First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
1go
verb \ˈgō\
went \ˈwent\ gone \ˈgȯn also ˈgän\ go·ing \ˈgō-iŋ, ˈgȯ(-)iŋ; “going to” in sense 13 is often ˈgōə-nə or ˈgȯ-nə or ˈgə-nə\ goes \ˈgōz\
Definition of GO
intransitive verb
2
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 goes to the lake> (2) : to give access : lead <that door goes 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
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 goes> b : to maintain or perform a certain action or motion <still going strong> c : to function in the proper or expected manner : run <the motor won't go>
11
: to be known <goes 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 going for her>
13
: to be about, intending, or expecting something —used in a progressive tense before an infinitive <is going 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 goes> b : to be capable of being sung or played <the tune goes like this>
16
: to be compatible, suitable, or becoming : harmonize <the tie goes 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 goes to show>
19
a (1) : to carry authority <what she said went> (2) : to be acceptable, satisfactory, or adequate <anything goes here> b : to hold true : be valid <the rule goes for you, too>
20
: to empty the bladder or bowels
transitive verb
1
: to proceed along or according to : follow <if I were going his way> <went the conventional route>
2
: to travel through or along : traverse <went the length of the street>
3
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>
6
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
: to set about
— go after
: to try to get : seek
— go all the way
1
: to enter into complete agreement
2
: to engage in sexual intercourse
— go at
1
a : to make an attack on b : to make an approach to
2
— go begging
: to be in little demand
— go by the board
1
: to be carried over a ship's side
2
: to be discarded
— go easy
: to be sparing <go easy with the sugar> <go easy on the kid>
— go fly a kite
: to stop being an annoyance or disturbance <told him to go fly a kite>
— go for
— go for broke
: to put forth all one's strength or resources
— go great guns
: to achieve great success
— go hang
: to cease to be of interest or concern
— go into
: to be contained in <5 goes into 60 12 times>
— go it
1
: to behave in a reckless, excited, or impromptu manner
2
: to proceed in a rapid or furious manner
3
: to conduct one's affairs : act <insists on going it alone>
— go missing
chiefly British : to become lost : disappear
— go places
: to be on the way to success
— go public
: to make a public disclosure
— go steady
: to date one person exclusively and frequently
— go through
1
: to subject to thorough examination, consideration, or study
2
: experience, undergo <had to go through quite an ordeal>
— go to bed with
: to have sexual intercourse with
— go to one's head
1
: to cause one to become confused, excited, or dizzy
2
: to cause one to become conceited or overconfident
— go to pieces
: to become shattered (as in nerves or health)
— go to the mat
: to make an all-out combative effort (as in support of a position)
— go to town
1
: to work or act rapidly or efficiently
2
: to be markedly successful
3
: to indulge oneself excessively
— go without saying
: to be self-evident
— go with the flow
: conform 2b
— to go
1
: still remaining <ten minutes to go>
2
of prepared food : sold for consumption off the premises
See go defined for English-language learners
See go defined for kids
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Origin of GO
Middle English gon, from Old English gān; akin to Old High German gān to go, Greek kichanein to reach, attain
2go
noun \ˈgō\
plural goes
Definition of GO
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>
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
: to no avail : useless
— on the go
: constantly or restlessly active
First Known Use of GO
1727
3go
adjective
Definition of GO
: functioning properly : being in good and ready condition <declared all systems go>
First Known Use of GO
1961
Related to GO
- Antonyms
- flat-footed, half-baked, half-cocked, underprepared, unprepared, unready
4go
noun, often capitalized
Definition of GO
: 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
Origin of GO
Japanese
First Known Use: 1890
GO Defined for Kids
go
verb \ˈgō\
went \ˈwent\gone \ˈgȯn\go·ing \ˈgō-iŋ\goes
Definition of GO for Kids
1
: to move or travel from one place to or toward another <We went home.>
2
: to move away : leave <The crowd has gone.>
3
: to lead in a certain direction <This road goes to the lake.>
4
: to be sent <The invitation went by e-mail.>
5
: to become lost, used, or spent <Our money was all gone.>
6
: to pass by :
7
: to continue its course or action : run <Some machines go by electricity.>
8
: to be able to fit in or through a space <No more can go in this suitcase.>
9
: to make its own special sound <A kitten goes like this.>
10
: to be suitable : match <The scarf goes with the coat.>
11
: to reach some state <Try to go to sleep.> <The tire went flat.>
— go off
1
: explode 1 <A bomb went off.>
2
: to begin to make a usual noise <I woke up when the alarm went off.>
3
: to proceed as expected <The ceremony went off despite bad weather.>
— go on
1
: to continue as time passes <You can't go on being late like this!>
2
: to continue talking <I'm sorry for the interruption. Please go on.>
— go out
1
: to leave home
2
: to stop burning <Make sure the candle doesn't go out.>
— go through
: 2experience <She has gone through hard times.>
Headscratcher for GO
When an alarm goes on it goes off.
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