| 释义 |
▪ I. follow, n.|ˈfɒləʊ|
[f. next verb.]
1. a. The action of the verb follow.
1870Hardy & Ware Mod. Hoyle, Dominoes 93 It is sometimes an advantage to hold heavy dominoes, as they not unfrequently enable you to obtain what is called a good ‘follow’. 1889Spectator 9 Nov. 635/1 And hark! the view⁓hollo! 'Tis Mack in full follow.
b. A supplementary portion (in a restaurant); also pl., = afters.
1910A. A. Milne Day's Play 213 At most restaurants you can get a second help of anything for half-price, and that is technically called a ‘follow’. 1946G. Millar Horned Pigeon ii. 31 Robeson..made us some kind of stew; and the ‘follows’..were tinned ‘yellow cling’ peaches.
2. Billiards. A stroke which causes the player's ball to roll on after the object-ball which it has set in motion. Called also follow-stroke, and following stroke. Also, the impulse given to the ball by such a stroke.
1873Bennett & Cavendish Billiards 371 The reason for playing with side is, that, when the balls are so close, sufficient ‘follow’ cannot be got on. 1881H. W. Collender Mod. Billiards 38 The Follow-Stroke. Ibid. 39 The ‘follow’ can also be executed with the cue delivered as far as one-fourth below centre.
3. follow on.
a. Cricket. The act of ‘following on’ (see follow v. 19 d); also applied to the innings itself. Also simply follow.
1876Baily's Mag. Aug. 100 Against which [score] Yorkshire could only put 208..which, unfortunately, did not prevent a ‘follow on’. 1881Standard 14 June 3/8 A ‘follow on’ was necessary. 1884Lillywhite's Cricket Ann. 60 With the follow saved there was no chance of completion of the game. 1892Sat. Rev. 9 July 33/1 In the follow on things altered very much.
b. attrib. in Cricketing and general use.
1897Badminton Mag. Apr. 441 The original ‘follow-on’ limit was 100. 1899W. G. Grace Cricket. Remin. 229 The compulsory follow-on innings. 1960Farmer & Stockbreeder 15 Mar. 94/1 (Advt.), This new booklet contains advice about ‘follow-on’ feeding. 1964Financ. Times 12 Mar. 19/1 A large follow-on order for..engines. 1964Economist 28 Mar. 1280/2 The follow-on rate [for electricity]. 1971Nature 19 Mar. 143/2 It recommended that follow-on Vikings should be held in abeyance until the results of the first missions are analysed.
4. follow-through.
a. Golf, Cricket, etc. The action or an act of following through (see follow v. 21). Also transf.
1897Encycl. Sport I. 465/1 Both force and direction are imparted by what is technically known as the ‘follow through’. 1904Daily Chron. 28 Apr. 3/2 It is..worthy of note that after the ball has departed, when the follow-through is nearly completed, Vardon's gaze is still fixed on the spot whence it has flown. 1920D. J. Knight in P. F. Warner Cricket 27 Another great factor of the batsman's art is what is known as the follow through. 1924F. G. Lowe Lawn Tennis 46 The wrist brings the striking face square with the ball, and after impact gradually turns the striking face over until at the finish of the ‘follow through’ it almost faces the ground. 1931Times Lit. Suppl. 17 Sept. 699/3 The upward swing of a bait-rod (that gentle easy follow-through). 1959Daily Mail 20 Feb. 10/4 Bowlers cutting up the pitch with their follow-through. 1964Wodehouse Frozen Assets i. 14 The Sergeant stamped some more papers. He had a wristy follow-through which at any other moment Jerry would have admired.
b. fig. or gen.
1926Socialist Rev. Jan. 308 He should be familiar with what is meant by ‘follow-through Departments’, for the condition of a patient five years after he leaves is a good test of the Hospital's efficiency. 1955Times 25 July 5/6 The follow-through from this beginning by our respective Governments will be decisive in the measure of this conference. 1959Times 11 June 16/3 Kaffirs..eased later because of lack of ‘follow through’ buying. 1970Daily Tel. 15 June 2/5 The test of the agreement will be on the success of the productivity follow-through.
5. follow-up. The action of following up; the pursuit or prosecution of something begun or attempted; see also quot. 1942. Also attrib.
