go [4] (goes 3rd person present) (going present participle) (went past tense) (gone past participle ) (PHRASAL VERBS) go about
1 phrasal verb The way you go about a task or problem is the way you approach it and deal with it.
I want him back, but I just don't know how to go about it. V P n/-ing
2 phrasal verb When you are going about your normal activities, you are doing them.
We were simply going about our business when we were pounced upon by these police officers. V P n
3 phrasal verb If you go about in a particular way, you behave or dress in that way, often as part of your normal life.
(=go around)
He used to go about in a black cape... V P prep
He went about looking ill and unhappy. V P -ing go after phrasal verb If you go after something, you try to get it, catch it, or hit it.
We're not going after civilian targets. V P n go against
1 phrasal verb If a person or their behaviour goes against your wishes, beliefs, or expectations, their behaviour is the opposite of what you want, believe in, or expect.
Changes are being made here which go against my principles and I cannot agree with them. V P n
2 phrasal verb If a decision, vote, or result goes against you, you do not get the decision, vote, or result that you wanted.
The prime minister will resign if the vote goes against him... V P n go ahead
1 phrasal verb If someone goes aheadwith something, they begin to do it or make it, especially after planning, promising, or asking permission to do it.
The district board will vote today on whether to go ahead with the plan. V P with n
2 phrasal verb If a process or an organized event goes ahead, it takes place or is carried out.
The event will go ahead as planned in Sheffield next summer. V P go along
1 phrasal verb If you go alongto a meeting, event, or place, you attend or visit it.
I went along to the meeting... V P to n
You should go along and have a look. V P and inf
2 phrasal verb If you describe how something is going along, you describe how it is progressing.
usu cont
Things were going along fairly well. V P adv go along with
1 phrasal verb If you go along with a rule, decision, or policy, you accept it and obey it.
Whatever the majority decided I was prepared to go along with. V P P n
2 phrasal verb If you go along with a person or an idea, you agree with them.
`I don't think a government has properly done it for about the past twenty-five years.'—`I'd go along with that.' V P P n go around
in BRIT, also use go round
1 phrasal verb If you go aroundto someone's house, you go to visit them at their house.
I asked them to go around to the house to see if they were there... V P to n
Mike went round to see them. V P to-inf
2 phrasal verb If you go around in a particular way, you behave or dress in that way, often as part of your normal life.
(=go about)
I had got in the habit of going around with bare feet... V P prep
If they went around complaining publicly, they might not find it so easy to get another job. V P -ing, Also V P adj
3 phrasal verb If a piece of news or a joke is going around, it is being told by many people in the same period of time.
There's a nasty sort of rumour going around about it. V P
4 phrasal verb If there is enough of something togo around, there is enough of it to be shared among a group of people, or to do all the things for which it is needed.
Eventually we will not have enough water to go around. V P go away
1 phrasal verb If you go away, you leave a place or a person's company.
I think we need to go away and think about this. V P
2 phrasal verb If you go away, you leave a place and spend a period of time somewhere else, especially as a holiday.
Why don't you and I go away this weekend? V P go back
1 phrasal verb If something goes backto a particular time in the past, it was made or started at that time.
(=date back)
The feud with the Catholics goes back to the 11th century... V P to n
Our association with him goes back four years. V P n
2 phrasal verb If someone goes backto a time in the past, they begin to discuss or consider events that happened at that time.
If you go back to 1960, you'll find that very few jobs were being created. V P to n, Also V P n go back on phrasal verb If you go back on a promise or agreement, you do not do what you promised or agreed to do.
The budget crisis has forced the President to go back on his word. V P P n go back to
1 phrasal verb If you go back to a task or activity, you start doing it again after you have stopped doing it for a period of time.
I now look forward to going back to work as soon as possible... V P P n/-ing
Amy went back to studying. V P P n/-ing
2 phrasal verb If you go back to a particular point in a lecture, discussion, or book, you start to discuss it.
