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go

go

verb (used without object)

to move or proceed, especially to or from something.
G.O.

G.O.

abbreviation

general office.
GO

GO

abbreviation

general order

Synonyms

go

¹ American

[goh] / goʊ /

verb (used without object)

to move or proceed, especially to or from something.

They're going by bus.

Synonyms:

advance, travel, run, walk

Antonyms:

stay
to leave a place; depart.

People were coming and going all the time.
to keep or be in motion; function or perform as required.

Can't you go any faster in your work?
to become as specified.

to go crazy.
to continue in a certain state or condition; be habitually.

to go barefoot.
to act as specified.

Go warily if he wants to discuss terms.
to act so as to come into a certain state or condition.

to go into debt; to go to sleep.
to be known.

to go by a false name.
to reach, extend, or give access to.

Where does this door go?
to pass or elapse.

The time went fast.
to be applied, allotted, awarded, transferred, etc., to a particular recipient or purpose.

My money goes for food and rent.
to be sold: I have a bid of two hundred dollars. Going! Going! Gone!

The house went for very little.
I have a bid of two hundred dollars. Going! Going! Gone!
to be considered generally or usually.

He's short, as basketball players go.
to serve as a means.

This only goes to prove the point.
to result or end; turn out.

How did the game go?
to belong; have a place.

This book goes on the top shelf.
(of colors, styles, etc.) to harmonize; be compatible; be suited.

Your tweed jacket would go better with these pants.
to fit around or into; be able to be extended, contained, inserted, etc..

This belt won't go around my waist.
to be or become consumed, spent, finished, etc..

The cake went fast.
to be or become discarded, dismissed, put aside, forgotten, etc..

Those practical jokes of yours have got to go!
to develop, progress, or proceed, especially with reference to success or satisfaction.

How is your new job going?
to move or proceed with remarkable speed or energy.

Look at that airplane go!
to make a certain sound.

The gun goes bang.
to be phrased, written, or composed.

How does that song go?
to seek or have recourse for a decision, verdict, corroboration, defense, etc.; resort.

to go to court.
to become worn-out, weakened, ineffective, etc..

His eyesight is beginning to go.
to die.

The old man went peacefully at 3 a.m.
to fail, break, or give way.

The dike might go any minute.
to come into action; begin.

Go when you hear the bell.
to make up a quantity or content; be requisite.

Sixteen ounces go to the pound.
to be able to be divided; be contained as a mathematical element.

Three goes into fifteen five times.
to contribute to an end result.

the items that go to make up the total.
to have as one's goal; intend (usually used in the present tense, followed by an infinitive).

Their daughter is going to be a doctor.
to be permitted, approved, or the like.

Around here, anything goes.
to be authoritative; be the final word.

This is my house, and what I say goes!
to subject oneself.

Don't go to any trouble.
(used in the infinitive as an intensifier to indicate the idea of proceeding, especially with the expectation of serious consequences).

He finally had to go ask for a loan.
Informal. to urinate or defecate.

verb (used with object)

Informal. to risk, pay, afford, bet, or bid.

I'll go fifty dollars for a ticket, but no more.
to move or proceed with or according to.

Going my way?
to share or participate in to the extent of (often followed by a complementary substantive).

to go halves.
to yield, produce, weigh as a usable amount, or grow to.

This field will go two bales of cotton.
to assume the obligation, responsibility, or function of.

His father went bail for him.
Informal. to enjoy, appreciate, desire, or want.

I could go a big steak dinner right now.
Informal. to say, declare, think, or feel (usually used to introduce reported speech or thought).

I asked the clerk for my receipt, and he goes, “You don't need it.”
Informal. to endure or tolerate.

I can't go his preaching.

noun

the act of going.

the come and go of the seasons.
energy, spirit, or animation.

a man with a lot of go.
a try at something; attempt.

to have a go at winning the prize.
a successful accomplishment; success.

to make a go of a new business.
Informal. approval or permission, as to undertake or begin something.

The boss gave us the go on the new project.
Informal. a business agreement; deal; bargain.

Thirty dollars? It's a go.
Boxing. a bout.

the main go.

interjection

(in calling the start of a race) start the race; leave the starting line.

On your mark! Get set! Go!

adjective

functioning properly and ready.

two minutes before the satellite is to be launched and all systems are go.

verb phrase

go into
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.
go over
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.
go after to attempt to obtain; strive for.

