go

1 of 4

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 

intransitive verb

1

a

: 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

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

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

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 US and Midland US : intend

I didn't go to do it

9

a

: to have recourse to another for corroboration, vindication, or decision : resort

go to court to recover damages

b

: to be guided, governed, or regulated

We were just going by what we'd been told.

The police tried to locate the culprit, but they didn't have much to go on.

: to act in agreement or cooperation

… the echo of my girlfriend's voice comes into my head, saying, "Whatever happens, just go with it."

—Jason Schwartzman

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

" … I finally went to pieces and couldn't stop crying for two hours. … "

—Gwendoline Christie

see also go into sense 2 (below)

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

… I started trying to write a novel. I spent about six months on it. And at a certain point I go, "You know, I don't want to finish this. …"

—Quentin Tarantino

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

ˈgō-ər 

noun

see also to go

go

2 of 4

noun (1)

ˈgō 

plural goes

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 (such 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

go

3 of 4

adjective

: functioning properly : being in good and ready condition

declared all systems go

go

4 of 4

noun (2)

often capitalized

: 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

Phrases

go about

: to set about : to begin to do

go after

: to try to get : seek

go all the way

1

: to enter into complete agreement

2

: to engage in sexual intercourse

go at

1

a

: to make an attack on

b

: to make an approach to

went at the problem from different angles

2

: undertake

go back on

1

: abandon

She went back on her word.

2

: betray

3

: fail

was afraid that his mind might go back on him

go begging

: to be in little demand

go by the board

1

: to be carried over a ship's side

2

: to be discarded

Budget cuts meant that some projects had to go by the board.

go easy

: to be sparing

go easy with the sugar

go easy on the kid

go fly a kite

: to stop being an annoyance or disturbance

told him to go fly a kite

go for

1

: to pass for or serve as

Silvered glass once went for mirrors.

2

: to try to secure or attain (something, such as a goal)

go for the prize

3

a

: favor, accept

cannot go for your idea

b

: to have an interest in or liking for

She went for him in a big way.

—Chandler Brossard

4

: attack, assail

my dog went for the intruder

go for broke

: to put forth all one's strength or resources

went for broke to qualify for the Olympics

go great guns

: to achieve great success

The movie was going great guns worldwide.

go hang

: to cease to be of interest or concern

go into

1

: to be contained in (something)

5 goes into 60 12 times

2

a

: to begin to be in (a specified state or condition)

The fugitive went into hiding.

"Scott went into a tizzy," she said.

—Lucinda Franks

I went into a deep funk over the nasty things I've written …

—P. J. O'Rourke

Her body began jerking violently, and she went into a coma.

—Patrick Rogers et al.

Seven months later Wall Street crashed and the economy went into freefall.

—Bill Bryson

b

: to begin (a specified kind of movement)

The plane went into a tailspin.

… the car hit a patch of ice and went into a skid …

—Ron Fimrite

3

: to enter (something) as a profession or occupation

She decided to go into law/medicine.

He went into business for himself.

4

: to subject (something) to examination or discussion

The auditors went into every aspect of the company's operations.

I'll explain later—I don't have the time to go into it right now.

She told me briefly what had happened, but didn't go into too much detail.

go it

1

: to behave in a reckless, excited, or impromptu manner

2

: to proceed in a rapid or furious manner

3

: to conduct one's affairs : act

insists on going it alone

go missing

chiefly British : to become lost : disappear

go one better

: outdo, surpass

go over

1

: examine

went over the test results

2

a

: repeat

b

: study, review

went over his notes before taking the test

go places

: to be on the way to success

go public

: to make a public disclosure

go steady

: to date one person exclusively and frequently

go through

1

: to subject to thorough examination, consideration, or study

went through the list of items one by one

2

: experience, undergo

had to go through quite an ordeal

3

: carry out, perform

went through his work in a daze

go to bat for

: to give active support or assistance to : defend, champion

go to bed with

: to have sexual intercourse with

go to one's head

1

: to cause one to become confused, excited, or dizzy

The wine went to his head.

2

: to cause one to become conceited or overconfident

Fame went to her head.

go to pieces

: to become shattered (as in nerves or health)

go to the mat

: to make an all-out combative effort (as in support of a position)

go to town

1

: to work or act rapidly or efficiently

They went to town on decorating the building.

2

: to be markedly successful

The team really went to town, winning 14–0.

3

: to indulge oneself excessively

He went to town on a big platter of beef and potatoes.

go with

1

: date

2

: choose sense 2

went with an iron off the tee

go without saying

: to be self-evident

go with the flow

: conform sense 2b

no go

: to no avail : useless

Attempts to get the computer running have been no go.

on the go

: constantly or restlessly active

a housewife and mother who's always on the go

Synonyms

Verb

• advance
• come
• come along
• do
• fare
• forge
• get along
• get on
• go along
• go off
• march
• pace
• proceed
• progress

Noun (1)

• buzz
• chic
• craze
• dernier cri
• enthusiasm
• fad
• fashion
• flavor
• hot ticket
• last word
• latest
• mode
• rage
• sensation
• style
• ton
• trend
• vogue

Adjective

• fit
• prepared
• ready
• set

Examples of go in a Sentence

Verb

He went to the window and looked out at the yard.