Let me just go back to the point I was making. V P P n go before
1 phrasal verb Something that hasgone before has happened or been discussed at an earlier time.
This is a rejection of most of what has gone before. V P
2 phrasal verb To go before a judge, tribunal, or court of law means to be present there as part of an official or legal process.
The case went before Mr Justice Henry on December 23 and was adjourned. V P n go by
1 phrasal verb If you say that time goes by, you mean that it passes.
(=go on)
My grandmother was becoming more and more sad and frail as the years went by. V P
2 phrasal verb If you go by something, you use it as a basis for a judgment or action.
If they prove that I was wrong, then I'll go by what they say. V P n go down
1 phrasal verb If a price, level, or amount goes down, it becomes lower or less than it was.
(=fall)
Income from sales tax went down... V P
Crime has gone down 70 percent... V P amount
Average life expectancy went down from about 70 to 67. V P from/to/by n
2 phrasal verb If you go downon your knees or on all fours, you lower your body until it is supported by your knees, or by your hands and knees.
(=get down)
I went down on my knees and prayed for guidance. V P on n
3 phrasal verb In sport, if a person or team goes down, they are defeated in a match or contest.
(=lose)
They went down 2-1 to Australia. V P num, Also V P
4 phrasal verb If you say that a remark, idea, or type of behaviour goes down in a particular way, you mean that it gets a particular kind of reaction from a person or group of people.
Solicitors advised their clients that a tidy look went down well with the magistrates. V P adv
5 phrasal verb When the sun goes down, it goes below the horizon.
(=set)
...the glow left in the sky after the sun has gone down. V P
6 phrasal verb If a ship goes down, it sinks. If a plane goes down, it crashes out of the sky.
Their aircraft went down during a training exercise. V P
7 phrasal verb If a computer goes down, it stops functioning temporarily.
The main computers went down for 30 minutes. V P go down as phrasal verb If you say that an event or action will go down as a particular thing, you mean that it will be regarded, remembered, or recorded as that thing.
It will go down as one of the highlights of my career... V P P n go down with phrasal verb If you go down with an illness or a disease, you catch it.
INFORMAL Three members of the band went down with flu. V P P n go for
1 phrasal verb If you go for a particular thing or way of doing something, you choose it.
People tried to persuade him to go for a more gradual reform programme. V P n
2 phrasal verb If you go for someone or something, you like them very much.
INFORMAL I tend to go for large dark men. V P n
3 phrasal verb If you go for someone, you attack them.
Pantieri went for him, gripping him by the throat. V P n
4 phrasal verb If you say that a statement you have made about one person or thing also goes for another person or thing, you mean that the statement is also true of this other person or thing.
It is illegal to dishonour bookings; that goes for restaurants as well as customers. V P n
5 phrasal verb If something goes for a particular price, it is sold for that amount.
(=fetch)
Some old machines go for as much as 35,000 pounds. go in phrasal verb If the sun goes in, a cloud comes in front of it and it can no longer be seen.
(BRIT, Antonym: come out)
The sun went in, and the breeze became cold. V P go in for phrasal verb If you go in for a particular activity, you decide to do it as a hobby or interest.
They go in for tennis and bowls. V P P n go into
1 phrasal verb If you go into something, you describe or examine it fully or in detail.
It was a private conversation and I don't want to go into details about what was said. V P n
2 phrasal verb If you go into something, you decide to do it as your job or career.
Mr Pok has now gone into the tourism business. V P n
3 phrasal verb If an amount of time, effort, or money goes into something, it is spent or used to do it, get it, or make it.
Is there a lot of effort and money going into this sort of research? V P n go off
1 phrasal verb If you go off someone or something, you stop liking them.
(BRIT)
INFORMAL `Why have they gone off him now?'—`It could be something he said.'... V P n
I started to go off the idea. V P n
2 phrasal verb If an explosive device or a gun goes off, it explodes or fires.