1923J. D. Hackett in Managem. Engin. May, Follow-up, methods used by the personnel department to maintain friendly relations with employees. 1929Melody Maker Jan. p. iii (Advt.), Sensational follow-up song in America, to That's My Weakness Now. 1929Sat. Even. Post 14 Dec. 13/2 It's the follow-up of that injunction gag. 1931Brit. Jrnl. Psychol. July 87 A ‘follow up’ investigation of one thousand particularly gifted children. 1938W. S. Churchill Into Battle (1941) 68 A follow-up department in the Ministry to see exactly what was the state of production in the different firms. 1942Ann. Internal Med. XVI. 655 Many cases have repeated hospital admissions and form a long line of ‘follow-ups’ in the out-patient department. 1950W. Hammond Cricketers' School xvi. 149 The umpire himself may be temporarily unsighted by the bowler's follow-up. 1956C. Willock Death at Flight xvii. 227 Mr. Goss had briefed this team with all the relevant facts necessary for the follow-up story. 1957Technology Apr. 70/3 The manufacturer's attack on a market needs firepower..; but, as in war, there must also be consolidation, the ‘follow-up’. 1959B. Wootton Social Sci. & Social Path. ii. 60 Except for the occasional follow-ups of rehoused populations. 1968Brit. Med. Bull. XXIV. 208/1 A nation-wide follow-up system for samples of patients classified in field surveys. 1968New Scientist 21 Nov. 417/1 Follow-ups of persons who have attempted suicide are not carried through sufficiently.
▪ II. follow, v.|ˈfɒləʊ|
Forms: α. 1–2 folᵹian, 2–3 folȝie(n, (folȝhi), foleȝe(n, (foleȝi), 3 folien, folhen, 2–4 folȝe(n, (3 Orm. follȝhenn, 4 south. uolȝe(n, uolȝy), 3–5 folew(en, (3 south. uolewen, 4 follew(e), folwe(n, (4 follwe(n), folu(n, foluw(en, (3 south. uoluwen), 4–6 folow(e, foloe, (5 folaw(e, foloȝe, foloyn, 4–6 fowlow(e, 6 foolow(e), 6 Sc. fallow, 4–7 followe, 4– follow. β. 1–2 fylᵹan, fyliᵹan, fylᵹian, fylian, 2–3 fulien, (3 south. pa. tense vulede), 3–4 fulu(n, filȝe(n, filiȝ(en, filyh(en, filiyh(en, felu(n, 4–5 filow, fylow, felow, 5 filoe.
[The two OE. types, folᵹian (o- stem) and fylᵹan (-jo- stem), are, as is usual in similar pairs of conjugational variants, representatives of an OTeut. vb. of the -êjan class; cf. OFris. folgia, folia, fulia, OS. folgôn (Du. volgen), OHG. folgên (MHG. volgen, mod.Ger. folgen), ON. fylgja (Da. fölge, Sw. följa); not recorded in Goth. Beside these forms, several of the Teut. langs. have synonymous and phonetically resembling words which are compounds of gang and go vbs.; OE. has fulgangan, pa. tense ful-éode (from éode, serving as pa. tense of gân) = OS. fulgangan, OHG. folle gân. The most natural explanation of these parallel forms is that the apparently simple vb. was originally a compound or a phrasal combination. The first element occurs in OE. fylstan, fullǽstan, OHG. folleisten to help, succour, minister to (cf. Goth. laistjan to follow), OHG. follaziohan to assist, support (= OE. *fultéon, whence fultéam, fultum assistance), Goth. fullafahjan to worship, serve, minister to the needs of. In these cases the prefix seems to add to the sense of the simple vbs. the notion of doing something by way of service to another (so that sense 3 of the present vb. is probably nearest to the original meaning). It is on formal grounds probable that the prefix is identical with full; its function in the above-cited instances is perh. due to the circumstance that in some vbs. compounded with it the primary sense of ‘satisfying’ developed into the cognate sense of ‘ministering to’, ‘serving’.]
I. trans. [In OE. and early ME. the object is usually in the dative case.]
1. a. To go or come after (a person or other object in motion); to move behind in the same direction. Also with advs., e.g. about, out.
