Usually the go-ahead permission or a signal to proceed.
They got the go-ahead on the construction work.
Baseball. Usually the go-ahead go-ahead run.
With two outs, and the go-ahead on first, Hoffman winds up and delivers the pitch.
Chiefly Hawaii and California. a sandal held on the foot by a strap between the big toe and the next toe.
moving forward; advancing.
a go-ahead Yankee peddler.
Move forward rapidly or act without restraint; also, continue something. For example, If you want to borrow the tractor, go ahead . This expression is often put as go ahead with , as in Are you going ahead with the house party? The term dates from the mid-1600s and gave rise to give the go-ahead , meaning “give permission to move or act in some way.”
go ahead of . Make one's way to the front of, as in They went ahead of me to see the purser . [Mid-1700s]
An Americanism first recorded in 1830–40; noun and adjective use of verb phrase go ahead
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Andy Pages went three for three with four RBIs and had a go-ahead two-run double and a two-run home run to provide crucial insurance that kept his club in the game.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026
In a statement, LeShuttle said: "Full biometric checks will be introduced once we receive the formal go-ahead, with the rollout carefully scheduled and coordinated."
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
The deal is expected to close the end of the year, subject to the go-ahead from Boralex’s shareholders and certain regulatory approvals,
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026
In the back-and-forth fourth quarter, the Lakers blinked first as Doncic missed a go-ahead jumper with 12 seconds left.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026
“I got the go-ahead from Dr. Burgess. I’m going to start on this kitchen tomorrow,” he added.
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
