go¹

  • verb (goes, going; past went; past part. gone) 1 move to or from a place. 2 pass into or be in a specified state: her mind went blank. 3 (go to/into) enter into a specified state or course of action: go to sleep. 4 lie or extend in a certain direction. 5 come to an end; cease to exist. 6 disappear or be used up. 7 (of time) pass. 8 pass time in a particular way: they went for months without talking. 9 engage in a specified activity. have a particular outcome. (be going to be/do) used to express a future tense. function or operate. be harmonious or matching. be acceptable or permitted: anything goes. fit into or be regularly kept in a particular place. make a specified sound. informal say. (go by/under) be known or called by (a specified name).

  • noun (pl. goes) informal 1 an attempt: give it a go. 2 a turn to do or use something. 3 Brit. informal a single item, action, or spell of activity: it costs ten quid a go. 4 spirit or energy. 5 Brit. vigorous activity.

  — PHRASES go about begin or carry on work at. go along with agree to. go at energetically attack or tackle. go back on fail to keep (a promise). go down 1 be defeated in a contest. 2 be recorded or remembered in a particular way. 3 obtain a specified reaction: the show went down well. go for 1 decide on. 2 attempt to gain. 3 attack. 4 apply to. go halves (or shares) share something equally. go in for 1 enter (a contest) as a competitor. 2 like or habitually take part in. going!, gone! an auctioneer’s announcement that bidding is closing or closed. go into 1 investigate or enquire into. 2 (of a whole number) be capable of dividing another, typically without a remainder. go off 1 (of a gun or bomb) explode or fire. 2 chiefly Brit. (of food) begin to decompose. 3 informal, chiefly Brit. begin to dislike. go on 1 continue or persevere. 2 take place. 3 proceed to do. go out 1 be extinguished. 2 (of the tide) ebb. 3 carry on a regular romantic relationship with someone. go over 1 examine or check the details of. 2 be received in a specified way. go round chiefly Brit. (chiefly US also go around) be sufficient to supply everybody present. go through 1 undergo (a difficult experience). 2 examine carefully. 3 informal use up or spend. go under become bankrupt. go with 1 give one’s consent or agreement to. 2 have a romantic or sexual relationship with. go without suffer lack or deprivation. have a go at chiefly Brit. attack or criticize. have &em;&em; going for one informal be in one’s favour or to one’s advantage. make a go of informal be successful in. no go informal impossible, hopeless, or forbidden. on the go informal very active or busy. to go chiefly N. Amer. (of food or drink from a restaurant or cafe) to be eaten or drunk off the premises. what goes around comes around proverb the consequences of one’s actions will have to be dealt with eventually.

  — ORIGIN Old English; the form went was originally the past tense of WEND.