You'll never get what you want if you don't go after it energetically.
go through
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.
go ahead to proceed without hesitation or delay.

If you want to use my car, go ahead.
go for
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.
go at
1. to assault; attack.
  
  He’s lucky I went at him with just my fists when I could have gone at him with a weapon.
2. to begin or proceed vigorously.
  
  to go at one's work with a will.
go back on. back.
go through with 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.
go up
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. British. to go to a university at the beginning of a term.
go 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. British. 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.
go under
1. to be overwhelmed or ruined; fail.
2. (of a ship) to founder.
go in with to join in a partnership or union; combine with.

He asked me to go in with him on the purchase of a boat.
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.
go out
1. to come to an end, especially 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 a social activity.
  
  We usually go out drinking on Friday nights.
4. Informal. to have a continuing romantic relationship.
  
  They went out for about a year before getting married.
5. to take part in a strike.
  
  The printers went out yesterday in a contract dispute.
6. Rummy. to dispose of the last card in one's hand by melding it on the table.
7. Cards. to achieve a point score equal to or above the score necessary to win the game.
go off
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, especially suddenly.
  
  She went off without saying goodbye.
4. to die.
5. to deteriorate.
6. Slang. to experience orgasm.
go on
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 ).
  
  Go on, you're kidding me.
6. to appear onstage in a theatrical performance.
  
  I go on in the middle of the second act.
go in for
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.
go around
1. to be often in company (often followed bywith ).
  
  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.
go about
1. to occupy oneself with; perform.
  
  The shoemaker goes about his work with a smile.
2. Nautical. to change course by tacking or wearing.
go along
1. to move or proceed.
2. to accompany in travel.
3. to agree; concur.
  
  I can't go along with you on that idea.
go with to have a continuing romantic relationship with; date.

He went with her for two years.
go against to be in conflict with or opposed to.

It goes against the company's policy.

idioms

go for broke. broke.
go bananas. bananas.
go native. native.
go the whole hog. see whole hog.
let oneself go,
1. to free oneself of inhibitions or restraint.
  
  Let yourself go and get mad once in a while.
2. to let one's physical appearance decline; stop taking care of one's appearance.
  
  aging TV stars who've really let themselves go.
go ape over / for. ape.
go to it, to begin vigorously and at once.
go down on, to perform fellatio or cunnilingus on.
let go,
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.
let go with, to express or utter with abandon.

He let go with a sudden yell.
go steady. steady.
on the go,
1. very busy; active.
  
  She's always on the go.
2. while going from place to place; while traveling.
no go. see no-go.
go it alone, 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.
to go, (of food) for consumption off the premises where sold.

coffee to go.
from the word “go”, from the very start; since the beginning.
go at it,
1. to fight or argue vehemently or violently.
  
  My brothers went at it all the time when they were younger, but never did more damage than a black eye or two.
2. to have sex or engage in passionate kissing and caressing; make out.
  
  There were couples going at it in all of the parked cars on Lover’s Lane.
go for it, to pursue a goal with determination.
go there, to discuss or think about a specific, typically undesirable topic (usually used negatively).

No personal questions, please—I don't go there.
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.
go to!,
1. you don't say! I don't believe you!
2. let's do it! come on!
go and, to be so thoughtless, unfortunate, or silly as to.

It was going to be a surprise but he went and told her.

go ² American

[goh] / goʊ /

noun

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.

G.O. ³ American

Or g.o.

abbreviation

general office.
general order.

go ¹ British

/ ɡəʊ /

verb

to move or proceed, esp to or from a point or in a certain direction

to go to London
to go home
(tr; takes an infinitive, often with to omitted or replaced by and) to proceed towards a particular person or place with some specified intention or purpose

