be going to be/do something) intend or be likely or intended to be or do something (used to express a future tense): I'm going to be late for work | she's going to have a baby.4 [ no obj., with complement ] pass into or be in a specified state, especially an undesirable one: the food is going bad | no one went hungry in our house | he's gone crazy.• (go to/into) enter into a specified state or course of action: she went back to sleep | the car went into a spin.• make a sound of a specified kind: the engine went bang.5 [ no obj. ] proceed or turn out in a specified way: how did the weekend go? | at first all went well.• be acceptable or permitted: underground events where anything goes .6 [ no obj. ] be harmonious, complementary, or matching: rosemary goes with roast lamb| the earrings and the scarf don't really go.• be found in the same place or situation; be associated: cooking and eating go together.7 [ no obj. ] (of a machine or device) function:my car won't go.• continue in operation or existence: the committee was kept going even when its existence could no longer be justified.8 [ no obj. ] (go into/to/towards) contribute to or be put into (a whole): considerable effort went into making the operation successful.• used to indicate how many people a supply of a resource is sufficient for or how much can be achieved using it: the sale willgo a long way towards easing the huge debt burden | a little luck can go a long way .9 [ no obj. ] (of an article) be regularly kept or put in a particular place: remember which card goes in which slot.• fit into a particular place or space: you're trying to squeeze a quart into a pint pot, and it just won't go.10 [ no obj. ] (of a song or account) have a specified content or wording: if you haven't heard it, the story goes like this.• (go by/under) be known or called by (a specified name): he now goes under the name Charles Perez.• [ with direct speech ] informal say: the kids go, ‘Yeah, sure.’.11 [ no obj. ] informal use a toilet; urinate or defecate.12 [ no obj. ] informal used to emphasize the speaker's annoyance at someone's action:then he goes and spoils it all | [ with present participle ] : don't go poking your nose where you shouldn't.
PHRASES
all the go Brit. informal, dated in fashion.as (or so ) far as it goes bearing in mind its limitations (said when qualifying praise of something): the book is a useful catalogue as far as it goes.as —— go compared to the average or typical one of the specified kind: as castles go it is small and old.from the word go informal from the very beginning.get going 1 leave a place in order to go somewhere else: it's been wonderful seeing you again, but I think it's time we got going. 2 start happening or taking place: the campaign got going in 1983.get someone going Brit. informal make someone angry or sexually aroused: I want a girl who's sexy, but in a subtle way—that's what gets me going.get something going succeed in starting a machine, vehicle, process, etc.: we got the car going again after much trying.go figure! N. Amer. informal said to express the belief that something is amazing or incredible.go halves (or shares )share something equally.going!, gone! an auctioneer's announcement that bidding is closing or closed.go off on one Brit. informal become very angry or excited.going on —— (Brit. also going on for —— )approaching a specified time, age, or amount: I was going on fourteen when I went to my first gig.go ( to ) it Brit. informal act in an energetic or dissipated way: Go it, Dad! Give him what for!go to show (or prove )(of an occurrence) serve as evidence or proof of something.go well S. Africanused to express good wishes to someone leaving.have a go at chiefly Brit.attack or criticize (someone).have —— going for one informal used to indicate how much someone has in their favour or to their advantage: Why did she do it? She had so much going for her.make a go of informal be successful in (something): he's determined to make a go of his marriage.on the go informal very active or busy.to be going on with Brit.to start with; for the time being: this is not a full critical appraisal but it will do to be going on with.to go N. Amer.(of food or drink from a restaurant or cafe) to be eaten or drunk off the premises: one large cheese-and-peppers pizza, to go.what goes around comes around proverbthe consequences of one's actions will have to be dealt with eventually.who goes there? said by a sentry as a challenge.