She goes to the office every morning and comes home in the evening.

I'm tired. Let's go home.

She went downstairs to the kitchen.

The train goes from New York to Chicago.

I went with my family to Rome last year.

We're going to Iowa for a week.

The car was going too fast.

How much farther do we have to go?

She went a long way to see him.

Noun (1)

snowboarding is all the go

a healthy six-year-old full of go

it took several goes to get the car started

a young executive with the go to make this company grow

Adjective

all systems are go

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

But the committee went with the ACC this time, putting 11-2 SMU in the field as the last at-large team, the No. 11 seed with a first-round trip to Penn State on the docket, and leaving 9-3 Alabama out. —Chris Vannini, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024

Will his incoming attorney general or will his FBI director [go after Trump's political enemies]? —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024

Noun

With so much to pack, snacks are easy to forget, yet so crucial to feeling good on the go. —Will McGough, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024

Now on sale for 25 percent off at Target, this compact massager is the perfect travel companion to relieve the stress of being on the go, and its packable size fits into any purse or suitcase pocket. —Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 9 Dec. 2024

Adjective

If the Cowboys opt for the poison preferred recently by Carolina, Evans — Tampa Bay’s career receiving yardage leader — could conduct a go-route clinic. —Joey Knight, Dallas News, 14 Jan. 2023

This is my new go-spring treat for sunny afternoons and porch-chair traveling. —Kim Sunée, Anchorage Daily News, 22 Apr. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Verb, Noun (1), and Adjective

Middle English gon, from Old English gān; akin to Old High German gān to go, Greek kichanein to reach, attain

Noun (2)

Japanese

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun (1)

1635, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1961, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1840, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing go

• a-go-go
• all go
• a long way to go
• a ways to go
• a way to go
• can't go wrong with
• come and go
• come/go crawling to
• come/go on the air
• come/go to the rescue of
• do/go the rounds
• easy come, easy go
• enough/plenty to go around
• enough/plenty to go round
• from the get-go
• from the word go
• get-go
• get/go back to nature
• get/go back to (the) basics
• (get) ready, (get) set, go
• get-up-and-go
• git-go
• give-and-go
• give it a go
• given the go-ahead
• go about one's business
• go about one's work
• go a bundle on
• go according to schedule
• go after someone's scalp
• go against
• go against her parents' will
• go against someone's grain
• go against someone's wishes
• go against the flow
• go against the grain
• go-ahead
• go ahead with (something)
• go all in
• go all out
• go along
• go a long way toward/towards
• go along with
• go anywhere
• go ape
• go around
• go at it
• go away
• go back
• go back a long way
• go back on one's promise
• go back on one's word
• go back to
• go back to square one
• go back to the drawing board
• go bad
• go bag
• go bald
• go ballistic
• go bankrupt
• go bathing
• go beast mode
• go before
• go belly-up
• go berserk
• go-between
• go beyond
• go blank
• go blind
• go blue
• go broke
• go bust
• go by
• go bye-bye
• go bye-byes
• go-cart
• go club-hopping
• go commando
• go crazy
• go crook
• go cup
• go dark
• go dead
• go deaf
• go-devil
• go down
• go down in history
• go down/like a bomb
• go down like a lead balloon
• go down on
• go down the aisle
• go down the tubes
• go down to defeat
• go down with
• go Dutch
• go easy on
• go either way
• go ex-directory
• go far
• go-fer
• go figure
• go flying
• go for a burton
• go for a wander
• go for naught
• go for the brass ring
• go for the jugular
• go forward
• go from strength to strength
• go-getter
• go-go
• go gold
• go grocery shopping
• go half and half
• go halves
• go heavy on
• go hog wild
• go hungry
• go in
• go in for
• going bananas
• going out of my mind
• going out of my mind with worry
• go in on
• go insane
• go into conniptions
• go into detail
• go into hiding
• go into hysterics
• go into mourning
• go into politics
• go into production
• go into remission
• go into service
• go in with
• go it alone
• (go) jump in a/the lake
• go kablooey
• go kablooie
• go kaboom
• go kaput
• go-kart
• go kerblooey
• go legit
• go light on
• go live
• go mad
• go mano a mano
• go/move upmarket
• go/move upscale
• go native
• go no further
• go-no-go
• go nowhere
• go nuclear
• go number one
• go nuts
• good to go
• go off
• go off at half cock
• go off half-cocked
• go off on a tangent
• go off the air
• go off the deep end
• go off the rails
• go off with
• go on
• go on at
• go on display
• go one's own way
• go on hiatus
• go on one's merry way
• go on public assistance
• go on the attack
• go on the stage
• go our/their/your several ways
• go out
• go out of existence
• go out of one's way
• go out of production
• go out of use
• go out the window
• go out with a bang
• go over big
• go overboard
• go over like a lead balloon
• go over someone's head
• go over/through (something) with a fine-tooth comb
• go pear-shaped
• go phut
• go pit-a-pat
• go pitter-patter
• go platinum
• go postal
• go potty
• go rogue
• go-round
• go/run through someone's mind
• go separate ways
• go septic
• go shooting
• go shopping
• go-slow
• go so far
• go someone's way
• go spare
• go stag
• go stale
• go straight
• go strong
• go/swim with/against the tide
• go take a hike
• go/take the traditional route
• go the distance
• go the extra mile
• go there
• go the way of all flesh
• go (the) whole hog
• go through a rough time
• go through one's paces
• go through the ceiling
• go through the motions
• go through the roof
• go through with
• go to
• go to any length(s)
• go to bat
• go to bed
• go to church
• go to court
• go to extreme/great lengths
• go together
• go to great pains
• go to hell
• go to hell in a handbasket
• go to law
• go too far
• go to (one's) glory
• go to one's grave
• go to pot
• go to press
• go to print
• go to rack and ruin
• go to sea
• go to seed
• go to show/prove
• go to sleep
• go to temple
• go to the bathroom
• go to the cinema
• go to the country
• go to the devil
• go to (the) expense
• go to the stake for/over
• go to the toilet
• go to the wall
• go to trouble
• go to university
• go to war
• go toward(s)
• go to waste
• go under
• go underground
• go under the knife
• go unheard
• go unheeded
• go up
• go up in flames
• go up in smoke
• go walkabout
• go walking
• go way back
• go wee-wee
• go where others fear to tread
• go with a swing
• go without
• go with the crowd
• go with the territory
• go wrong
• happy-go-lucky
• have a go
• have a go at
• have (got) to go
• here we go
• hide-and-go-seek
• in/at one go
• let go
• let go of
• let it go
• let it go at that
• let oneself go
• let's go
• make a go of
• merry-go-round
• no go
• no-go area
• not come/go amiss
• on the go
• pay-as-you-go
• pick up and leave/go
• ready, steady, go
• received/got the go-ahead
• stop-and-go
• stop-go
• Sunday-go-to-meeting
• the go-ahead
• (there) but for the grace of God (go I)
• there go/goes
• there you are/go
• the show must go on
• to go
• touch and go
• way to go
• where do we go from here
• worth a go

