to move or proceed, esp. to or from something

They're going by bus.

to leave a place; depart

People were coming and going all the time.

to keep or be in motion; function or perform as required

Can't you go any faster in your work?

to become as specified

to go mad.

to continue in a certain state or condition; be habitually

to go barefoot.

to act as specified

Go warily if he wants to discuss terms.

to act so as to come into a certain state or condition

to go into debt; to go to sleep.

to be known

to go by a false name.

to reach, extend, or give access to

Where does this door go?

to pass or elapse

The time went fast.

to be applied, allotted, awarded, transferred, etc., to a particular recipient or purpose

My money goes for food and rent.

to be sold

I have a bid of two dollars. Going! Going! Gone!

to be considered generally or usually

He's short, as basketball players go.

to conduce or tend

This only goes to prove the point.

to result or end; turn out

How did the game go?

to belong; have a place

This book goes on the top shelf.

(of colors, styles, etc.) to harmonize; be compatible; be suited

Your tweed jacket would go well with these pants.

to fit around or into; be able to be extended, contained, inserted, etc.

This belt won't go around my waist.

to be or become consumed, spent, finished, etc.

The cake went fast.

to be or become discarded, dismissed, put aside, forgotten, etc.

Those practical jokes of yours have got to go!

to develop, progress, or proceed, esp. with reference to success or satisfaction

How is your new job going?

to move or proceed with remarkable speed or energy

Look at that airplane go!

to make a certain sound

The gun goes bang.

to be phrased, written, or composed

How does that song go?

to seek or have recourse for a decision, verdict, corroboration, defense, etc.; resort

to go to court.

to become worn-out, weakened, ineffective, etc.

His eyesight is beginning to go.

to die

The old man went peacefully at 3 a.m.

to fail, break, or give way

The dike might go any minute.

to come into action; begin

Go when you hear the bell.

to make up a quantity or content; be requisite

Sixteen ounces go to the pound.

to be able to be divided; be contained as a mathematical element

Three goes into fifteen five times.

to contribute to an end result

the items that go to make up the total.

to have as one's goal; intend (usually used in the present tense, fol. by an infinitive)

Their daughter is going to be a doctor.

to be permitted, approved, or the like

Around here, anything goes.

to be authoritative; be the final word

This is my house, and what I say goes!

to subject oneself

Don't go to any trouble.

(used in the infinitive as an intensifier to indicate the idea of proceeding, esp. with the expectation of serious consequences)

He finally had to go ask for a loan.

Informal . to urinate or defecate.

Informal . to endure or tolerate

I can't go his preaching.

Informal . to risk, pay, afford, bet, or bid

I'll go fifty dollars for a ticket, but no more.

to move or proceed with or according to; follow

Going my way?

to share or participate in to the extent of (often fol. by a complementary substantive)

to go halves.

to yield, produce, weigh as a usable amount, or grow to

This field will go two bales of cotton.

to assume the obligation, responsibility, or function of

His father went bail for him.

Informal . to enjoy, appreciate, desire, or want

I could go a big steak dinner right now.

Informal . to say; declare (usually used in speech)

I asked the clerk for my receipt, and he goes, You don't need it.

the act of going

the come and go of the seasons.

energy, spirit, or animation

a man with a lot of go.

a try at something; attempt

to have a go at winning the prize.

a successful accomplishment; success

to make a go of a new business.

Informal . a business agreement; deal; bargain

Thirty dollars? It's a go.

Informal . approval or permission, as to undertake or begin something

The boss gave us the go on the new project.

Boxing . a bout

the main go.

(in calling the start of a race) start the race; leave the starting line

On your mark! Get set! Go!

ready.

functioning properly

two minutes before the satellite is to be launched and all systems are go.

go about,

to occupy oneself with; perform

The shoemaker goes about his work with a smile.

Nautical . to change course by tacking or wearing.

go after, to attempt to obtain; strive for

You'll never get what you want if you don't go after it energetically.

go against, to be in conflict with or opposed to

It goes against the company's policy.

go ahead, to proceed without hesitation or delay

If you want to use my car, go ahead.

go along,

to move or proceed.

to accompany in travel.

to agree; concur

I can't go along with you on that idea.

go around,

to be often in company (often fol. by with )

to go around with a bad crowd.

to be sufficient for all

Is there enough food to go around?

to pass or circulate, as in transmission or communication

The rumor is going around that he was forced to resign.

go at,

to assault; attack.

to begin or proceed vigorously

to go at one's work with a will.

go back on. back 2 ( def. 7 ) .

go by,

to be disregarded or not taken advantage of

Don't let this chance go by.

to be guided by or to rely upon

Don't go by what she says.

go down,

to decrease or subside, as in amount or size

Prices went down. The swelling is going down.

to descend or sink

When does the sun go down?

to suffer defeat

to go down fighting.

to be accepted or believed

This nonsense goes down as truth with many persons.

to admit of being consumed

This food goes down easily.

to be remembered in history or by posterity.

