go

I. verb (went; gone; going; goes) Etymology: Middle English gon, from Old English gān; akin to Old High German gān to go, Greek kichanein to reach, attain Date: before 12th century intransitive verb 1. to move on a course ; proceed <

go slow

> <

went by train

> — compare stop 2. to move out of or away from a place expressed or implied ; leave, depart <

went from school to the party

> <

going away for vacation

> 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. a. to move along in a specified manner ; fare <

everything was going well

> b. to be in general or on an average <

cheap, as yachts go

> c. to be or become especially as the result of a contest <

the election went in her favor

> d. to turn out well ; succeed <

worked hard to make the party go

> 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. a. to make a wager of ; bet <

go a dollar on the outcome

> b. to make an offer of ; bid <

willing to go $50 for the clock

> 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

> 5. yield, weigh <

this fish goes ten pounds

> 6. a. to put up with ; tolerate <

couldn't go the noise

> b. afford <

can't go the price

> c. enjoy <

I could go a soda

> 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

> • goer noun II. noun (plural goes) Date: 1727 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

> 5. energy, vigor 6. a. a turn in an activity (as a game) <

it's your go

> b. attempt, try <

have a go at painting

> 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

> III. adjective Date: 1961 functioning properly ; being in good and ready condition <

declared all systems go

> IV. noun Usage: often capitalized Etymology: Japanese Date: 1890 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