Word: go Part of Speech: noun 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. The act of going. Labels: countable, uncommon, uncountable Example: The Apostles were to be the first of a line. They would multiply successors, and the successors would die and their successors after them, but the line would never fail; and the come and go of men would not matter, since it is the one Christ operating through all of them. Example: They talk easily together and they hear the come and go of the breeze in the soon to be turning burnt leaves of the high trees. 2. A turn at something, or in something (e.g. a game). Labels: countable, uncountable Example: You’ve been on that pinball machine long enough—now let your brother have a go. Example: It’s your go. 3. An attempt, a try. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: I’ll give it a go. Example: You have to stay and we will have a go at winning the championship next season." 4. A period of activity. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: ate it all in one go Example: This could mean that the artist traced the illustration in two goes, as it were, or that the Utrecht Psalter slipped while he was tracing, but I do not think that the relative proportions are consistent enough to demonstrate this. 5. A time; an experience. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Even if she was bigger and more mature, she would have a tough go of it. We have read a lot on this diagnosis and have known from the beginning what she has been up against.” “It's true about this being a tough go,” I said. “Listen, I'm very sorry, but I'm on call here tomorrow and I will[…]" Example: "She's had a rough go of things and no one wants to see her hurt.” Jason stared at Kate's slender frame, backlit by a spear of sunlight breaking through the cloud cover. "Then that makes the entire town plus one." 6. A circumstance or occurrence; an incident, often unexpected. Labels: countable, dated, slang, uncountable Example: 1839, Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby, in 1868, The Works of Charles Dickens, Volume 2: Nicholas Nickleby, Martin Chuzzlewit, American Notes, page 306, “Well, this is a pretty go, is this here! An uncommon pretty go! Example: “Ain't this a rum go? This is a queer sort of dodge for lighting the streets.” 7. An approval or permission to do something, or that which has been approved. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: We will begin as soon as the boss says it's a go. Example: "Well, Tom, is it a go? You can trust me, for you'll have the thousand in your pocket before you start.[…]" 8. An act; the working or operation. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: 1598, John Marston, Pigmalion, The Metamorphosis of Pigmalions Image and Certaine Satyres, 1856, J. O. Halliwell (editor), The Works of John Marston: Reprinted from the Original Editions, Volume 3, page 211, Let this suffice, that that same happy night, So gracious were the goes of marriage […] 9. The fashion or mode. Labels: countable, dated, uncountable Example: quite the go Example: We are blowing each other out of the market with cheapness; but it is all the go, so we must not be behind the age. 10. Noisy merriment. Labels: countable, dated, uncountable Example: a high go Example: Gemmen (says he), you all well know The joy there is whene'er we meet; It's what I call the primest go, And rightly named, 'tis—'quite a treat,' […] 11. A glass of spirits; a quantity of spirits. Labels: archaic, countable, slang, uncountable Example: Jack Randall then impatient rose, / And said, ‘Tom's speech were just as fine / If he would call that first of goes [i.e. gin] / By that genteeler name—white wine.' Example: When the cloth was removed, Mr. Thomas Potter ordered the waiter to bring in two goes of his best Scotch whiskey, with warm water and sugar, and a couple of his "very mildest" Havannas, 12. A portion Labels: countable, dated, uncountable Example: Albert's uncle had had a jolly good breakfast—fish and eggs and bacon and three goes of marmalade. 13. Power of going or doing; energy; vitality; perseverance. Labels: uncountable Example: There is no go in him. 14. The situation where a player cannot play a card which will not carry the aggregate count above thirty-one. Labels: countable, uncountable 15. A dandy; a fashionable person. Labels: British, countable, obsolete, slang, uncountable Example: That TOM, who was the GO among the GOES, in the very centre of fashion in London, should have to encounter the vulgar stare of this village; or, that the dairy-maid should leave off skimming her cream to take a peep at our hero, as he mounted his courser, is not at all surprising: and TOM only smiled at this provincial sort of rudeness. Example: He's a go among the goes, is Mr. Kestrel. He's only got to sport a new kind of topper, or tie his crumpler a new way, and every gentry-cove in town does just the same.