to move or proceed, especially to or from something.
They're going by bus.
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.
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.
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.
go into
to discuss or investigate.
Let's not go into the question of whose fault it was.
to undertake as one's study or work.
to go into medicine.
go over
to repeat; review.
to be effective or successful.
The proposal went over very well with the trustees.
to examine.
The mechanic went over the car but found nothing wrong.
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
to bear; experience.
to examine or search carefully.
He went through all of his things but couldn't find the letter.
to be successful; be accepted or approved.
The proposed appropriation will never go through.
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
to make an attempt at; try for.
He is going for the championship.
to assault.
to favor; like.
It simply isn't the kind of life you would go for.
to be used for the purpose of or be a substitute for.
material that goes for silk.
go at
to assault; attack.
He’s lucky I went at him with just my fists when I could have gone at him with a weapon.
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
to be in the process of construction, as a building.
to increase in cost, value, etc.
to forget one's lines during a theatrical performance.
British. to go to a university at the beginning of a term.
go down
to decrease or subside, as in amount or size.
Prices went down. The swelling is going down.
to descend or sink.
When does the sun go down?
to suffer defeat.
to go down fighting.
to be accepted or believed.
This nonsense goes down as truth with many persons.
to admit of being consumed.
This food goes down easily.
to be remembered in history or by posterity.
Slang. to happen; occur.
What's been going down since I've been away?
British. to leave a university, permanently or at the end of a term.
Bridge. to fall short of making one's contract.
Slang: Vulgar. to perform fellatio or cunnilingus.
go under
to be overwhelmed or ruined; fail.
(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
to be disregarded or not taken advantage of.
Don't let this chance go by.
to be guided by or to rely upon.
Don't go by what she says.
go out
to come to an end, especially to fade in popularity.
Silent movies went out as soon as the talkies were perfected.
to cease or fail to function.
The lights went out.
to participate in a social activity.
We usually go out drinking on Friday nights.
Informal. to have a continuing romantic relationship.
They went out for about a year before getting married.
to take part in a strike.
The printers went out yesterday in a contract dispute.
Rummy. to dispose of the last card in one's hand by melding it on the table.
Cards. to achieve a point score equal to or above the score necessary to win the game.
go off
to explode, fire, or perform or begin to function abruptly.
A gun went off in the distance.
(of what has been expected or planned) to happen.
The interview went off very badly.
to leave, especially suddenly.
She went off without saying goodbye.
to die.
to deteriorate.
Slang. to experience orgasm.
go on
to happen or take place.
What's going on here?
to continue.
Go on working.
to behave; act.
Don't go on like that!
to talk effusively; chatter.
(used to express disbelief ).
Go on, you're kidding me.
to appear onstage in a theatrical performance.
I go on in the middle of the second act.
go in for
to adopt as one's particular interest; approve of; like.
to occupy oneself with; engage in.
Europeans in increasing numbers are going in for camping.
go around
to be often in company (often followed bywith ).
to go around with a bad crowd.
to be sufficient for all.
Is there enough food to go around?
to pass or circulate, as in transmission or communication.
The rumor is going around that he was forced to resign.
go about
to occupy oneself with; perform.
The shoemaker goes about his work with a smile.
Nautical. to change course by tacking or wearing.
go along
to move or proceed.
to accompany in travel.
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.
go for broke. broke.
go bananas. bananas.
go native. native.
go the whole hog. see whole hog.
let oneself go,
to free oneself of inhibitions or restraint.
Let yourself go and get mad once in a while.
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,
to release one's grasp or hold.
Please let go of my arm.
to free; release.
to cease to employ; dismiss.
Business was slack and many employees were let go.
to become unrestrained; abandon inhibitions.
She'd be good fun if she would just let go and enjoy herself.
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,
very busy; active.
She's always on the go.
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,
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.
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,
to be appropriate or harmonious.
The rug and curtains don't go together.
Informal. to keep company; date; court.
They have gone together for two years.
go to!,
you don't say! I don't believe you!
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.
general office.
general order.