A few minutes later the bomb went off, destroying the vehicle. V P
3 phrasal verb If an alarm bell goes off, it makes a sudden loud noise.
Then the fire alarm went off. I just grabbed my clothes and ran out. V P
4 phrasal verb If an electrical device goes off, it stops operating.
As the water came in the windows, all the lights went off. V P
5 phrasal verb If you say how an organized event went off, you are saying whether everything happened in the way that was planned or hoped.
The meeting went off all right... V P adv/prep
6 phrasal verb Food or drink that hasgone off has gone bad.
(BRIT)
Don't eat that! It's mouldy. It's gone off! V P go off with
1 phrasal verb If someone goes off with another person, they leave their husband, wife, or lover and have a relationship with that person.
I suppose Carolyn went off with some man she'd fallen in love with. V P P n
2 phrasal verb If someone goes off with something that belongs to another person, they leave and take it with them.
He's gone off with my passport. V P P n go on
1 phrasal verb If you go on doing something, or go on with an activity, you continue to do it.
(=carry on)
Unemployment is likely to go on rising this year... V P -ing
I'm all right here. Go on with your work... V P with n
I don't want to leave, but I can't go on. V P
2 phrasal verb If something is going on, it is happening.
I don't know what's going on. V P
3 phrasal verb If a process or institution goes on, it continues to happen or exist.
The population failed to understand the necessity for the war to go on. V P
4 phrasal verb If you say that a period of time goes on, you mean that it passes.
(=go by)
Renewable energy will become progressively more important as time goes on. V P
5 phrasal verb If you go onto do something, you do it after you have done something else.
Alliss retired from golf in 1969 and went on to become a successful broadcaster... V P to-inf
6 phrasal verb If you go onto a place, you go to it from the place that you have reached.
He goes on to Holland tomorrow. V P prep/adv
7 phrasal verb If you go on, you continue saying something or talking about something.
Meer cleared his throat several times before he went on... V P
`Go on,' Chee said. `I'm interested.' V P with quote
8 phrasal verb If you go on about something, or in British English go on at someone, you continue talking about the same thing, often in an annoying way.
INFORMAL Expectations have been raised with the Government going on about choice and market forces... V P about n
She's always going on at me to have a baby. V P at n to-inf, Also V P at n
9 phrasal verb You say `Go on' to someone to persuade or encourage them to do something.
INFORMAL only imper
Go on, it's fun. V P
10 phrasal verb If you talk about the information you have togo on, you mean the information you have available to base an opinion or judgment on.
But you have to go on the facts... V P n
There's not much to go on. V P n
11 phrasal verb If an electrical device goes on, it begins operating.
(=come on)
A light went on at seven every evening. V P go out
1 phrasal verb If you go out, you leave your home in order to do something enjoyable, for example to go to a party, a bar, or the cinema., (Antonym: stay in)
I'm going out tonight. V P
2 phrasal verb If you go outwith someone, the two of you spend time together socially, and have a romantic or sexual relationship.
I once went out with a French man... V P with n
They've only been going out for six weeks. pl-n V P
3 phrasal verb If you go outto do something, you make a deliberate effort to do it.
You do not go out to injure opponents... V P to-inf
It will be a marvellous occasion and they should go out and enjoy it. V P and inf
4 phrasal verb If a light goes out, it stops shining.
The bedroom light went out after a moment. V P
5 phrasal verb If something that is burning goes out, it stops burning.
The fire seemed to be going out. V P
6 phrasal verb If a message goes out, it is announced, published, or sent out to people.
Word went out that a column of tanks was on its way. V P
7 phrasal verb When a television or radio programme goes out, it is broadcast.