c1000Ags. Gosp. John x. 27 Mine sceap ᵹehyraþ mine stefne, and hiᵹ folᵹiaþ me. c1200Ormin 12768 He fand ta Filippe & seȝȝde þuss till himm; follh me. c1220Bestiary 757 Ilk der ðe him hereð..foleȝeð him up one ðe wold. a1300Cursor M. 15193 (Cott.) Folus forth þat ilk man Right in to þe bi. c1386Chaucer Miller's T. 74 As any kyde or calf folwynge his dame. a1533Ld. Berners Huon xlvii. 159 They went all together and foolowed Huon as preuely as they coude. 1598Shakes. Merry W. iii. ii. 6, I had rather (forsooth) go before you like a man, then follow him like a dwarfe. 1667Milton P.L. i. 238 Him followed his next Mate. 1750Goadby Apol. Life Bampfylde Moore Carew (ed. 2) v. 48 Parson Bryant followed him out. 1850Prescott Peru II. 200 The remainder of his forces when mustered were to follow him. 1860W. Collins Woman in White xi, I opened the door for her in silence, and followed her out. 1863Geo. Eliot Romola iii. xxi, It was plain that he had followed her, and had been waiting for her. 1865M. C. Harris Christine xxx, Richard followed his brother slowly out into the path. 1877A. Sewell Black Beauty xlviii, I used to come to him in the field and follow him about. 1910E. M. Albanesi For Love of Anne Lambart 59 He follows me about like a dog.
b. To go forward along (a path), to keep in (a track) as one goes. lit. and fig.
a1300Cursor M. 4575 (Cott.), I folud siþen, me-thoght, a sti Vntil a feild. 13..E.E. Allit. P. A. 127 Þe fyrre I folȝed þose floty valez. c1385Chaucer L.G.W. 2018 Ariadne, That..The same weye he may returne anon, Folwynge alwey the thred as he hath come. 1548Hall Chron., Rich. III (an. 3) 50 Pleiyng the parte of a good blood hounde, [he] foloed the tract of y⊇ flier..by y⊇ sent. 1667Milton P.L. ii. 1025 Sin and Death amain Following his track. 1711Steele Spect. No. 79 ⁋3, I am Young, and very much inclined to follow the Paths of Innocence. 1825in Cobbett Rur. Rides (1885) II. 25, I was resolved..not to follow the turnpike road one single inch further. 1874E. D. Smith tr. Oehler's O.T. Theol. I. §43. 151 Old Testament angelology follows the opposite path.
c. Phr. to follow the drum: to be a soldier. to follow the hounds: to keep up behind them in the chase; to hunt with hounds. follow my leader: a game in which each player must do what the leader does, or pay forfeit; also fig. to follow one's nose: to go straight on (without reflexion or preconceived plan). to follow the plough: said of the ploughman.
1650B. Discolliminium 19 I'le follow Providence, or my Nose, as well as I can. 1674N. Cox Gentl. Recreat. v. (1686) 2 Without its Assistance in Dieting and Exercise, no Horse can follow the Hounds..without hazarding. 1692Bentley Boyle Lect. ii. 34 The main Maxim of his Philosophy was, To trust to his Senses, and follow his Nose. 1732Berkeley Alciphr. i. §1 While he..follows the plough, or looks after his flocks. 1785Burns Jolly Beggars, ‘I am a son of Mars’, As when I us'd in scarlet to follow the drum. 1832Wordsw. Resol. & Independence vii, Following [ed. 1 (1807) behind] his plough, along the mountain-side. 1835Marryatt Jac. Faithf. xxxviii, One amusement..was a favourite one of the captain's as it made the men smart. It is called ‘Follow my leader’. 1858Thackeray Virgin. xvi, It was time to follow the hounds. 1895Tablet 14 Sept. 408 Englishmen are the last people in the world to play a blind game of follow-my-leader.
2. fig.
a. To come after in sequence or series, in order of time, etc.; to succeed.
a1300Cursor M. 4599 (Gött.) Seuen ȝere hunger grett Þat oþer neist sal be foluand Þat neuer was suilk bifor in land. 1659B. Harris Parival's Iron Age 241 One misfortune followes another. 1667Milton P.L. xii. 335 Such follow him, as shall be registerd, Part good, part bad, of bad the longer scrowle. 1728Pope Dunc. iii. 321 Signs following signs lead on the mighty year! 1802Ld. Eldon in Vesey Rep. VII. 81 This case was followed by The Att.-Gen. v. Doyley. c1817Hogg Tales & Sk. V. 350 Punishment must follow conviction, not antecede it. 1860Tyndall Glac. i. vii. 51 Transverse ridges which follow each other in succession.
†b. To be second or inferior to. Obs.
1632Massinger & Field Fatal Dowry ii. ii, Her education Follows not any.
c. To come after or succeed as a consequence or effect; to result from. (Cf. sense 4.)
1593Shakes. Lucr. 357 Misty night Covers the shame that follows sweet delight. a1616Beaum. & Fl. Thierry & Theod. i. ii, A duty well discharg'd is never follow'd By sad repentance. 1842Tennyson Morte d'Arthur 92 What good should follow this, if this were done? What harm, undone?
d. To provide (a thing) with a sequel (cf. 22 c) or a successor.
