Word: go Part of Speech: verb Etymology: From Middle English gon, goon, from Old English gān (“to go”), from Proto-West Germanic *gān, from Proto-Germanic *gāną (“to go”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰeh₁- (“to leave”). The inherited past tense form yode (compare Old English ēode) was replaced through suppletion in the 15th century by went, from Old English wendan (“to go, depart, wend”). cognates and related terms Cognate with Scots gae, gan, gang, ging, gyang (“to go”), Yola go, goe, goeth, gow (“to go”), West Frisian gean (“to go”), Alemannic German gaa, go (“to go, walk, step”), Bavarian geh (“to go”), Cimbrian ghéenan, gian (“to go”), Dutch gaan (“to go”), Dutch Low Saxon gan, gaon (“to go”), German gehen (“to go”), German Low German gahn (“to go”), Limburgish gaon, goëne (“to go”), Luxembourgish goen (“to go”), Vilamovian gejn, gyjn (“to go”), Yiddish גיין (geyn, “to go, walk”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish gå (“to go, walk”), Crimean Gothic geen (“to go”), Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌲𐌲𐌰𐌽 (gaggan, “to go”). Compare also Albanian ngah (“to run, drive, go”), Ancient Greek κιχάνω (kikhánō, “to meet with, arrive at”), Avestan 𐬰𐬀𐬰𐬁𐬨𐬌 (zazāmi), Sanskrit जहाति (jáhāti, “to shun, avoid, lay aside”). Pronunciation: /ɡəʊ/, /ɡə/, /ɡu/ [ɡʊw], /ɡæn/, /ɡo/ 1. To move, either physically or in an abstract sense: Labels: intransitive Example: Why don’t you go with us? Example: This train goes through Cincinnati on its way to Chicago. 2. To move, either physically or in an abstract sense: Labels: intransitive Example: Yesterday was the second-wettest day on record; you have to go all the way back to 1896 to find a day when more rain fell. Example: Fans want to see the Twelfth Doctor go to the 51st century to visit River in the library. 3. To move, either physically or in an abstract sense: Labels: intransitive Example: For the best definitions, go to wiktionary.org Example: To access Office-related TechNet resources, go to www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/office. 4. To move, either physically or in an abstract sense: Example: We've only gone twenty miles today. Example: This car can go circles around that one. 5. To move, either physically or in an abstract sense: Labels: intransitive Example: We went swimming. Example: Let's go shopping. 6. To move, either physically or in an abstract sense: Labels: intransitive Example: Please don't go! Example: I really must be going. 7. To move, either physically or in an abstract sense: Example: Let's go this way for a while. Example: She was going that way anyway, so she offered to show him where it was. 8. To move, either physically or in an abstract sense: Example: We went the full length of the promenade before we found a place to sit down. Example: His life story goes the gamut, from poverty-stricken upbringing to colossal wealth. 9. To move, either physically or in an abstract sense: Labels: intransitive, obsolete Example: ‘As for that,’ seyde Sir Trystram, ‘I may chose othir to ryde othir to go.’ Example: Master Piercie our new President, was so sicke hee could neither goe nor stand. 10. To work or function (properly); to move or perform (as required). Labels: intransitive Example: The engine just won't go anymore. Example: Don't put your hand inside while the motor's going! 11. To start; to begin (an action or process). Labels: intransitive Example: You've got thirty seconds to solve the anagram, starting now. Go! Example: At leaſt, I'm ſure I can fiſh it out of her. She's the very Sluce to her Lady's Secrets;—'Tis but ſetting her Mill agoing, and I can drein her of 'em all. 12. To take a turn, especially in a game. Labels: intransitive Example: It’s your turn; go. Example: I've got all vowels. I don't think I can go. 13. To attend. Labels: intransitive Example: I go to school at the schoolhouse. Example: She went to Yale. 14. To proceed: Labels: intransitive Example: That went well. Example: "How are things going?" "Not bad, thanks." 15. To proceed: Labels: colloquial, intransitive Example: Why'd you have to go and do that? Example: Why'd you have to go do that? 16. To extend along. Labels: intransitive Example: The fence goes the length of the boundary. Example: A shady promenade went the length of the street and the entrance to the hotel was a few steps back in the darkness, away from the glaring sunshine. 17. To extend (from one point in time or space to another). Labels: intransitive Example: This property goes all the way to the state line. Example: The working week goes from Monday to Friday. 18. To lead (to a place); to give access (to). Labels: intransitive Example: Does this road go to Fort Smith? Example: “Where does this door go?” Bev asked as she pointed to a door painted a darker green than the powder green color of the carpet. Janet answered. “That door goes to the back yard.” 19. To become, move to or come to (a state, position, situation) Labels: copulative Example: Near-synonyms: become, get, turn, come, fall, grow, wax Example: You'll go blind. 