Slang . to happen; occur

What's been going down since I've been away?

British . to leave a university, permanently or at the end of a term.

Bridge . to fall short of making one's contract.

Slang

Vulgar to perform fellatio or cunnilingus.

go for,

to make an attempt at; try for

He is going for the championship.

to assault.

to favor; like

It simply isn't the kind of life you would go for.

to be used for the purpose of or be a substitute for

material that goes for silk.

go in for,

to adopt as one's particular interest; approve of; like.

to occupy oneself with; engage in

Europeans in increasing numbers are going in for camping.

go into,

to discuss or investigate

Let's not go into the question of whose fault it was.

to undertake as one's study or work

to go into medicine.

go in with, to join in a partnership or union; combine with

He asked me to go in with him on the purchase of a boat.

go off,

to explode, fire, or perform or begin to function abruptly

A gun went off in the distance.

(of what has been expected or planned) to happen

The interview went off very badly.

to leave, esp. suddenly

She went off without saying goodbye.

to die.

to deteriorate.

Slang . to experience orgasm.

go on,

to happen or take place

What's going on here?

to continue

Go on working.

to behave; act

Don't go on like that!

to talk effusively; chatter.

(used to express disbelief)

Go on, you're kidding me.

to appear onstage in a theatrical performance

I go on in the middle of the second act.

go out,

to come to an end, esp. to fade in popularity

Silent movies went out as soon as the talkies were perfected.

to cease or fail to function

The lights went out.

to participate in social activities, on dates, etc.

to take part in a strike

The printers went out yesterday in a contract dispute.

Rummy . to dispose of the last card in one's hand by melding it on the table.

Cards . to achieve a point score equal to or above the score necessary to win the game.

go over,

to repeat; review.

to be effective or successful

The proposal went over very well with the trustees.

to examine

The mechanic went over the car but found nothing wrong.

to read; scan.

go through,

to bear; experience.

to examine or search carefully

He went through all of his things but couldn't find the letter.

to be successful; be accepted or approved

The proposed appropriation will never go through.

to use up; spend completely

He went through his allowance in one day.

go through with, to persevere with to the end; bring to completion

It was perhaps the biggest challenge of her life, and she resolved to go through with it.

go under,

to be overwhelmed or ruined; fail.

(of a ship) to founder.

go up,

to be in the process of construction, as a building.

to increase in cost, value, etc.

to forget one's lines during a theatrical performance.

British . to go to a university at the beginning of a term. ?

from the word go

from the very start; since the beginning.

go and, to be so thoughtless, unfortunate

or silly as to

It was going to be a surprise but he went and told her.

go ape over or for. ape ( def. 6 ) .

go bananas. bananas ( def. 2 ) .

go down on

Slang

Vulgar to perform fellatio or cunnilingus on.

go for broke. broke ( def. 9 ) .

go for it

Informal . to pursue a goal with determination.

go it alone, to act or proceed independently, without assistance, companionship

or the like

If you don't want to form a partnership, I'll go it alone.

go native. native ( def. 18 ) .

go the whole hog

to do something thoroughly or consistently

If you're getting a new amplifier, why don't you go the whole hog and get new speakers and a turntable, too?

go to!

Archaic .

you don't say! I don't believe you!

let's do it! come on!

go together

to be appropriate or harmonious

The rug and curtains don't go together.

Informal . to keep company; date; court

They have gone together for two years.

go to it

Informal . to begin vigorously and at once.

go with

Informal . to keep company with; court; date

He went with her for two semesters. Also, go out with.

let go

to release one's grasp or hold

Please let go of my arm.

to free; release.

to cease to employ; dismiss

Business was slack and many employees were let go.

to become unrestrained; abandon inhibitions

She'd be good fun if she would just let go and enjoy herself.

to dismiss; forget; discard

Once he has an idea, he never lets go of it.

let go with

to express or utter with abandon

He let go with a sudden yell.

let oneself go

to free oneself of inhibitions or restraint

Let yourself go and get mad once in a while.

no go

Informal .

futile; useless

We tried to get there by noon, but it was no go.

not authorized or approved to proceed; canceled or aborted

Tomorrow's satellite launching is no go.

on the go

very busy; active

She's always on the go.

while going from place to place; while traveling.

to go

Informal . (of food) for consumption off the premises where sold

coffee to go.

verb

approach , be employed , begin , devote oneself to , engage in , get busy with , occupy oneself with , set about , tackle , work at