1671Head & Kirkman Eng. Rogue iv. viii. 125 At the first blow, I thought he had cut me in two, following that with three or four more. 1901Daily Chron. 14 Dec. 8/2 He had arranged to follow ‘Iris’ with..‘My Lady Virtue’. 1907Smart Set Jan. 72 Her efforts to follow ‘Anchored’ with other stories.
†e. Of a side at Cricket: to follow their innings, to follow on (see sense 19 d). Obs.
1815Suffolk Chron. 2 Sept. 4/4 The latter, immediately following their first innings, obtained 13. 1854J. Pycroft Cricket Field (ed. 2) xi. 251 The M.C.C...in playing Surrey followed their innings, being headed by 106. 1894Laws of Cricket §53 The side which goes in second shall follow their innings if they have scored 120 runs less than the opposite side in a three days' match, or 80 runs in a two days' match.
3. a. To go after or along with (a person) as an attendant or companion; to accompany, serve, or attend upon.
O.E. Chron. an. 755 Þa cuædon hie þæt..hie næfre his banan folᵹian noldon. c950Lindisf. Gosp. Mark v. 37 Ne leort æniᵹne monno to fylᵹenne hine. c1175Lamb. Hom. 151 Monie kunnes men foleȝeden ure drihten ine þisse liue. c1205Lay. 95 Of kunne & of folke þe fulede þan duke. a1300Cursor M. 15339 (Cott.) Yee haf me folud hider-to. c1385Chaucer L.G.W. 894 Thisbe, I wol the folwen ded and I wol be Felaw and cause eke of thy deth, quod she. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 6338 A seruand folowand his lorde. 1591Shakes. Two Gent. i. i. 94 Thou for wages followest thy master. 1611Bible 1 Sam. xvii. 13 And the three eldest sonnes of Iesse went, and followed Saul to the battell. 1845S. C. Hall Whiteboy vi. 51 The rheumatic..creature who had ‘followed’ the family for more than forty years. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 37 You may depend on my following and not deserting him.
b. To go after as an admirer, auditor, or the like.
1602Shakes. Ham. ii. ii. 349 Do they hold the same estimation they did when I was in the city? Are they so followed? 1756F. Brooke Old Maid No. 22 ⁋3, I went..with a friend, to hear one of the most followed and admired of them all [preachers]. Ibid. O! he is..a charming man!..thank God I have followed him these twenty years.
c. To attend (the body of a deceased person) to the grave; (colloq.) to attend a person's funeral. Also absol.
1814New Monthly Mag. Feb. 103/1 Behind the waggon followed the chief mourner, who was his own riding horse, attached by the bridle. 1819C. Wolfe in Rem. (1827) 155 Last night I helped to lay poor M― in his coffin, and followed him this morning to his grave. 1820Kaleidoscope New Ser. I. 142/3 His brothers..agreed to follow the body to the grave. 1831J. Banim Smuggler I. xi. 201 They renewed their cries for ‘Hood! to follow in the funeral!’ 1897Hall Caine Christian i. viii, Gimme a black cloth on the corfin, my dear, and mind yer tell 'im to foller. 1902Westm. Gaz. 18 Dec. 12/2 In Norfolk it is customary to speak of attending a funeral as ‘following’ the remains. 1940Brahms & Simon Don't, Mr. Disraeli ii. 21 Defiantly Henrietta sent a wreath to the funeral. It did not follow her friend to the grave.
4. fig. To accompany, attend upon, ‘go with’; to be a (necessary) concomitant or accompaniment to; to be consequent upon.
c1000Ags. Ps. lv[i]. 4 Ðæt minre spræce sped folᵹie. c1205Lay. 1002 Wælde heom scal fulien. a1300E.E. Psalter xxii[i]. 6 And filigh me sal þi mercy. c1450tr. De Imitatione ii. vi. 46 Sorwe foluiþ euer þe glory of þe worlde. 1526Tindale 1 Cor. x. 13 There hath no temptacion taken you but soche as foloweth the nature of man. 1599Shakes. Hen. V, v. ii. 297 The liberty that follows our places. 1611Bible Ps. xxiii. 6 Surely goodnes and mercie shall followe me all the daies of my life. 1667Milton P.L. ii. 25 The happier state In Heav'n, which follows dignity. 1859Jephson Brittany vi. 74 Under the feudal system, the title follows the land. 1868Morris Earthly Par. I. 610 (Pygmalion) Seest thou how tears still follow earthly bliss? 1885Law Rep. 29 Ch. Div. 283 The right to a grant of administration follows the right to the property.