(BRIT)
The series goes out at 10.30pm, Fridays, on Channel 4. V P
8 phrasal verb When the tide goes out, the water in the sea gradually moves back to a lower level., (Antonym: come in)
The tide was going out. V P
9 You can say `My heart goes out to him' or `My sympathy goes out to her' to express the strong sympathy you have for someone in a difficult or unpleasant situation.
my heart/sympathy/thoughts go(es) out to sb phrase V inflects (feelings)
My heart goes out to Mrs Adams and her fatherless children. go out for phrasal verb To go out for something means to try to do it or be chosen for it.
(AM)
(=try out for)
You should go out for Supreme Court justice. V P P n go out of phrasal verb If a quality or feeling goes out of someone or something, they no longer have it.
The fun had gone out of it. V P P n go over phrasal verb If you go over a document, incident, or problem, you examine, discuss, or think about it very carefully.
I won't know how successful it is until an accountant has gone over the books. V P n go over to
1 phrasal verb If someone or something goes over to a different way of doing things, they change to it.
The Armed Forces could do away with conscription and go over to a volunteer system. V P P n
2 phrasal verb If you go over to a group or political party, you join them after previously belonging to an opposing group or party.
Only a small number of tanks and paratroops have gone over to his side. V P P n go round
→
go around go through
1 phrasal verb If you go through an experience or a period of time, especially an unpleasant or difficult one, you experience it.
He was going through a very difficult time... V P n
South Africa was going through a period of irreversible change. V P n
2 phrasal verb If you go through a lot of things such as papers or clothes, you look at them, usually in order to sort them into groups or to search for a particular item.
It was evident that someone had gone through my possessions. V P n
3 phrasal verb If you go through a list, story, or plan, you read or check it from beginning to end.
Going through his list of customers is a massive job. V P n
4 phrasal verb When someone goes through a routine, procedure, or series of actions, they perform it in the way they usually do.
Every night, they go through the same routine: he throws open the bedroom window, she closes it. V P n
5 phrasal verb If a law, agreement, or official decision goes through, it is approved by a parliament or committee.
(=get through)
The bill might have gone through if the economy was growing. V P go through with phrasal verb If you go through with an action you have decided on, you do it, even though it may be very unpleasant or difficult for you.
Richard pleaded for Belinda to reconsider and not to go through with the divorce. V P P n go towards phrasal verb If an amount of money goes towards something, it is used to pay part of the cost of that thing.
One per cent of total public spending should eventually go towards the arts... V P n/-ing
Under the new approach more money will go towards improving the standard of training. V P n/-ing go under
1 phrasal verb If a business or project goes under, it becomes unable to continue in operation or in existence. (BUSINESS)
(=collapse)
If one firm goes under it could provoke a cascade of bankruptcies. V P
2 phrasal verb If a boat, ship, or person in a sea or river goes under, they sink below the surface of the water.
(=sink)
The ship went under, taking with her all her crew. V P go up
1 phrasal verb If a price, amount, or level goes up, it becomes higher or greater than it was.
(=rise, increase)
Interest rates went up... V P
The cost has gone up to $1.95 a minute... V P to/from/by n
Prices have gone up 61 percent since deregulation. V P amount
2 phrasal verb When a building, wall, or other structure goes up, it is built or fixed in place.
He noticed a new building going up near Whitaker Park. V P
3 phrasal verb If something goes up, it explodes or starts to burn, usually suddenly and with great intensity.
I was going to get out of the building in case it went up... V P
The hotel went up in flames. V P in n
4 phrasal verb If a shout or cheer goes up, it is made by a lot of people together.
A cheer went up from the other passengers. V P go with
1 phrasal verb If one thing goes with another thing, the two things officially belong together, so that if you get one, you also get the other.
(=accompany)
...the lucrative $250,000 salary that goes with the job. V P n
2 phrasal verb If one thing goes with another thing, it is usually found or experienced together with the other thing.
For many women, the status which goes with being a wife is important. V P n go without phrasal verb If you go without something that you need or usually have or do, you do not get it or do it.
I have known what it is like to go without food for days... V P n/-ing
The embargo won't hurt us because we're used to going without. V P
