go 592
pass. (go by sthg.)] to act according to; be guided by: He always goes by the rules. | Don't go by that old map; it might be out of date. 3 [T no pass. (go by sthg.)] to judge by: Going by her clothes, she must be very rich.
go down phr v [I] 1 to become lower in price, value, level, quantity etc: The standard of work has gone down. | The (value of the) dollar has gone down again. | Eggs are going down (in price). | He's gone down in my opinion since I discovered his political views. | This neighbourhood has gone down (=to a lower social level) in the last few years. 2 to sink; disappear from sight or below a surface: Three ships went down in the storm. | The sun is going down. 3 to become less swollen: My ankle has gone down, so I should be able to walk again soon. | This tyre's going down; I'll pump it up. 4 (of a computer or machine) to stop working suddenly: The central computer went down this morning, so we can't check whether that's been paid or not. 5 [+adv/prep] to be accepted: Her speech went down well (with the crowd). 6 (of food and drink) to pass down the throat: The pills wouldn't go down so I dissolved them in some water. 7 AmE to happen: 'What's going down, bro?' | 'We're going out to see what's going down.' 8 [+adv/prep, especially in] to be recorded: This day will go down in history. 9 [+adv/prep, especially to] to reach as far as: The mountains go right down to the sea. 10 [(from, to)] BrE to leave a university after a period of study, or a city for a less important place: He went down without taking a degree. | We're going down to the country for the weekend. 11 [(for)] slang to be sent to prison: He went down for five years. 12 go down the tubes/drain infml, derog to become poorer in quality: This place has really gone down the tubes.
go down with sthg. phr v [T no pass.] infml to catch (an infectious illness): They all went down with scarlet fever.
go for sbdy./sthg. phr v [T no pass.] 1 to attack, physically or with words: Our dog went for the postman this morning! | She really went for me when I came in late. 2 to try to obtain or win: I hear you're going to go for that job in the accounts department. | Smith is going for gold (=will try to win the GOLD MEDAL) in the 200 metres. 3 to choose or take: When you offer him sweets he always goes for the biggest one. 4 to like or be attracted by: Do you go for modern music? | I don't go for men of his type. 5 to concern or be true for (someone or something): I think this report is badly done, and that goes for all the other work done in this office. | He thought the lunch was terrible, and the same goes for all the rest of us too. (=we also thought it was terrible) 6 Go for it! infml do it; try it; get it (said about something exciting): I think the team's got the ball—go for it! 7 go for nothing to be wasted; have no result: All my hard work went for nothing.
go in phr v [I] 1 (of the sun, moon etc) to become covered by cloud 2 [(with)] to join: They invited me to go in with them to form a new company.
go in for sthg. phr v [T] 1 to take part in (a test of skill or knowledge); enter: to go in for a competition | Several people went in for the race. 2 to make a habit of (doing), especially for enjoyment: I don't go in for sports. | [+v-ing] I've never gone in (much) for dancing.
go into sthg. phr v [T] 1 [no pass.] to enter (a profession, state of life etc): She plans to go into politics when she leaves university. | He went into business as an undertaker. 2 [no pass.] to be put into: Three years' work has gone into this scheme. 3 to explain in depth: He didn't go into details but I gather from what he said that she was seriously injured. | This new textbook goes into all the complexities of grammatical theory. 4 to examine thoroughly: There's something mysterious about his death; it'll have to be gone into by the police.
go off phr v 1 [I] a) to explode: Don't touch that unexploded bomb; it might go off! b) to ring or sound loudly: The alarm went off when the thieves got in. 2 [I] to stop operating: The heating goes off at night. | The lights went off. 3 [+adv/prep] to happen in the stated way; COME off (2): The conference went off very well. (=was a success) 4 [I] (of food) to go bad: This milk has gone off. 5 [I] BrE to stop being felt: The pain went off after three treatments. 6 [Tgo off sthg./sbdy.)] a) BrE infml to lose interest in or liking for: I've gone off coffee recently. | [+v-ing] Mary and I have gone off cooking, so we eat out a lot. b) AmE to stop using, eating, or drinking something: The doctor said to go off coffee and chocolate. 7 [I] BrE infml to go down from a higher level of skill, quality, interest etc: The lessons have gone off since we had a new teacher. | The book goes off after the first 50 pages.
