go

verb

\ ˈgō

went\ ˈwent

\; gone\ ˈgȯn

also ˈgän \; going\ ˈgō-iŋ

, ˈgȯ(-)iŋ ; "going to" in sense 13 is often ˈgō-ə-nə or ˈgȯ-nə or ˈgə-nə \; goes\ ˈgōz

Definition of go

(Entry 1 of 4)

intransitive verb

1a : to move on a course : proceed go slow went by train — compare stop

b : to travel to a place goes to the office every morning went to the gas station before heading home

c : to travel to and stay in a place for a period of time went to Paris for a month plan to go to their beach house for the summer

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

3a : 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 itgo 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

6a : 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 this clutter has 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

7a : 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

8a : to apply oneself went to work on the problem

b : to put or subject oneself went to unnecessary expense

c chiefly Southern US and Midland US : 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

10a : 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

12a : 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

14a : 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 Hollywoodgo condo

d : to undergo a change leaves go from green to red

15a : 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

17a : 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

19a(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

3a : 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

4a : 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

6a : to put up with : tolerate couldn't go the noise

b : afford can't go the price

c : enjoy I could go a soda

go

Definition of go

WORD OF THE DAY