I must go and get that book
to depart

we'll have to go at eleven
to start, as in a race: often used in commands
to make regular journeys

this train service goes to the east coast
to operate or function effectively

the radio won't go
(copula) to become

his face went red with embarrassment
to make a noise as specified

the gun went bang
to enter into a specified state or condition

to go into hysterics
to go into action
to be or continue to be in a specified state or condition

to go in rags
to go in poverty
to lead, extend, or afford access

this route goes to the north
to proceed towards an activity

to go to supper
to go to sleep
(tr; takes an infinitive) to serve or contribute

this letter goes to prove my point
to follow a course as specified; fare

the lecture went badly
to be applied or allotted to a particular purpose or recipient

her wealth went to her son
his money went on drink
to be sold or otherwise transferred to a recipient

the necklace went for three thousand pounds
to be ranked; compare

this meal is good as my meals go
to blend or harmonize

these chairs won't go with the rest of your furniture
to be known (by a name or disguise)
to fit or extend

that skirt won't go round your waist
to have a usual or proper place

those books go on this shelf
(of music, poetry, etc) to be sounded; expressed, etc

how does that song go?
to fail or give way

my eyesight is going
to break down or collapse abruptly

the ladder went at the critical moment
to die

the old man went at 2 am
(often foll by by)
1. (of time) to elapse
  
  the hours go by so slowly at the office
2. to travel past
  
  the train goes by her house at four
3. to be guided (by)
to occur

happiness does not always go with riches
to be eliminated, abolished, or given up

this entry must go to save space
to be spent or finished

all his money has gone
to circulate or be transmitted

the infection went around the whole community
to attend

go to school
go to church
to join a stated profession

go to the bar
go on the stage
(foll by to) to have recourse (to); turn

to go to arbitration
(foll by to) to subject or put oneself (to)

she goes to great pains to please him
to proceed, esp up to or beyond certain limits

you will go too far one day and then you will be punished
to be acceptable or tolerated

anything goes in this place
to carry the weight of final authority

what the boss says goes
(foll by into) to be contained in

four goes into twelve three times
(often foll by for) to endure or last out

we can't go for much longer without water in this heat
(tr) cards to bet or bid

I go two hearts
informal (tr) to have as one's weight

I went 112 pounds a year ago
1. to start to act so as to
  
  go shut the door
2. to leave so as to
  
  go blow your brains out
informal to perform well; be successful

that group can really go
not_standard (tr) to say: widely used, esp in the historic present, in reporting dialogue

Then she goes, ``Give it to me!'' and she just snatched it
informal to be so foolish or unlucky as to

then she had to go and lose her hat
to intend or be about to start (to do or be doing something): often used as an alternative future construction

what's going to happen to us?
slang to become crazy, enraged, or out of control
slang to become crazy or extremely enthusiastic about
to be mislaid; go missing
to act as surety
See bush 1
See half
(often foll by with) to cause trouble or unhappiness (to)
slang to do something or move energetically
informal to act or proceed without allies or help
informal to approve of or be in agreement with (something): usually used in the negative

I don't go much on the idea
informal to surpass or outdo (someone)
informal See hog
1. to relax one's hold (on); release
2. euphemistic to dismiss (from employment)
3. to discuss or consider no further
1. to act in an uninhibited manner
2. to lose interest in one's appearance, manners, etc
1. remaining
2. informal (of food served by a restaurant) for taking away

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

the act of going
informal
1. an attempt or try
  
  he had a go at the stamp business
2. an attempt at stopping a person suspected of a crime
  
  the police are not always in favour of the public having a go
3. an attack, esp verbal
  
  she had a real go at them
a turn

it's my go next
informal the quality of being active and energetic

she has much more go than I
informal hard or energetic work

it's all go
informal a successful venture or achievement

he made a go of it
informal a bout or attack (of an illness)

he had a bad go of flu last winter
informal an unforeseen, usually embarrassing or awkward, turn of events

here's a rum go
informal a bargain or agreement
informal very popular; in fashion
informal from the very beginning
See get-up-and-go
informal impossible; abortive or futile

it's no go, I'm afraid
informal active and energetic

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

informal (postpositive) functioning properly and ready for action: esp used in astronautics

all systems are go

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

GO ² British

abbreviation

general order

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

go ³ British

/ ɡəʊ /

noun

a game for two players in which stones are placed on a board marked with a grid, the object being to capture territory on the board

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

goes

plural

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of go¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English gon, Old English gān; cognate with Old High German gēn, German gehen

Origin of go²

First recorded in 1840–50; from Japanese, shortening of earlier igo, from Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese wéi qí “encirclement board game”

Explanation

To go is to proceed or move from one place to another. When you see a green traffic light, what do you do? You go! That's what you do. You can physically go somewhere, like when you go to school on the bus or go to India on an airplane. You can also go forward with a plan, or proceed; or watch time go by. If a beach goes on forever, it stretches endlessly; and if you decide that strawberries and apples go together in a pie, they blend nicely. Go is one of the most frequently used verbs, with definitions that seem to go on forever.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing go