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)
(of time) to elapse
the hours go by so slowly at the office
to travel past
the train goes by her house at four
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
to start to act so as to
go shut the door
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
to relax one's hold (on); release
euphemistic to dismiss (from employment)
to discuss or consider no further
to act in an uninhibited manner
to lose interest in one's appearance, manners, etc
remaining
informal (of food served by a restaurant) for taking away
the act of going
informal
an attempt or try
he had a go at the stamp business
an attempt at stopping a person suspected of a crime
the police are not always in favour of the public having a go
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
First recorded before 900; Middle English gon, Old English gān; cognate with Old High German gēn, German gehen
First recorded in 1840–50; from Japanese, shortening of earlier igo, from Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese wéi qí “encirclement board game”
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.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The researchers are now developing methods that go beyond systems made only of qubits.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
"I go with good grace, I go with a smile, and I go proud of everything that we have achieved," he added.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
In some ways, the Ellisons don’t care that much if you ever go back to the movies.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
"And I said, well, it's supposed to be fun. But it wasn't really very fun at the time. He goes, well, let's just go out this week and try to have some fun."
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Although Arlo and I go to different schools, the progress reports come in the same day.
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
Few memories in Butte are long enough to go back to the hot day in July 1864 when G.O.
From Time Magazine Archive
It is an extract from a letter written by Private J. Fairclough, Yorkshire Light Infantry, to General A. Wynn, and refers to the death of the General's son, Lieutenant G.O.
From Tommy Atkins at War As Told in His Own Letters by Kilpatrick, James Alexander
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
Insta360 GO 3S For adventurers who want to capture every moment, the Insta360 GO 3S is a game-changer.
From Salon ● Dec. 16, 2024
The highest-grossing game on the Play Store to contain loot boxes, Monopoly GO, was among those not to mention random in-game purchases in its adverts.
From BBC ● Nov. 28, 2024
Those were in their infancy, with the first TomTom GO GPS first appearing in the Netherlands in 2005.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
On the podcast “The Town with Matthew Belloni,” he argued that the quality of movie theaters themselves will decline even more if the merger goes through.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
"Who says spreading your wings means flying high? Flying low is also flying," goes one of the lines in his poems.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
“A masterpiece property fit for royalty. … A home crafted with love and intention,” it goes on, after calling attention to the resort-style pool and koi pond.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
“We knew from the book that he goes to Harrenhal and effectively disappears, at least from the interactive narrative,” Condal says, speaking later over video call.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
The band member groans, shakes his head, and goes on, “But first we have a short film: udeyonv .... What They’ve Been Taught, directed by Cherokee citizen Brit Hensel.”
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
This was certainly a glamorous World Cup final and there was no shortage of fireworks - they went off before kick-off, during the half-time show and after Spain's trophy lift.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
"I went to bed at 2:00 am, I did not sleep much, but it was worth it," he said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
She teamed with other parents to help revive recess throughout Tennessee, which went on to pass a law last year requiring at least 40 minutes of recess in elementary schools.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Based on the true story of a reform school where Black boys went missing, the novel pairs the stories of two teens, one a troublemaker and the other caught up by mistake.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
But first things first: Sancho went to the stables to take care of his donkey.
From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios
Polls suggested that a vast majority of Hungarians wanted him gone.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
“Obviously he has gone through a lot so it was good to get that first major-league hit here. Behind the plate, he’s been great.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
Still, the comeback of the so-called Magnificent Seven group of tech names has investors wondering if they can finally do what nothing else has: wake up a bull-market rally that’s gone stubbornly cool.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 19, 2026
In an email, Show Faith by Works founder Chad Schnitger said the group had since gone in a different direction and the budget has mostly gone to build a mobile museum with bespoke video.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
She’d always tell us that we were only going to buy a certain number of tickets, and once they were gone, that was it.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
He contrasts that with "more sophisticated methods in the past of our field" that "wouldn't be able to even start going for some of these three-dimensional problems, because they're so big."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
“To see how Los Angeles has adopted me, embraced me, and shown me love, I’m going to feel like I’m home.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
Whether they succeed in the long run remains to be seen, but in the process, they are going to make your movie-going and likely TV-viewing experiences more tiresome.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
Sonam Wangchuk is a well-known Indian activist and educator who is in the headlines after going on hunger strike in support of youth-led protesters demanding reforms to the education system.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Dad begged her not to go because the storm looked like it was going to be bad.
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
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