5. a. To go in pursuit of, try to overtake or come up with; to pursue, chase.
Beowulf 2933 (Gr.) [He] folᵹode feorhᵹeniðlan. a1300E.E. Psalter xvi[i]. 38, I sal filghe mi faas, and um-lap þa. a1340Hampole Psalter vii. 1 Make me safe of all folouand me. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) iv. 12 Þe dragoun folowed and tuke þe knyght. 1548Hall Chron., Hen. VI (an. 6) 105 The Englishemen folowed theim so faste, in killyng and takyng of their enemies. 1690Dryden Don Sebast. i. i, 'Twas indeed the place To seek Sebastian: through a track of Death I follow'd him. 1783Cowper Epitaph on Hare 2 Here lies, whom hound did ne'er pursue, Nor swifter greyhound follow.
b. fig. To pursue like an enemy. Also, † to visit (a person) with (affliction, etc.).
a1310in Wright Lyric P. xv. 48 Evel ant elde, ant other wo, foleweth me so faste. c1350Will. Palerne 436 A fers feintise folwes me oft, & takes me so tenefully. 1606Shakes. Ant. & Cl. v. i. 36 O Antony! I haue followd thee to this. 1607― Cor. iv. v. 104 Since I haue euer followed thee with hate. 1671Lady M. Bertie in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 22 Wee play sometimes at trante a courante where my old ill lucke follows mee to loose my money. 1688Bunyan Jerus. Sinn. Saved (1689) 155 Art thou followed with affliction.
c. Sc. ‘To pursue at law’ (Jam.), prosecute. Also absol.
1425Sc. Acts Jas. I (1814) 9 The party scathit sall folowe, and the party trespassande sall defende, eftir the cours of the auld lawis of the realme. 1466Act. Audit. (1839) 5/2 [He] comperit nouther be himself nor his procuraturis to folow thaim.
†d. To visit (an offence, an offender) with punishment. Obs.
1579–80North Plutarch 19 (Theseus) There was no man at that time that dyd followe or pursue his death. 1593Bilson Govt. Christ's Ch. 295 Were you but once or twise well followed for other mens faultes, you woulde soone waxe weary of this generall and confused execution.
6. fig.
a. To pursue (an object of desire); to endeavour to reach or attain to; to strive after, try to gain or compass, aim at.
a1300Cursor M. 23868 (Gött.) In eldrin men vr merrur [we] mai se quat forto fulv, quat forto fle. c1400Apol. Loll. 33 Dekunis to be chast, not..fowlowing fowle wynning. 1539Bible (Great) Heb. xii. 14 Folowe peace wyth all men. 1549Latimer 3rd Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 97 He folowed gyftes, as fast as he that folowed the puddynge. 1754Chatham Lett. Nephew iv. 24 To follow what they are pleased to call pleasure. 1842Tennyson Ulysses 31 Yearning in desire To follow knowledge like a sinking star. 1859― Vivien 474, I follow fame.
†b. To pursue (an affair) to its conclusion or accomplishment; to follow up, prosecute; to enforce (law). Also const. on, upon, against (a person). Obs.
a1547Surrey Aeneid ii. 118 Ne could I fool refrein my tong from thretes..to folowe my reuenge. c1585R. Browne Answ. Cartwright 55 We shoulde first followe the Lawe on them, to thrust them out of the sheepefolde. 1595Daniel Civ. Wars iv. lxxxiii, Whereas the matter is so followed That he conuented is ere he could tell He was in danger. 1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, i. i. 21 O, such a day, So fought, so followed and so fairly won. 1608D. T. Ess. Pol. & Mor. 28 For that he did egerly follow the extreamitie of law against a certaine friende of his. 1653Holcroft Procopius, Vandal Wars ii. xi. 43 Belisarius followed no execution, thinking it enough with so small an Army to beat the enemy, and send him going. 1693Hum. Town i. 30 Giving his Lawyer double Fees, that his Cause may be well followed.