PHRASAL VERBS
go about 1 begin or carry on with (an activity): you are going about this in the wrong way.2 Sailing change to an opposite tack.go against oppose or resist: he refused to go against the unions. • be contrary to (a feeling or principle): these tactics go against many of our instincts. • (of a decision or result) be unfavourable for.go ahead proceed or be carried out: the project will go ahead.go along with consent or agree to (a person or proposal).go around see go round .go around with be regularly in the company of: he goes around with some of the local lads.go at energetically attack or tackle: he went at things with a daunting eagerness.go back 1 (of a clock) be set to an earlier standard time, especially at the end of summertime. 2 (of two people) have known each other for a length of time: Victor and I go back a long way.go back on fail to keep (a promise): he wouldn't go back on his word.go down 1 (of a ship or aircraft) sink or crash. • be defeated in a contest: they went down 2–1. 2 be recorded or remembered in a particular way: his name will go down in history . 3 be swallowed: solids can sometimes go down much easier than liquids. 4 elicit a specified reaction: my slide shows went down reasonablywell . 5 N. Amer. informal happen: you really don't know what's going down? 6 Brit. informal leave a university, especially Oxford or Cambridge, after finishing one's studies. 7 Brit. informal be sent to prison.go down on vulgar slang perform oral sex on.go down with begin to suffer from (an illness): I went down with an attack of bronchitis.go for 1 decide on; choose: I went for grilled halibut. • tend to find (a particular type of person) attractive: Dionne went for the outlaw type. 2 attempt to gain or attain: he went for a job as a delivery driver. • (go for it) strive to the utmost to gain or achieve something (frequently said as an exhortation): sounds like a good idea—go for it! 3 launch oneself at (someone); attack: she went for him with clawed hands. 4 finally have a specified negative result: my good intentions went for nothing . 5apply to; have relevance for: the same goes for money-grabbing lawyers.go forward (of a clock) be set to a later standard time, especially summertime.go in for 1 Brit.enter (a competition) or sit (an examination). 2 like or habitually take part in (an activity): I don't go in for the social whirl.go into 1 investigate or enquire into (something): there's no need to go into it now. 2 (of a whole number) be capable of dividing another, typically without a remainder: six into five won't go.go off 1 (of a gun, bomb, or similar device) explode or fire. • (of an alarm) begin to sound.2 Brit.(of food or drink) begin to decompose and become inedible. 3 Brit. informal begin to dislike: I went off men after my husband left me. 4go to sleep. 5 gradually cease to be felt: I had a bad headache but it's going off now.go on 1 [ often with present participle ]continue or persevere: I can't go on protecting you. • talk at great length, especially tediously or angrily: the twins were always going on about him. • continue speaking or doing something after a short pause: [ with direct speech ] : ‘I don't understand,’ she went on. •informal said when encouraging someone or expressing disbelief: go on, tell him! 2 happen:we still don't know what went on there. 3 [ often with infinitive ] proceed to do: she went on to do postgraduate work. 4 [ usu. with negative ]informal have a specified amount of care or liking for (something): I heard this album last month and didn't go much on it.go out 1 (of a fire or light) be extinguished. 2(of the tide) ebb. 3 leave one's home to go to a social event: I'm going out for dinner. 4 carry on a regular romantic or sexual relationship: he was going out with her best friend. 5 used to convey someone's deep sympathy or similar feeling: her heart went out to the pitiful figure. 6Golf play the first nine holes in a round of eighteen holes. Compare with come home. 7 (in some card games) be the first to dispose of all the cards in one's hand.go over 1 consider, examine, or check (something): I want to go over these plans with you again. 2 change one's allegiance or religion: hewent over to the pro-English party. 3 be received in a specified way: his earnestness would go over well in a courtroom.go round (chiefly US also go around ) 1spin; revolve: the wheels were going round. 2(especially of food) be sufficient to supply everybody present: there was barely enough food to go round.go through 1 undergo (a difficult period or experience): the country is going through a period of economic instability. 2 search through or examine methodically: she started to go through the bundle of letters. 3 (of a proposal or contract) be officially approved or completed: the sale of the building is set to go through. 4 informal use up or spend (available money or other resources). 5(of a book) be successively published in (a specified number of editions). 6 Austral. informalleave hastily to avoid an obligation; abscond.go through with perform (an action) to completion despite difficulty or unwillingness.go to! archaic said to express disbelief, impatience, or admonition.go under 1 (of a business) become bankrupt.2 (of a person) die or suffer an emotional collapse.go up 1 (of a building or other structure) be built: housing developments went up. 2 explode or suddenly burst into flames: two factories went up in flames . 3 Brit. informal begin one's studies at a university, especially Oxford or Cambridge.go with 1 give one's consent or agreement to (a person or proposal). 2 have a romantic or sexual relationship with.go without suffer lack or deprivation: I like to give my children what they want, even if I have to go without.
ORIGINOld English gān, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch gaan and German gehen; the form went was originally the past tense of wend.
usage: The use of go followed by and, as in I must go and change (rather than I must go to change), is extremely common but is regarded by some grammarians as anoddity.
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