20. To become, move to or come to (a state, position, situation) Example: If we can win on Saturday, we'll go top of the league. Example: They went level with their rivals. 21. To become, move to or come to (a state, position, situation) Example: They went into debt. Example: She goes to sleep around 10 o'clock. 22. To assume the obligation or function of; to be, to serve as. Example: There is scarcely a business man who is not occasionally asked to go bail for somebody. Example: Most welfare workers are not allowed to go surety for clients. 23. To continuously or habitually be in a state. Labels: copulative, intransitive Example: I don't want my children to go hungry. Example: We went barefoot in the summer. 24. To turn out, to result; to come to (a certain result). Example: The decision went the way we expected. Example: When Wharton had to relinquish his seat in Buckinghamshire on his elevation to the peerage in 1696, he was unable to replace himself with a suitable man, and the by-election went in favour of a local Tory, Lord Cheyne. 25. To tend (toward a result). Labels: intransitive Example: Well, that goes to show you. Example: These experiences go to make us stronger. 26. To contribute to a (specified) end product or result. Example: qualities that go to make a lady / lip-reader / sharpshooter Example: What can we know of any substance or existence, but as made up of all the qualities that go to its composition: extension, solidity, form, colour; take these away, and you know nothing. 27. To pass, to be used up: Labels: intransitive Example: The time went slowly. Example: But the days went and went, and she never came; and then I thought I would come here where you were. 28. To pass, to be used up: Labels: intransitive Example: After three days, my headache finally went. 29. To pass, to be used up: Labels: intransitive Example: His money went on drink. Example: All I have is a sleeping bag right now. All my money goes to keep up the cars. 30. To die. Labels: intransitive Example: I want to go in my sleep. Example: By Saint George, he's gone! / That spear wound hath our master sped. 31. To be lost or out: Labels: intransitive Example: The third wicket went just before lunch. 32. To be lost or out: Labels: intransitive Example: Smith bowls ... Jones hits it straight up in the air ... and ... caught! Jones has gone! 33. To break down or apart: Labels: intransitive Example: Careful! It looks as if that ceiling could go at any moment! Example: 'Back!' cried Carrados. 'The cliff is going!' The cliff, as Mr Lidmarsh had remarked, had been going for centuries—going by inches, by feet, or by yards. […] Now the cliff face—all the ground beyond the fissure—began to fall rigidly away […] 34. To break down or apart: Labels: intransitive Example: My mind is going. Example: She's 83; her eyesight is starting to go. 35. To be sold. Labels: intransitive Example: The car went for five thousand dollars. Example: The store is closing down so everything must go. 36. To be discarded or disposed of. Labels: intransitive Example: This chair has got to go. Example: All this old rubbish can go. 37. To be given, especially to be assigned or allotted. Labels: intransitive Example: The property shall go to my wife. Example: The award went to Steven Spielberg. 38. To survive or get by; to last or persist for a stated length of time. Labels: intransitive, transitive Example: How long can you go without water? Example: We've gone without your help for a while now. 39. To have a certain record. Labels: transitive Example: They've gone one for three in this series. Example: The team is going five in a row. 40. To be authoritative, accepted, or valid: Labels: intransitive Example: Whatever the boss says goes, do you understand? 41. To be authoritative, accepted, or valid: Labels: intransitive Example: Anything goes around here. Example: The money which remains should go according to its true value. 42. To be authoritative, accepted, or valid: Labels: intransitive Example: The baked beans can go on this shelf, and the same goes for all these other tins. Example: [To job interviews, wear] muted colors. No pink or paisley (that goes for you too, guys!) […] 43. To say (something), to make a sound: Labels: colloquial, transitive Example: I go, "As if!" And she was all like, "Whatever!" Example: As soon as I did it, I went "that was stupid." 44. To say (something), to make a sound: Labels: transitive Example: Cats go "meow". Motorcycles go "vroom". 