go: Meaning and Definition of

go

Pronunciation: (gō), [key]
— v., n., pl. interj., adj. went, gone, go•ing, goes,
—v.i.
  1. to move or proceed, esp. to or from something: They're going by bus.
  2. to leave a place; depart: People were coming and going all the time.
  3. to keep or be in motion; function or perform as required: Can't you go any faster in your work?
  4. to become as specified: to go mad.
  5. to continue in a certain state or condition; be habitually: to go barefoot.
  6. to act as specified: Go warily if he wants to discuss terms.
  7. to act so as to come into a certain state or condition: to go into debt; to go to sleep.
  8. to be known: to go by a false name.
  9. to reach, extend, or give access to: Where does this door go?
  10. to pass or elapse: The time went fast.
  11. to be applied, allotted, awarded, transferred, etc., to a particular recipient or purpose: My money goes for food and rent.
  12. to be sold: I have a bid of two dollars. Going! Going! Gone!
  13. to be considered generally or usually: He's short, as basketball players go.
  14. to conduce or tend: This only goes to prove the point.
  15. to result or end; turn out: How did the game go?
  16. to belong; have a place: This book goes on the top shelf.
  17. (of colors, styles, etc.) to harmonize; be compatible; be suited: Your tweed jacket would go well with these pants.
  18. to fit around or into; be able to be extended, contained, inserted, etc.: This belt won't go around my waist.
  19. to be or become consumed, spent, finished, etc.: The cake went fast.
  20. to be or become discarded, dismissed, put aside, forgotten, etc.: Those practical jokes of yours have got to go!
  21. to develop, progress, or proceed, esp. with reference to success or satisfaction: How is your new job going?
  22. to move or proceed with remarkable speed or energy: Look at that airplane go!
  23. to make a certain sound: The gun goes bang.
  24. to be phrased, written, or composed: How does that song go?
  25. to seek or have recourse for a decision, verdict, corroboration, defense, etc.; resort: to go to court.
  26. to become worn-out, weakened, ineffective, etc.: His eyesight is beginning to go.
  27. to die:a.m. The old man went peacefully at 3
  28. to fail, break, or give way: The dike might go any minute.
  29. to come into action; begin: Go when you hear the bell.
  30. to make up a quantity or content; be requisite: Sixteen ounces go to the pound.
  31. to be able to be divided; be contained as a mathematical element: Three goes into fifteen five times.
  32. to contribute to an end result: the items that go to make up the total.
  33. to have as one's goal; intend (usually used in the present tense, fol. by an infinitive): Their daughter is going to be a doctor.
  34. to be permitted, approved, or the like: Around here, anything goes.
  35. to be authoritative; be the final word: This is my house, and what I say goes!
  36. to subject oneself: Don't go to any trouble.
  37. (used in the infinitive as an intensifier to indicate the idea of proceeding, esp. with the expectation of serious consequences): He finally had to go ask for a loan.
  38. to urinate or defecate.
—v.t.
  1. to endure or tolerate: I can't go his preaching.
  2. to risk, pay, afford, bet, or bid: I'll go fifty dollars for a ticket, but no more.
  3. to move or proceed with or according to; follow: Going my way?
  4. to share or participate in to the extent of (often fol. by a complementary substantive): to go halves.
  5. to yield, produce, weigh as a usable amount, or grow to: This field will go two bales of cotton.
  6. to assume the obligation, responsibility, or function of: His father went bail for him.
  7. to enjoy, appreciate, desire, or want: I could go a big steak dinner right now.
  8. to say; declare (usually used in speech): I asked the clerk for my receipt, and he goes, “You don't need it.”
  9. The shoemaker goes about his work with a smile.
    1. to occupy oneself with; perform:The shoemaker goes about his work with a smile.
    2. Naut.to change course by tacking or wearing.
  10. to attempt to obtain; strive for: You'll never get what you want if you don't go after it energetically.
  11. to be in conflict with or opposed to: It goes against the company's policy.
  12. to proceed without hesitation or delay: If you want to use my car, go ahead.
  13. I can't go along with you on that idea.
    1. to move or proceed.
    2. to accompany in travel.
    3. to agree; concur:I can't go along with you on that idea.
  14. to be so thoughtless, unfortunate, or silly as to: It was going to be a surprise but he went and told her.
  15. See(def. 6).
  16. to go around with a bad crowd.
    1. to be often in company (often fol. by with):to go around with a bad crowd.
    2. to be sufficient for all:Is there enough food to go around?
    3. to pass or circulate, as in transmission or communication:The rumor is going around that he was forced to resign.
  17. to go at one's work with a will.
    1. to assault; attack.
    2. to begin or proceed vigorously:to go at one's work with a will.
  18. See (def. 9).
  19. See(def. 2).
  20. Don't let this chance go by.
    1. to be disregarded or not taken advantage of:Don't let this chance go by.
    2. to be guided by or to rely upon:Don't go by what she says.
  21. Prices went down. The swelling is going down.
    1. to decrease or subside, as in amount or size:Prices went down. The swelling is going down.
    2. to descend or sink:When does the sun go down?
    3. to suffer defeat:to go down fighting.
    4. to be accepted or believed:This nonsense goes down as truth with many persons.
    5. to admit of being consumed:This food goes down easily.
    6. to be remembered in history or by posterity.
    7. Slang.to happen; occur:What's been going down since I've been away?
    8. Brit.to leave a university, permanently or at the end of a term.
    9. Bridge.to fall short of making one's contract.
    10. Slang (vulgar). to perform fellatio or cunnilingus.
  22. . to perform fellatio or cunnilingus on.
  23. He is going for the championship.
