Go | Mean of go in English Dictionary

/ˈgoʊ/

• Verb
• to move or travel to a place
1. He went to the window and looked out at the yard.
2. She goes to the office every morning and comes home in the evening.
3. I'm tired. Let's go home.
4. She went downstairs to the kitchen.
5. The train goes from New York to Chicago.
6. Halt! Who goes there? [=who is there?; who is coming this way?]
• to travel to and stay in a place for a particular amount of time
1. I went with my family to Rome last year.
2. We're going to Iowa for a week.
• to move or travel in a particular way or for a particular distance
1. The car was going too fast.
2. How much farther do we have to go?
3. She went a long way to see him.
4. We went many miles that day.
5. Go straight for two blocks, then go right/left at the light.
6. The street is blocked, so we'll have to go around.
7. Their relationship doesn't seem to be going anywhere. [=doesn't seem to be making any progress]
8. Where do we go from here? [=what do we do now?]
9. We've accomplished a lot, but we still have a long way to go. [=we have much more to do]
10. She has a lot of talent. If she works hard, she should go far. [=she should be very successful]
11. These changes will go a long way toward solving the dispute.
12. Would you go so far as to call them dishonest? [=would you say that they are dishonest?]
13. This time you've gone too far! [=you've done something that cannot be allowed]

• to move to or be at a place (such as an office or school) for work, study, etc.
1. She goes to church on Sunday.
2. She goes to work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
3. Their son is going to college in Florida. [=he is attending a college in Florida]
4. He went to prison for his crimes.
• to do something that involves moving or traveling to a place
1. We're going on vacation next week.
2. The thieves went on a crime spree.
3. The neighbors went running [=the neighbors ran] when they heard the screams.
4. I like to go walking/swimming/shopping. [=I like to walk/swim/shop]
• to move or travel to a place for a particular purpose
1. I went to see them last week.
2. We went to see a movie last night. = We went to a movie last night.
3. Are you going to the wedding? [=do you plan to attend the wedding?]
4. I may go to see them next week. = I may go and see them next week. = (US) I may go see them next week.
5. Now you've gone and ruined it!
6. They went and changed it!
7. Go and get me a towel!
8. Why did you have to go ruin it?!
9. Go get me a towel!
• to engage in (doing something)
1. Don't go telling everyone what happened. [=don't tell everyone what happened]
2. He went blabbing the news all over the place.
• to leave a place
1. It's getting late. I should go now.
2. It's time to go.
3. I was just going when the phone rang.
• to leave a job, position, etc.
1. Pack up your desk and go.
2. She's retiring soon, and it'll be sad for all of us to see her go.
• to lie or move along a particular route or in a particular direction
1. The road goes from the town to the lake.
2. His land goes almost all the way down to the river.
3. Are you going my way? [=are you going in the same direction that I'm going in?]
4. The car went the length of the street and then turned around.
5. She went the conventional route [=she did the conventional thing] by going straight to college after high school.
6. He has always gone his own way. [=he has always done the things he wants to do instead of the things that most people do]
• to provide a way to get to a place
1. That door goes to the cellar. [=you can get to the cellar by going through that door]
2. Where does this road go?
• to be sent
1. The message went by e-mail to all members of the staff.
• to be lost, used, or spent
1. I don't know where the money goes.
2. I put my keys here a few minutes ago, and now they're gone. = (Brit) I put my keys here a few minutes ago, and now they've gone.
3. The money was all gone by Friday. = All (of) the money was gone by Friday.
4. “Is there any ice cream left?” “No, it's all gone.”
• to die
1. She went peacefully at about midnight.
• to pass
1. The time/day seemed to go very quickly/slowly.
• to happen in a particular way
1. The evening went well/badly.
2. She worked hard to make the party go according to plan.
3. The way things are going [=if things keep happening this way], I may get laid off.
4. We lost the game, but that's the way it/life goes. [=it is a fact that bad or disappointing things will happen sometimes]
• to be given up, thrown away, etc.