Kids Definition

go

1 of 3 verb

ˈgō 

went ˈwent  ; gone ˈgȯn 

 also  ˈgän

; going ˈgō-iŋ  ; goes ˈgōz 

1

: to move on a course : proceed

go slow

go by train

2

a

: to move away from one point to or toward another : leave, depart

b

: follow entry 1 sense 4, traverse

go the whole route

go my way

3

a

: to pass by a process like journeying

the message went by wire

the prize went to the winner

b

: extend sense 4, run

our land goes to the river

c

: lead entry 1 sense 1d

that door goes to the cellar

4

: to be habitually in a certain state

goes bareheaded

5

a

: to become lost, consumed, or spent

funds going for research

b

: to slip away : elapse

where did the time go

c

: to pass by sale

went for a good price

d

: to become damaged or weakened

my hearing started to go

e

: to give way under force or pressure : break

the dam went

6

a

: to be in general or on an average

cheap, as yachts go

b

: to become especially as the result of a contest

decision went against us

7

: to put or subject oneself

go to great expense

8

: to make use of to settle a dispute : resort

go to court to recover damages

9

a

: to begin or continue an action or motion

go when the light turns

drums going strong

b

: to function properly

get the motor to go

10

: to be known

goes by a nickname

11

: to be or act in agreement

a good rule to go by

12

: to contribute to a result

qualities that go to make a hero

13

a

: to be about, intending, or expecting

is going to leave town

b

: to come or arrive at a certain state or condition

go to sleep

c

: to come to be

the tire went flat

14

a

: to be able to be placed

these clothes will go in your suitcase

b

: to have a usual or proper place

these books go on the top shelf

c

: to be capable of being contained in another quantity

5 goes into 60 12 times

15

: to be likely : tend

goes to show they can be trusted

16

: to be acceptable or satisfactory

any kind of dress goes

17

: bet entry 2 sense 1, bid

willing to go $50

18

a

: to be as expressed

as the story goes

b

: to be capable of being sung or played

the tune goes like this

goer noun

go

2 of 3 noun

plural goes

1

: the height of fashion

that dress is all the go

2

: energy sense 1, vigor

full of go

3

a

: attempt entry 2 sense 1, try

have a go at it

b

: a spell of activity

did it in one go

c

: success sense 1c

make a go of a business

go

3 of 3 adjective

: in good and ready condition

all systems are go