7. fig. (Cf. sense 3). To treat or take (a person) as a guide, leader, or master; to accept the authority or example of, obey the dictates or guidance of; to adhere to, espouse the opinions, side, or cause of. Also, to follow a person's steps.
c1000Ags. Gosp. Luke xvi. 13 He anum folᵹaþ and oðerne forhoᵹaþ. c1200Vices & Virtues (1888) 27 Ðat tu ne folȝih none dwelmenn, ðe muchel misleueð. c1230Hali Meid. 15 He seð þe folhen hire treoden. c1374Chaucer Anel. & Arc. 21 First followe I Stace, and after him Corinne. c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 381 Þat ȝe filow þe steppis of hym þat did no synne. c1449Pecock Repr. 248 The sympler partie of hem folewiden the worthier and the more wijs partie. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 1 b, Which doctours I folowe most communly in this poore treatyse. 1548Hall Chron., Hen. VI (an. 34) 169 Favoryng and folowyng the part of kyng Henry. 1548–9(Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer Collect 18th Sund. after Trinity, With pure harte and mynde to folowe thee the onelye God. 1666Dryden Let. to Sir R. Howard 10 Nov. Wks. (Globe) 41 Virgil..has been my master in this poem: I have followed him everywhere. 1706Atterbury Serm. 1 Cor. xv. 19 (1723) II. 7 They [Beasts] follow Nature, in their Desires and Fruitions, carrying them no farther than she directs. 1732Berkeley Alciphr. iv. §16 We profess to follow reason wherever it leads. 1851Ruskin Mod. Paint. II. iii. ii. v. §15 The sacred painters must not be followed in their frankness of unshadowed colour, unless we can also follow them in its clearness.
8. a. To conform to, comply with, obey, act upon or in accordance with (advice, command, teaching, example, fashion, etc.); to take as a rule or model, act up to, ‘walk after’.
a1000Elene 929 (Gr.) He forlæteð lare þine & manþeawum minum folᵹaþ. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 185 Wule nu þanne foleȝ seinte andreues faire forbisne. a1340Hampole Psalter xxi. 16 As hundes folus þer custom in berkyng & bitynge. a1450Cov. Myst. (1841) 268 Ȝyf ȝe wole folwe myn intent. 1548–9(Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer Collect Sunday bef. Easter, That all mankynde shoulde folowe the example of his greate humilitie. 1611Bible 2 Sam. xvii. 23 His counsell was not followed. 1671Milton P.R. i. 483 Most men admire Virtue, who follow not her lore. 1692Locke Educ. § 89 (1699) 141 Ill Patterns are sure to be follow'd more than good Rules. 1719De Foe Crusoe (1840) II. xi. 239 Our men..followed their orders. 1771Junius Lett. xlviii. 252, I..think that the precedent ought to be followed immediately. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 446 Had his advice been followed, the laws would have been strictly observed. 1871Morley Voltaire (1886) 5 Voltaire..did not always refuse to follow an adversary's bad example.
¶ intr. const. to. rare—1 (perh. an involuntary anacoluthon).
1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccccxli. 777 To the whiche counsayle they were gladde to folowe.
†b. To conform to in likeness, resemble, take after; to imitate or copy. Obs.
c1386Chaucer Clerk's T. 1133 Folweth Ekko, that holdeth no silence. c1400Destr. Troy 8723 The body of this bold, þat barely is ded, Most follow by fourme the freeltie of man: Hit may not long vpon loft ly vncoruppit. 1483Cath. Angl. 137/1 To Folowe y⊇ fader in maners, patrissare. 1597Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. xxviii. §1 We had rather follow the perfections of them whom we like not, than in defects resemble them whom we love. 1615T. Adams Spirit. Navig. 41 Glasse among stones is as a foole amongst men: for it followes precious stones in colour, not in virtue. 1674Wood Life (Oxf. Hist. Soc.) II. 281 Mrs. Betty her daughter follows her.
9. To walk in, pursue, practise (a way of life, habit, method of acting); to engage in, occupy oneself with, addict or apply oneself to; esp. to practise (a calling or profession) for a livelihood. to follow the sea: to practise the calling of a sailor.
971Blickl. Hom. 25 Þa men þe þyssum uncystum fylᵹaþ. c1175Lamb. Hom. 119 Monie þewas..ledað to deðe on ende þa þe heom duseliche folȝiað. c1400Cato's Morals 63 in Cursor M. 1670 Quat werk þou folow salle. 1601Shakes. Twel. N. i. iii. 99 O, had I but followed the arts! 1618Rolfe in Capt. Smith's Wks. (1819) II. 37 Euery man followed his building and planting. 1651Lilly Chas. I (1774) 177 While he was young, he followed his book seriously. 1709Steele & Swift Tatler No. 68 ⁋4 When I was young enough to follow the Sports of the Field. 1800Colquhoun Comm. Thames Pref., Those..who follow Nautical Pursuits. 1864D. G. Mitchell Sev. Stor. 269 He followed the profession of an artist. 1883Stevenson Treas. Isl. ii. x, Mr. Trelawney had followed the seas. 1885U. S. Grant Personal Mem. I. xxi. 288 Whose occupation had been following the river in various capacities, from captain down to deck hand.