1. I want to keep these, but that one can go.
2. These old boxes have got to go. = These old boxes have to go. [=we have to get rid of these old boxes]
• to be sold
1. The house went for a good price.
2. The cabinets go for about $400.
3. The painting will go to the highest bidder.
• to be willing to pay a certain price for something
1. I'll go as high as $100, but not over that.
• to fail or become weak because of use, age, etc.
1. His hearing has started to go.
2. The batteries in the flashlight are going and will have to be changed.
• to break because of force or pressure
1. The dam/roof is weakening and it could go at any time.
• to start doing something
1. Everyone's here, so I think we're ready to go. = (US, informal) I think we're good to go. [=I think we're ready to start]
• to work in the usual or expected way
1. I couldn't get the car to go.
2. I kept working on the engine until I finally got it going. [=I finally got it to work/run]
• to become
1. The building has gone condo. [=the building has become a condominium]
2. British currency went decimal in 1971.
3. The tire went flat.
4. The bread has gone stale.
5. The company went bankrupt.
6. Everything keeps going wrong.
• to change
1. The leaves here go from green to red in the fall.
2. The situation went from bad to worse.
• to make a particular movement
1. Can you go like this with your eyebrows? [=can you move your eyebrows like this?]
• to be able to fit in or through a space
1. Will these clothes go in your suitcase? [=is there enough room for these clothes in your suitcase?]
2. The box was too big to go [=fit] through the door.
• to have a usual or proper place or position
1. These books go on the top shelf.
2. Where do your keys go?
• to have authority
1. What she says goes! [=she is the boss; you have to do what she tells you to do]
• to use the toilet
1. One of the children said he had to go.
• to make a sound
1. The bell went and the class came to an end.
2. The music was going full blast. [=the music was being played as loud as possible]
3. The gun went bang.
4. The cow went “moo.”
• to say (something)
1. So she goes, “Did you write this?” and I go, “Mind your own business!”
• to have a specified record
1. The team went 11–2 last season. [=the team won 11 games and lost 2 games last year]
2. The shortstop went two for four in yesterday's game. [=the shortstop had two hits in four times at bat in yesterday's game]
• anything is acceptable
1. She dresses conservatively at work, but on the weekends, anything goes.
• to be available
1. There are no jobs going right now.
• to start to do (something)
1. I'd like to fix this old radio but I don't know how to go about (doing) it.
• to do (something)
1. Despite the threat of war, most people are just quietly going about their business. [=most people are just doing the things that they usually do]
• to follow and try to stop or catch (someone)
1. When the boy ran out the door, his mother quickly went after him.
2. The police went after the escaped criminal.
• to try to find and punish (someone)
1. The government is going after people who cheat on their taxes.
• to try to get (something or someone)
1. If you want the job, you should just go after it.
2. She accused her friend of going after her husband.
• to not agree with (something)
1. I won't do anything that goes against my conscience/beliefs/principles.
2. values that go against those of society
• to oppose (someone or something)
1. He was surprised when some of his former supporters went against him.
2. He was reluctant to go against his parents' wishes. [=he was reluctant to do something that his parents did not want him to do]
• to compete against (a player or team) in a contest or game
1. The Red Sox will be going against the Yankees in tonight's game.
• to not be good for (someone)
1. Everything seemed to be going against her but she didn't give up hope.
2. The verdict went against the defendant. [=the verdict was not in favor of the defendant]
• to do or begin to do something
1. Instead of waiting for approval, they just went ahead and started working on the project.
2. Despite the bad weather, they decided to go ahead with the party.
3. My boss told me to go ahead (with the work).
4. “Could I sit here?” “Sure, go (right) ahead.”
5. “I probably shouldn't have any more cake.” “Oh, go ahead. It won't kill you.”