Scrabble: Two-Letter Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

go G.O. GO goes went gone going

When he got the call to go down to the beach and see the fossil before it was moved he said he was very excited.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

Having a beach key, she said, “doesn’t feel like a club, because you don’t go there to socialize with other people—but it feels like an incredible thing to have.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

"A model can become very good at achieving a goal, and it can still act in ways that go against what the person intended," Pachocki said on the same call.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

This year’s Silver Medallion tributes — the festival’s signature career honorees — will go to filmmaker Andrew Haigh and actors Sandra Hüller and John Malkovich, who will make his first trip to Telluride.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

“He told me that he found someone on a dating site. He didn’t really go into details,” Aunt J replies.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

"Due to the rising rates in the counties around us and some on Fort Rucker, we’re now implementing G.O. number 12," Francis said.

From Fox News ● Jul. 15, 2021

Svare is survived by his daughter, Mia Anderson; two granddaughters; and a brother, known as G.O.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 28, 2020

The plan worked, and now the pilots relay requests for specific items like insulin to Ken George, who, as a field missionary in the Dominican Republic with G.O.

From New York Times ● Feb. 5, 2010

When he started to reduce the Public Debt, with a consequent reduction in taxation, enthusiastic G.O.

From Time Magazine Archive

Look here, mother," said George, standing by the window, "here's G.O. scratched on the glass with a diamond; I never saw it before.

From Boys and girls from Thackeray by Kate Dickinson Sweetser

The incident "CANNOT GO UNANSWERED," he wrote on X.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

It also operates its own in-app payment service, GO Pay.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026

The GO program is the main process researchers use to gain observing time with JWST.

From Science Daily ● May 12, 2026

Residents on some streets were being advised to “please GO NOW.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2025

Personally I like to think a lot about cars, what features they offer and what they cost, but my sister will only talk about where they GO.

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye

The truck, called the Ford Fathom, starts at around $30,000 and goes on sale next year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

Through the new structure, which officially goes into play with the company’s next earnings report, Microsoft’s Azure cloud-computing business will be more “explicitly reported,” according to Bernstein analyst Mark Moerdler.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

Today, Felicity usually gives between £5 and £10 but goes up to £20 for a close work friend or long-time colleague.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

Still, their emotionally ruinous tug-of-war goes on for so many rounds that the movie limps toward the end credits exhausted.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

The shortest path goes past a field of wildflowers and through two different neighborhoods.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

LAHSA’s latest homeless count found that homelessness went up in L.A. this year after two years of decreases.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

John Pickles formed Jive Bunny in Rotherham in 1989 and the act went on to have three UK number ones with Swing The Mood, That's What I Like and Let's Party.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

The first night when I went to give the 4 year old a good night hug and kiss, she recoiled and said I was “furry.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

Anthropic went further on Monday, calling for industry-wide coordination on safety and on the pace of developing increasingly capable models.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

ONCE, there was a man who went crazy from too much reading.

From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios

"I was flabbergasted and it was then that her name evolved. I've gone, 'Bindi!' after my favourite crocodile, Bindi," he said, with a wide grin.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

"Our wardens have gone from supporting firefighters with the wildfires and, the first rainy weekend, they're off finding abandoned wild camps. They have had quite the summer," said Lally.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

The company said it is taking a prudent approach with its guidance because the challenging dynamics it has faced in recent quarters hasn’t gone away.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

“Probably the most talented freshman I’ve gone against in my time here at USC,” said left tackle Elijah Paige.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

I’ve gone weeks without seeing anything, and sometimes, I’ll have one every other day.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

“But I’m not going to just put him in there because of the name on the back of his jersey.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

"There aren't going to be any singalongs at conference this year," says a Reform aide.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

“They are incentivizing companies to capitalize on what is going on in the Gulf,” Quilliam said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

"If we don't manage to fill the lakes in November, we're going to have to tighten our belts," former canal administrator Jorge Quijano told AFP.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

If they knew today was their last day, what would they rather be doing than going to school?

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

go

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

interjection

adjective

verb phrase

idioms

noun

abbreviation

verb

noun

adjective

abbreviation

noun

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of go1

Origin of go2

Explanation

Vocabulary lists containing go

Scrabble: Two-Letter Words

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Related Words

Origin of go¹

Origin of go²