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go [ gō ] (past went [ went ], past participle gone [ gawn, gon ], present participle go·ing, 3rd person present singular goes [ gōz ], plural gos) CORE MEANING: a basic intransitive verb of motion expressing movement from an unspecified point of departure or from a place that is already known or assumed
  Do you have any idea where he went?
She never went anywhere without her glasses.
Johnny went back inside for another cup of coffee.
I've always wanted to go to Paris. |
| Definition: |
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1. intransitive verb depart: to leave a place
Please don't go.
He's going tomorrow.
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2. intransitive verb move to act: to move toward a person or place with the intention of doing something specific
We had to go and pick up our little boy who was playing at a friend's house.
After the wedding they went to live in Spain.
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3. intransitive verb proceed to activity: to leave a place and proceed toward an activity, often a recreational activity
They go for a jog every morning.
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4. intransitive verb attend: to attend a place regularly
She went to Rutgers University at night to earn her teaching degree.
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5. intransitive verb take part: to take part in a television or radio program
The President went on television to defend the White House's decision.
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6. intransitive verb lead: to lead to, or begin or end at, a particular place
(
refers to a route or travel service
)
Take the road that goes into the center of town.
The new bus service will go from New York to Buffalo.
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7. intransitive verb elapse: to elapse or pass
(
refers to time
)
The year went pleasantly.
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8. intransitive verb be allotted: to be allotted to a particular recipient or used for a particular purpose
(
refers to money or other resources
)
The house will go to his surviving children.
Much of her income went toward household bills.
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9. intransitive verb be given: to be given to somebody as a quality or attribute
The credit should go to the one who tries hardest.
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10. intransitive verb be discarded: to be eliminated, given up, or got rid of
This old sweater has just got to go!
Thousands of jobs will have to go.
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11. intransitive verb be spent: to be spent or used up
Those sandwiches went pretty fast!
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12. intransitive verb leave job: to leave a job or organization
He was costing the company thousands and had to go.
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13. intransitive verb blend in: to blend, harmonize, or be appropriate with something else
They wanted to find a carpet that would go with the existing decor.
Those pants just don't go.
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14. intransitive verb fit in: to fit in a place because of being the right shape or size
I tried to push the package through the mail slot but it wouldn't go.
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15. intransitive verb belong: to have somewhere as a usual or proper place
The towels go in the cupboard in the bathroom.
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16. intransitive verb be put: to be put into something as one of the parts that form it
all the elements that go to make a successful musical
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17. intransitive verb function: to function or operate
Can you get my car going again?
Without capital to make it go, our business plan was merely hopes written out on paper.
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18. intransitive verb fail: to get weaker and begin to fail or give way
My eyesight is starting to go.
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19. intransitive verb break down: to stop working properly and start to break down
I think the battery may be going.
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20. intransitive verb
Same as die1 (sense 1)
(
euphemistic
)
She went peacefully in her sleep.
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21. intransitive verb become: to change so as to come to be in a particular state or condition
The crowd went wild.
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22. intransitive verb be dressed or equipped: to be in a particular state with regard to dress or equipment
They went barefoot on the beach.
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23. intransitive verb proceed: to proceed or happen in a particular way
How did it go at work today?
We were trying to figure out what really went wrong.
The intruder went unchallenged.
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24. intransitive verb U.K. make noise as signal: to make a noise such as a ring or a knock to attract attention
She had just closed the front door when the phone went.
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25. intransitive verb make noise: to make a particular noise
The horn went beep.
Cows go "moo."
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26. intransitive verb reach point: to proceed to or reach a particular position or level
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27. intransitive verb serve: to be of such a nature or quality as to do something
It just goes to show how careful you have to be.
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28. intransitive verb compare: to compare with other people or things of the same kind
As vacations abroad go, it was probably the best we've ever had.
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29. intransitive verb sound: to proceed in terms of sound or words
(
refers to a piece of music or writing
)
How does that tune go again?
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30. intransitive verb accompany each other: to occur with or be present at the same time as something else
It's not necessarily the case that intelligence and common sense go together.
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31. intransitive verb circulate: to circulate as information around a place or among people
It soon went around the whole village that she had inherited a fortune.
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32. intransitive verb have recourse: to turn to a procedure as a result of unresolved problems
They couldn't agree, so they went to arbitration.
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33. intransitive verb be authority: to be necessarily accepted as what will be the case in a given situation
Whatever she says goes in our home.
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34. intransitive verb endure: to continue surviving or succeeding in a difficult situation
Human beings can go for much longer without food than without water.
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35. transitive verb bet something in cards: to bet or bid a particular set of cards in a card game
I go three clubs.
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36. transitive verb say something: to say something quoted
(
nonstandard
)
So she goes, "If you want it done then do it yourself."
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37. intransitive verb expressing future action: used to express future action or intent
(
used in progressive tenses
)
What are we going to do?
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38. noun U.K. attempt made: an attempt or chance to do something
She passed the exam on the second go.
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39. noun turn taken: a move or turn in a game
It's your go.
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40. noun energy: energy and vibrancy
(
informal
)
I've had so much more go since changing my diet.
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41. adjective functioning: ready and operating properly
(
informal
)
All systems are go.
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| [ Old English gān< Indo-European] |
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anything goes used to indicate that anything is to be tolerated or accepted as the norm
In this place almost anything goes!
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don't even go there used to indicate that a topic is considered too unpleasant to be mentioned or explored (informal)
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have a go (at something) to make an attempt at something (informal)
He said that he had never skied before but he was willing to have a go at it.
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have a go at somebody U.K. to attack somebody verbally (informal)
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here we go (again)! used to express displeasure or resignation that something, usually something bad, that has happened before is now happening again
Here we go again! This old car simply won't start.
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make a go of something to make a success of something
They couldn't make a go of the relationship.
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on the go very active and busy
a two-career couple, always on the go
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there you go used to express general encouragement or approval to somebody else (informal)
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there you go again used to complain that somebody has done something bad or wrong yet again
There you go again, misinterpreting and twisting what I'm saying.
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to go to be taken home rather than consumed on the premises
one pizza to go
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go quail Southwestern U.S. to scatter in all directions, as some groups of illegal immigrants to the U.S. do when pursued along the U.S.-Mexican border (slang)
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