• to happen or proceed
1. Despite the weather, the party went ahead as planned.
2. After a brief delay, the work is now going ahead again.
• to go or travel to a place before the other person or group that is with you
1. I'll go (on) ahead and make sure that everything's ready when you arrive.
• to do something with as much effort as possible
1. When he has a party, he likes to go all out. [=have a big and expensive party]
2. Her company always went all out [=did everything possible] to make the customer happy.
• to continue or proceed
1. The project is going along smoothly.
2. On this job there's a lot to learn—but I'm sure you'll pick it up as you go along.
3. He was just making up the story as he went along.
• to go or travel with someone
1. They were going to the fair so I asked whether I could go along.
2. I asked whether I could go along with them.
• to agree to do or accept what other people want
1. We tried to convince him to support us but he refused to go along.
2. He refused to go along with us.
3. He refused to go along with our plan.
• to be part of something
1. If I want the job I have to accept the stress that goes along with it.
• to go to different places
1. She and her friends go around (together) to lots of clubs. = She goes around with her friends to lots of clubs.
• to travel to a place that is nearby
1. I went round [=went over] to his flat.
• to go or pass from one person to another person
1. There's a rumor going around (the office) that the boss is about to get fired.
2. An amusing story is going around.
3. There's a nasty cold going around: I hope you don't catch it.
• to be long enough to pass all the way around (something or someone)
1. This belt isn't long enough to go around (my waist).
• to attack (someone)
1. They went at each other viciously.
• to fight or argue
1. Our neighbors were arguing again last night. They went at it for almost an hour.
• to make an effort to do or deal with (something)
1. They had to go at the problem from many different angles before they finally solved it.
2. It was a tough job, and I was impressed by the energetic way he went at it.
• to leave a place or person
1. She angrily told him to go away and stop bothering her.
• to leave your home for a period of time
1. They're going away on vacation.
2. After graduating from high school, he went away to college.
3. a going-away present/party [=a present/party for someone who is leaving to live, study, or travel in a distant place]
• to stop existing or happening
1. I just wish there was some way to make the pain go away.
• to return to a place
1. I forgot my purse and had to go back for it.
2. What was it like to go back after so many years?
3. After college she went back home.
4. Go back inside! You'll catch cold.
• to begin doing something again
1. I turned off the alarm and went back to sleep.
2. He waved hello, then went right back to work.
3. She went back to eating her dinner.
4. I've already signed the contract, so there's no going back now.
• to have existed for a particular amount of time or since a particular period
1. These ruins go back hundreds of years.
2. a tradition that goes back [=dates back] to colonial times
• to have known each other for a particular amount of time
1. We go back 30 years.
2. He and I go back a long way. = He and I go way back. [=he and I have known each other for many years]
• to think or talk about something from the past
1. To fully understand the issues, we have to go back a few years.
2. I'd like to go back to your earlier comment. [=I'd like to discuss it further]
• to not do what is required by (something, such as a promise)
1. She went back on her promise to help us. [=she failed to keep her promise]
2. I would never go back on my word.
• to happen or exist at an earlier time than (someone)
1. We owe a great debt of gratitude to those who went before us.
• to be considered by (someone or something) for an official decision or judgment
1. The contestants will go before the judges tomorrow.
2. The case went before the court.
• to do more than (something)
1. She went beyond the call of duty. [=she did more than was required]
2. We need to go beyond merely talking about the problem.
• to be guided or directed by (something, such as a rule)
1. That's a good rule to go by.
• to form an opinion from (something)
1. She may be guilty but we have very little evidence to go by.
2. You can't always go by appearances. [=you can't always judge people or things by the way they look]
• to be known by (a name)
1. His name is Edwin but he goes by Ed. [=people call him Ed]
• to go somewhere in order to visit someone
1. I went by (her house) to see her after school.
• to fall or crash to the ground
1. The airplane went down when one of its engines caught fire.
2. The boxer took a punch and went down hard.
• to sink into the water
1. The ship went down after hitting an iceberg.
• to drop to a lower level
1. Prices are expected to go down soon.
2. The quality of his work has been going down.
3. She had a fever yesterday, but it went down this morning.
• to become less or smaller
1. It may take a few hours for the swelling to go down.
• to become less bright
1. The lights went down [=the lights were turned down] as the movie started.
• to stop being visible in the sky
1. The sun comes up in the morning and goes down at night.
• to lose or fail
1. Last year's champion went down in the first round of the tournament this year.
2. The regime finally went down [=fell] in a wave of popular protest.
• to stop working
1. The network went down this morning.
• to be remembered or talked about as an important person, event, etc.