10. To watch the progress or course of (an object in motion).
1697Dryden æneid vi. 643 [He] follow'd with his Eyes the flitting Shade. 1819Byron Juan i. clx, With prying snub-nose and small eyes he stood Following Antonia's motions here and there.
11. To trace or attend to the course or sequence of; to keep up with (an argument, train of thought, etc.) so as to grasp its sequence and meaning; also, to keep up with and understand (a person) as he reasons or recounts.
1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 408 An ancient Legend I prepare to sing, And upward follow Fame's immortal Spring. 1866L. Carroll Alice in Wonderld. ix, I think I should understand that better..if I had it written down: but I can't quite follow it as you say it. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 64, I do not quite follow you, he said. Ibid. V. 12 The argument is too difficult for them to follow.
12. Mech.
a. To go over the contour of (a piece of turned work with a tool).
b. Of a piece of machinery: To receive its motion from, be a ‘follower’ to (another piece).
1703Moxon Mech. Exerc. 213 They smoothen the work with the Edge..of a broken Knife..by following the Work with it: That is, holding the basil'd Edge of the Knife close against the Work while it comes about. 1851L. D. B. Gordon in Art Jrnl. Illust. Mag. ii. **/1 The act of giving motion to a piece is termed driving it, and that of receiving motion from a piece is termed following it.
13. to follow suit: see suit n.
II. Intransitive uses.
14. To go or come after a person or thing in motion; to move behind some object; also, to go as a person's attendant or companion. Const., after, † on, † to. Also fig. Cf. 1.
c1250Gen. & Ex. 3272 Egipcienes woren in twired wen queðer he sulden folȝen or flen. c1340Cursor M. 11435 (Trin.) Þei follewed on þe sterre beme Til þei coom to Ierusalem. Ibid. 19374 (Trin.) As bifore hem wrouȝt he þe wey So aftir him faste folewed þey. c1400Rom. Rose 6342 And with me folwith my loteby, To done me solas and company. c1475Rauf Coilᵹear 421 He followit to him haistely..For to bring him to the king. 1513More Rich. III (1641) 219 After whom folowed the King with his Crowne and Scepter. c1600Shakes. Sonn. xli. 4 For still temptation follows where thou art. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 700 He first, and close behind him follow'd she. 1848R. I. Wilberforce Incarnat. Our Lord xiv. (1852) 401 The Philosopher of Königsberg following in a measure in Plato's steps. 1874Green Short Hist. ii. §6. 89 Gilbert was one of the Norman strangers who followed in the wake of the Conqueror.
15. a. To come (next) after something else in order or sequence. as follows: a prefatory formula used to introduce a statement, enumeration, or the like. Cf. 2.
The const. in as follows is impers., and the verb should always be used in the sing.; for the incorrect pl. see quots. 1776, 1797.
c1300Cursor M. 19135 (Edin.) Þe toþer dai þat folwid neste. c1380Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 107 Þe secunde part..folweþ in þese wordes. 1426in Surtees Misc. (1890) 9 Was done afterwarde als her fast folowys. 1486Bk. St. Albans D iij, Now foloys the naamys of all maner of hawkys. 1548Hall Chron., Edw. IV (an. 23) 247 He openly sayde as foloweth. 1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 229 Vegetius having commended the Persian Horses saith, that the Armenians and Sapharens do follow next. 1711Addison Spect. No. 58 ⁋6 The Subject of it (as in the rest of the Poems which follow). 1776G. Campbell Rhetoric I. ii. iv. 495 Analogy as well as usage favour this mode of expression: ‘The conditions of the agreement as follows,’ and not as follow. A few late writers have inconsiderately adopted this last form through a mistake of the construction. 1797Godwin Enquirer ii. xii. §1. 374 The reasons that dissuade us..are as follow. 1806–7J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life (1826) ii. iv, Beat what follows if you can. 1843Mill Logic i. iii. §7 There are philosophers who have argued as follows.
b. To happen or occur after something else; to come next as an event; to ensue. Const. on.
c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 120 If þe crampe folowe it is deedly. a1533Ld. Berners Huon lxxxii. 254 It shall not folow after thy counsell. 1548Hall Chron., Hen. VI (an. 5) 103 b, The Castle was almoste undermined, so that yeldyng must folowe. 1611Bible Exod. xxi. 22 If men striue, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischiefe follow. 1667Milton P.L. ii. 206 When those who at the Spear are bold And vent'rous, if that fail them, shrink and fear What yet they know must follow. 1688J. Smith Baroscope 65 If Fair Weather follows immediately upon the Mercury's Rising. 1839J. Yeowell Anc. Brit. Ch. iii. (1847) 28 That the martyrdom of this blessed apostle followed very shortly after the writing of this Epistle. 1888Mrs. H. Ward R. Elsmere i. iii, That state which so often follows on the long confinement of illness. 1903R. Langbridge Flame & Flood ii, A rich-souled organ poured out its absolution; following on the voice of the violin.