go off with sthg./sbdy. phr v [T] 1 infml to take away without permission: Someone's gone off with my pen! 2 to leave one's marriage partner and start living with (someone else): He went off with his secretary.
go on phr v 1 [I] to take place or happen: There's a children's party going on next door. | What's going on here? | Their secretive behaviour made me suspect there was something illegal going on. -> see also GOINGS-ON 2 [I] to begin to operate: I've set the heating to go on at six o'clock. | The lights went on. 3 [T no pass. (go on sthg.)] a) to use as a reason, proof, or base for further action: We were just going on what Aunt Jess told us of the situation. | A bloody handkerchief and the name 'Margaret' were all the police had to go on to catch the killer. b) to start using (a drug): I'm going on the birth control pill next week. 1 to go on tranquillisers 4 [I] to go in advance of others; go ahead: You go on; we'll catch up with you later. 5 [I] (of time) to pass: As time went on, things began to change. | As the day went on, it became hotter. 6 [(with)] a) to continue without stopping or without change: Go on with your work. | We can't go on like this – I want a divorce! | [+v-ing] She didn't want to go on being a secretary all her life, so she went back to college. b) to continue talking, especially after stopping or in order to pass to a new subject: Go on, I'm listening. | He paused for a sip of coffee, then went on with his story. | [+to-v] After describing the planned improvements, she went on to explain how much they would cost. -> see also ONGOING 7 [+adv/prep] to behave continually in a certain way: If he goes on like this he'll lose his job. | To judge by the way she's going on, she's very nervous about something. 8 [(at)] to keep complaining or criticizing: She's always going on at her husband. 9 [I] infml to keep talking to the point of being annoying: He does go on so. | She goes on and on. 10 [I] infml to advance or develop; get on: How's the work going on? 11 Go on (with you)! infml I don't believe you! 12 to go/be going on with infml, especially BrE (to use) for the present time: Here's £30 to be going on with; I'll give you some more tomorrow.
go out phr v [I] 1 to leave the house, especially for amusement: She's gone out for a walk. | He goes out drinking two or three times a week. 2 [TOGETHER with] to spend time, especially regularly (with someone of the opposite sex): They've been going out (together) for two years. 3 [(to)] to travel to a usually distant place, especially in order to live there: My friends went out to Australia. 4 to be made public, be sent: Have the notices all gone out? 5 (of a fire, light etc) to stop burning or shining: Without more coal, the fire will soon go out. 1 (fig.) As soon as he got into bed, he went out like a light. (=went to sleep very quickly) 6 (of the sea) to go back to its low level: The tide's going out. -> opposite COME IN 7 to stop being fashionable: Short skirts went out some time ago. -> opposite COME IN 8 [+adv/prep, especially to] fml (of feelings) to be in sympathy (with): Our thoughts go out to our friends abroad. 9 [+adv/prep] especially lit (of time) to end: March went out with high winds and rain.
go over phr v 1 [T(go over sthg.)] a) to visit and examine: We went over several houses before we found the one we wanted. b) to look at and examine for a purpose; CHECK: We went over the accounts thoroughly but couldn't find any mistakes. -> see also GOING-OVER 2 [Tgo over sthg.)] to repeat: If they don't understand it the first time, go over it (again) until they do. 3 [I+adv/prep] (of a performance) to be received in the stated way: His speech went over well. 4 [I+from/to] to change (one's political party, religion etc): He went over from the Democrats to the Republicans. | I've gone over to (eating) vegetarian food. 5 [I(to)] (in television or radio) to cause the broadcast to be made from another place: We're going over to the House of Commons for an important announcement.
go round phr v [I] 1 also go around — to be enough for everyone: If there aren't enough chairs to go round, some people will have to stand. 2 (of an illness) to spread; GO around 3 (of words, ideas etc) to be continuously present: There's a tune going round in my head.
go slow phr v [I] BrE to refuse to put more than the least amount of effort into one's work, as a form of STRIKE -> see also GO-SLOW
go through phr v 1 [T[go through sthg.]) to suffer or experience; ENDURE: The country has gone/been through too many wars. | I admire the way she's still so cheerful after all she's gone through. 2 [T[go through sthg.]) to use up; to finish; GET through (2): Have you gone through all your money?