1. He will go down as one of the greatest leaders this country has ever known.
2. His name will go down in history.
• to be sent to prison
1. He went down [=went to jail] for six years for the robbery.
• to travel to a place (especially one that is nearby or to the south)
1. I need to go down to the store for milk.
2. We went down south to visit relatives.
• to happen
1. We need to find out what's going down. [=(more commonly) going on]
• to perform oral sex on (someone)
• to begin to have or suffer from (an illness)
1. He went down with [=caught, came down with] measles.
• to try to get (something)
1. go for the prize
2. If you want to achieve success, you have to stop hesitating and just go for it!
• to accept or agree to (something, such as a plan or suggestion)
1. I asked her to lend us some money, but she wouldn't go for it. [=she wouldn't agree to lend us money]
• to like or be attracted to (someone or something)
1. When I see how she looks at him, I can tell she really goes for him.
2. I don't really go for modern art.
3. I could go for [=I would like] a cup of coffee right now.
• to relate to or apply to (someone or something)
1. The rule goes for you, too. [=the rule also applies to you]
2. “I'd like cake for dessert.” “That goes for me too.” [=I'd like cake too]
3. The economy here has been growing stronger, and the same goes for [=the same is true for] many other areas.
• to be sold for (a particular price)
1. The painting went for more than a million dollars.
• to do an activity (such as walking or driving a car) that usually involves going somewhere
1. She went for a walk/stroll after dinner.
2. On Saturday mornings we like to go for a drive out in the countryside.
3. Would anyone like to go for a swim?
• to become hidden by a cloud
1. The afternoon got cooler after the sun went in.
• to like or be interested in (something)
1. She doesn't go in for sports.
• to help pay for (something, such as a present)
1. Are you going to go in on the gift for her?
2. We all went in on the gift together. [=we all gave some money towards buying the gift]
• to join (someone) in a business, project, etc.
1. His brother-in-law went in with him on his new business.
• to start to be in (a different state or condition)
1. After she lost her job she went into a deep depression. [=she became very depressed]
2. The criminal has gone into hiding. [=the criminal is hiding]
3. After losing the election, she went into seclusion.
• to start to move in (a different and usually bad way)
1. The car went into a skid. [=the car began to skid]
2. The plane went into a tailspin.
• to start to do (something) as a job or career
1. He wants to go into the priesthood. [=he wants to become a priest]
2. Their daughter is planning to go into medicine. [=to be a doctor; to get a job in the medical field]
3. Both his sons have gone into the army. [=joined the army]
4. His dream is to go into business for himself. [=to start his own business]
• to talk about (something)
1. I'll try to tell the story without going into too many details. = I'll try not to go into too much detail.
2. Having gone into the causes of the French Revolution, the book then discusses its effects.
3. “I've had a long day.” “What happened?” “I'll tell you later. I don't feel like going into it right now.”
• to try to get information about (something)
1. A problem like that should really be gone into [=looked into] carefully.
• to be used for (something)
1. Lots of time, energy, and money have gone into (completing) the project.
• to explode
1. The building was evacuated before the bomb went off.
• to shoot
1. The gun went off accidentally.
• to begin to make a sudden loud noise
1. I woke up when the alarm went off.
• to leave a place for a new place
1. He went off to join the army after graduating from high school.
2. She went off to America.
• to occur or happen
1. The meeting went off as scheduled. [=the meeting happened when it was scheduled to happen]
• to begin shouting at someone in an angry way
1. Her boss went off on her because she was late again.
• to stop liking (someone or something)