    1. to make an attempt at; try for:He is going for the championship.
    2. to assault.
    3. to favor; like:It simply isn't the kind of life you would go for.
    4. to be used for the purpose of or be a substitute for:material that goes for silk.
  24. See(def. 7).
  25. to pursue a goal with determination.
  26. Europeans in increasing numbers are going in for camping.
    1. to adopt as one's particular interest; approve of; like.
    2. to occupy oneself with; engage in:Europeans in increasing numbers are going in for camping.
  27. Let's not go into the question of whose fault it was.
    1. to discuss or investigate:Let's not go into the question of whose fault it was.
    2. to undertake as one's study or work:to go into medicine.
  28. to join in a partnership or union; combine with: He asked me to go in with him on the purchase of a boat.
  29. to act or proceed independently, without assistance, companionship, or the like: If you don't want to form a partnership, I'll go it alone.
  30. See(def. 18).
  31. A gun went off in the distance.
    1. to explode, fire, or perform or begin to function abruptly:A gun went off in the distance.
    2. (of what has been expected or planned) to happen:The interview went off very badly.
    3. to leave, esp. suddenly:She went off without saying goodbye.
    4. to die.
    5. to deteriorate.
    6. Slang.to experience orgasm.
  32. What's going on here?
    1. to happen or take place:What's going on here?
    2. to continue:Go on working.
    3. to behave; act:Don't go on like that!
    4. to talk effusively; chatter.
    5. (used to express disbelief&hasp;):Go on, you're kidding me.
    6. to appear onstage in a theatrical performance:I go on in the middle of the second act.
  33. Silent movies went out as soon as the talkies were perfected.
    1. to come to an end, esp. to fade in popularity:Silent movies went out as soon as the talkies were perfected.
    2. to cease or fail to function:The lights went out.
    3. to participate in social activities, on dates, etc.
    4. to take part in a strike:The printers went out yesterday in a contract dispute.
    5. Rummy.to dispose of the last card in one's hand by melding it on the table.
    6. Cards.to achieve a point score equal to or above the score necessary to win the game.
  34. The proposal went over very well with the trustees.
    1. to repeat; review.
    2. to be effective or successful:The proposal went over very well with the trustees.
    3. to examine:The mechanic went over the car but found nothing wrong.
    4. to read; scan.
  35. to do something thoroughly or consistently: If you're getting a new amplifier, why don't you go the whole hog and get new speakers and a turntable, too?
  36. He went through all of his things but couldn't find the letter.
    1. to bear; experience.
    2. to examine or search carefully:He went through all of his things but couldn't find the letter.
    3. to be successful; be accepted or approved:The proposed appropriation will never go through.
    4. to use up; spend completely:He went through his allowance in one day.
  37. to persevere with to the end; bring to completion: It was perhaps the biggest challenge of her life, and she resolved to go through with it.
    1. you don't say! I don't believe you!
    2. let's do it! come on!
  38. The rug and curtains don't go together.
    1. to be appropriate or harmonious:The rug and curtains don't go together.
    2. Informal.to keep company; date; court:They have gone together for two years.
  39. to begin vigorously and at once.
    1. to be overwhelmed or ruined; fail.
    2. (of a ship) to founder.
    1. to be in the process of construction, as a building.
    2. to increase in cost, value, etc.
    3. to forget one's lines during a theatrical performance.
    4. Brit.to go to a university at the beginning of a term.
  40. to keep company with; court; date: He went with her for two semesters.
  41. Please let go of my arm.
    1. to release one's grasp or hold:Please let go of my arm.
    2. to free; release.
    3. to cease to employ; dismiss:Business was slack and many employees were let go.
    4. to become unrestrained; abandon inhibitions:She'd be good fun if she would just let go and enjoy herself.
    5. to dismiss; forget; discard:Once he has an idea, he never lets go of it.
  42. to express or utter with abandon: He let go with a sudden yell.
  43. to free oneself of inhibitions or restraint: Let yourself go and get mad once in a while.
  44. (of food) for consumption off the premises where sold: coffee to go.
—n.
  1. the act of going: the come and go of the seasons.
  2. energy, spirit, or animation: a man with a lot of go.
  3. a try at something; attempt: to have a go at winning the prize.
  4. a successful accomplishment; success: to make a go of a new business.
  5. a business agreement; deal; bargain: Thirty dollars? It's a go.
  6. approval or permission, as to undertake or begin something: The boss gave us the go on the new project.
  7. a bout: the main go.
  8. from the very start; since the beginning.
  9. We tried to get there by noon, but it was no go.
    1. futile; useless:We tried to get there by noon, but it was no go.
    2. not authorized or approved to proceed; canceled or aborted:Tomorrow's satellite launching is no go.
  10. She's always on the go.
    1. very busy; active:She's always on the go.
    2. while going from place to place; while traveling.
—interj.
  1. (in calling the start of a race) start the race; leave the starting line: On your mark! Get set! Go!
—adj.
  1. ready.
  2. functioning properly: two minutes before the satellite is to be launched and all systems are go.

go

Pronunciation: (gō), [key]
— n.
  1. a Japanese game for two persons, played on a board having 361 intersections on which black and white stones or counters are alternately placed, the object being to block off and capture the opponent's stones and control the larger part of the board. Also called

G.O.

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. general office.
  2. general order.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
See also:
  • go (Thesaurus)