45. To say (something), to make a sound: Labels: intransitive Example: I woke up just before the clock went. Example: At 4pm, the phone went. It was The Sun: 'We hear your daughter's been expelled for cheating at her school exams[…]' / / She'd made a remark to a friend at the end of the German exam and had been pulled up for talking. / / As they left the exam room, she muttered that the teacher was a 'twat'. He heard and flipped—a pretty stupid thing to do, knowing the kids were tired and tense after exams. Instead of dropping it, the teacher complained to the Head and Deb was carpeted. 46. To be expressed or composed (a certain way). Example: The tune goes like this. Example: As the story goes, he got the idea for the song while sitting in traffic. 47. To resort (to). Labels: intransitive Example: The nylon gears kept breaking, so we went to stainless steel. 48. To apply or subject oneself to: Example: I'm going to join a sports team. Example: I wish you'd go and get a job. 49. To apply or subject oneself to: Labels: intransitive Example: You didn't have to go to such trouble. Example: I never thought he'd go so far as to call you. 50. To apply or subject oneself to: Labels: intransitive Example: I've gone over this a hundred times. Example: Let's not go into that right now. 51. To fit (in a place, or together with something): Labels: intransitive, often Example: Do you think the sofa will go through the door? Example: The belt just barely went around his waist. 52. To fit (in a place, or together with something): Labels: intransitive Example: This shade of red doesn't go with the drapes. Example: White wine goes better with fish than red wine. 53. To fit (in a place, or together with something): Labels: intransitive Example: My shirts go on this side of the wardrobe. Example: This piece of the jigsaw goes on the other side. 54. To fit (in a place, or together with something): Labels: intransitive Example: He'd like to pot the pink, but I don't think it will go. The green's in the way. 55. To date. Labels: intransitive Example: How long have they been going together? Example: He's been going with her for two weeks. 56. To (begin to) date or have sex with (a particular race). Labels: transitive Example: You can date black, you can do white, on a slow night maybe even go for an Asian boy, but most likely you'll go Latino unless the aforementioned guys speak a little Spanish […] Example: I felt that was an insult to John Lennon, but I married her anyway. Thinking back, I should have gone Asian. 57. To attack: Labels: intransitive Example: I went at him with a knife. Example: You wanna go, little man? 58. To attack: Labels: US, obsolete, slang, transitive Example: You've shown me his weak points, and I'll go him whether you stick by me or not. 59. To attack: Labels: Australian, slang, transitive Example: As big as me. Strong, too. I was itching to go him, And he had clouted Ernie. Example: Then I′m sure I heard him mutter ‘Why don′t you get fucked,’ under his breath. It was at that moment that I became a true professional. Instead of going him, I announced the next song. 60. Used to express how some category of things generally is, as a reference for, contrast to, or comparison with, a particular example. Example: My cat Fluffy is very timid, as cats go. Example: As far as burgers go, this is one of the best. 61. To take (a particular part or share); to participate in to the extent of. Labels: transitive Example: Let's go halves on this. Example: They were to go equal shares in the booty. 62. To yield or weigh. Labels: transitive Example: Those babies go five tons apiece. Example: This'll go three tons to the acre, or I'll eat my shirt. 63. To offer, bid or bet an amount; to pay; to sell for. Labels: intransitive, transitive Example: That's as high as I can go. Example: We could go two fifty. 64. To enjoy. (Compare go for.) Labels: colloquial, transitive Example: I could go a beer right about now. Example: 'But I bet you could go a cup of tea? I know I could. Always ready for char.' He looked over my shoulder towards Albert Hicks, who was standing in the doorway. 'Albert, could you rustle up a pot of our best Darjeeling?[…]' 65. To go to the toilet; to urinate or defecate. Labels: colloquial, intransitive Example: I really need to go. Example: Have you managed to go today, Mrs. Miggins? 66. Expressing encouragement or approval. Labels: imperative Example: Go, girl! You can do it! 67. Clipping of go to the. Labels: Australia, Multicultural-London-English, Singapore, UK, abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, colloquial, especially, intransitive Example: Going pub now :) Example: Ffs I really want to go pub now 68. To fight, usually with the fists. Labels: colloquial, euphemistic, intransitive Example: You said WHAT about my mom? Do you want to go, bro? 69. To pass (a specified time) in gestation; to be pregnant. Labels: intransitive, usually Example: For quotations using this term, see Citations:go.