1. She used to like him but now she's gone off him completely.
2. My boss has gone off the idea.
• to leave a spouse, partner, etc., in order to live with and have a sexual relationship with (someone)
1. He left his wife and went off with [=ran off with] some young thing.
• to take (something that belongs to someone else) away with you
1. Someone went off with my pencil/wallet.
• to continue: such as
• to continue on a journey
1. We stopped briefly in Detroit, and then went on to Chicago.
• to continue as time passes
1. Life goes on.
2. How much longer will the meeting go on? [=last]
• to continue doing something
1. She went on working [=she continued to work] after everyone else had stopped.
• to continue talking
1. He went on (and on) about how unfairly he had been treated. [=he talked about it for a long time]
2. She's always going on about the importance of a good diet.
• to continue to be in the same situation or relationship
1. We can't go on like this.
• to go or travel to a place before another person or group that is with you
1. You go on (ahead). I'll come later.
• to do or say something else after you have finished doing or saying something
1. He accepted the nomination and went on to win the election.
2. After I finished reading the first book, I immediately went on to the next one.
3. He went on to say that further tax increases would be necessary.
4. Everyone expected that she would go on to greater things. [=that she would become very successful]
• to begin to work or function
1. The lights went on briefly and then went out again.
• to form an opinion or conclusion from something
1. There's very little evidence to go on. [=there's very little evidence that can be used to form an opinion]
• to criticize (someone) often or repeatedly
1. Quit going on at me all the time!
• to achieve more
1. She qualified for the finals, then went one better and took first place.
• to do better or more than (someone or something)
1. The company has gone its competitors one better by offering new customers a special discount.
• to leave your home for an activity
1. I'm going out for a walk. I'll be back soon.
2. We're going out to get some lunch.
3. On Saturday nights he goes out drinking with his friends.
• to be sent from a person or place
1. The message went out by e-mail to all members of the staff.
2. Word has gone out that snow is expected.
3. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims of this tragedy. [=we are thinking of and praying for all the victims of this tragedy]
• to stop being popular or fashionable
1. That hairstyle went out years ago.
2. Short skirts have gone out of fashion.
• to meet someone for a romantic social activity
1. They went out a couple of times, but it was never serious.
• to have a continuing romantic relationship with someone
1. I've been going out with her for quite a while now. = We've been going out for quite a while now.
• to stop shining or burning
1. The fire/candle went out.
2. All the lights suddenly went out.
• to try to become a member of a team, group, etc.
1. He went out for football last year. = He went out for the football team last year.
2. She went out [=tried out] for the school play.
• to be broadcast on the radio, television, etc.
1. A distress call went out three hours ago.
2. Warnings about the approaching storm went out over the radio.
• to move or travel to a particular place or person
1. He went over and stood by the window.
2. He went over and hugged her.
3. I think I see Jane. Let's go over and say hello.
4. He went over to the window.
5. He went over to her and hugged her.
• to change sides in a disagreement, competition, etc.
1. After several years of supporting us, he went over to our competitors.
• to be accepted or received in a particular way
1. He tried to make a joke but it went over badly. [=no one thought his joke was funny]
2. Her proposal didn't go over very well.
3. Her proposal didn't go over very well with the boss. [=the boss didn't like her proposal]
• to talk about or think about (something) carefully
1. He went over all the arguments before making up his mind.
2. We went over the accident again and again in our minds.
• to look at or study (something) again in order to correct it, learn it, etc.
1. The students were told to go over their essays.
2. Let's go over the instructions.
3. an actress going over her lines
• to start to talk or think about something
1. “Do you remember when we were dating?” “Let's not go there.” = “I don't want to go there.” = “Don't go there.” [=I don't want to talk about that]
• to study or look at (something) in a careful way
1. The book goes through every detail of the French Revolution.
2. Let's go through the plan one more time.
• to look in or at (something) in order to find something
1. I found him going through my closet.
• to experience (something)
1. He's going through a painful divorce.
2. I understand what you're going through.
3. In order to learn the job well, you have to go through several months of training.
4. The book has already gone through four editions. [=the publishers have already released four editions of the book]
• to spend or use all of (something)
1. He went through all the money he inherited.
2. They went through three bottles of wine with dinner.
• to occur throughout (something)
1. A note of despair goes through the narrative. [=there is a note of despair throughout the narrative]
2. I don't know what was going through her mind [=I don't know what her thoughts were; I don't know why she did this] when she agreed to help him.
3. That song keeps going through my head.
• to do (something that you have thought or talked about)
1. He was always threatening to quit his job, but I never thought he'd actually go through with it. [=I never thought he would actually do it]
• to begin to be in (a particular state, condition, or situation)
1. You need to go to sleep.
2. The countries went to war.
• to be given to (someone or something)
1. First prize went to the team from Chicago.
2. The property will go to his wife if he dies before she does.
• to do something that causes you (trouble or expense)
1. You shouldn't go to all this trouble just for me.
2. They went to a lot of expense [=they spent a lot of money] to make sure that the job was done correctly.
• to be suited to or appropriate for each other
1. The tie and his suit go together well.
• to have a continuing romantic relationship
1. They've been going together for several years.
• to help show or prove something
1. Her success goes to show that if you work hard, you can make your dreams come true.
• to help pay for (something)
1. My extra income is going towards a new car.
2. Your donations will go toward better sanitation for refugees.
• to sink below the surface of the water
1. The ship went under after being struck by a torpedo.
• to fail
1. The company has been losing money and is in danger of going under.
• to rise to a higher level
1. Prices are expected to go up soon.
• to become brighter
1. The lights went up [=the lights were turned up] when the movie ended.
• to be built
1. A new store is going up downtown.
• to travel to a place (especially one that is to the north)
1. We went up (north) to the lake for the weekend.
• to have a continuing romantic relationship with (someone)
1. I've been going with her for quite a while now.
• to be suitable for or appropriate with (something)
1. The skirt she's wearing doesn't really go with [=match] her blouse.
2. The tie goes (well) with his suit.
3. Do you think this wine will go well with dinner?
• to exist or occur as a necessary part of (something)
1. If I want the job I have to accept the stress that goes with it.
2. There are a lot of responsibilities that go with starting your own business.
• to choose or use (someone or something)
1. After thinking about who to offer the job to, they decided to go with the more experienced candidate.
2. The golfer went with an iron off the tee. [=the golfer used an iron for her tee shot]
• to not have (something)
1. How long can you go without sleeping/sleep?
2. If you can't afford a new car, you'll just have to go without.
• still remaining
1. There are only three more days to go until my birthday!
• sold to be taken away and eaten somewhere else
1. “I'd like a hamburger.” “For here or to go?” “To go.”
• Noun
• an attempt to do something
1. “I can't get the window open.” “Let me have a go (at it).” [=let me try to do it]
2. She's been thinking about learning to fly for many years, and she's finally decided to give it a go. [=she's finally decided to try doing it]
3. (chiefly Brit) He managed to finish the work in/at one go. [=in one attempt, without stopping]
4. (chiefly Brit) I don't know if this new medicine will help, but I think it's worth a go. [=it's worth a try]
• permission to do something
1. My boss gave the project a go. [=my boss gave permission for the project to go ahead]
2. The rocket launch is a go.
3. After many delays, we finally received word that the project is a go.
4. NASA officials have declared all systems go for the rocket launch.
5. The problems have been fixed, and now all systems are go.
• energy that makes someone want to do many things
1. a young reporter who's full of go
• a turn in a game or other activity
1. It's your go: they've had several goes already.
• full of activity
1. In this office it's all go all day without a break.
• to attack or criticize (someone)
1. The press is having a go at the Prime Minister.
• to succeed in doing (something)
1. He tried starting his own business, but he wasn't able to make a go of it. [=he wasn't able to succeed]
• very active or busy
1. a housewife and mother who's always on the go
• happening or going
1. They have several projects on the go at the same time.