16. To result (as an effect from a cause, an inference from premisses); to be, or occur as, a consequent. Const. from († of). Often impers. with a clause, it follows (that){ddd} Cf. 2 c.
a1300Cursor M. (Gött.) 2892 Fleis þat sine ouer al þis erde, Þe wreche þat foluis haue ȝe herd. c1386Chaucer Melib. ⁋110 And though that Salomon seith, That he ne fond never womman good, it folweth nat therfore that alle wommen ben wikke. c1449Pecock Repr. ii. i. 132 If this be trewe, thanne..it muste nedis folewe that [etc.]. 1624W. Simons in Capt. Smith's Wks. (1819) I. 166 In a short time it followed, that could not be had for a pound of Copper, which before was sould vs for an ounce. 1678Dryden Limberham i. Wks. 1883 VI. 27 But what followed of this dumb interview? 1698J. Keill Exam. Th. Earth (1734) 55 These are the effects which..would necessarily follow from the position of the Earths axis. 1751Jortin Serm. (1771) II. iii. 44 Though we have received a command to pray for our enemies, it follows not thence we may not wage war with them. 1843Mill Logic ii. i. §1 We say of a fact or statement, that it is proved, when we believe its truth by reason of some other fact or statement from which it is said to follow.
17. a. To go in chase or pursuit. Const. after, † on, † upon. Also fig. of things. Cf. 5.
c1250Gen. & Ex. 1751 He toc and wente and folwede on, And ðhoȝt in mod Iacob to slon. c1400Destr. Troy 10459 Theire fos on hom folowet. c1420Anturs of Arth. v, The king blue a rechase, Folut fast on the trase. 1535Coverdale Prov. xiii. 21 Myschefe foloweth vpon synners. 1611Bible Gen. xliv. 4 Vp, follow after the men. 1623Bingham Xenophon 115 They dare and will be readie to follow vpon vs, if we retire.
b. to follow after: to strive to reach, gain, or compass. Cf. 6.
1362Langl. P. Pl. A. x. 189 Þauȝ þei don hem to donmowe..To folewen aftur þe Flucchen, fecche þei hit neuere. 1611Bible Ps. cxix. 150 They draw nigh that follow after mischiefe. 1881Bible (R.V.) Heb. xii. 14 Follow after peace with all men.
†c. ? To tend to. Obs.
c1475Rauf Coilᵹear 508 Thow fand me fechand nathing that followit to feid.
†18. Of a person: To proceed with, or continue doing, something begun. Cf. 6 b. Obs.
a1300Cursor M. 12197 (Cott.) Ihesus þan folud on his speke. 1703Moxon Mech. Exerc. 182 Having thus described the parts of a Common Lathe, I shall now follow with their other Tools also.
III. In combination with adverbs.
follow home. See home adv.
19. follow on.
a. intr. To go on in the same direction as an object which is moving in front; to continue following.
c1250[see 17]. 1884W. Cook Billiards 9 A following stroke is when you cause your ball to follow on after the ball it strikes.
†b. To go on or continue perseveringly (to do something). Obs.
1611Bible Hos. vi. 3 Then shal we know, if we follow on to know the Lord.
c. trans. = follow up b.
1652Wadsworth tr. Sandoval's Civ. Wars Spain 363 If, after the taking of Torrelobaton, hee had followed on his victorie.
d. intr. Of a side at Cricket: To go in again at once after completing the first innings, in consequence of having made a prescribed number of runs less than their opponents in the first innings.
1865F. Lillywhite Guide to Cricketers 86 Surrey ‘followed on’, but left only 23 runs for Oxford to get to win. 1882Standard 9 Aug. 3/6 They consequently had to ‘follow on’. 1891Leeds Mercury 2 May 6/4 Being left in a minority of 93 they had to follow on.
20. follow out. trans. To pursue to a conclusion; to bring to a completion or final issue.
1762Ld. Kames Elem. Crit. I. i. 36 Avarice having got possession of his mind, he follows out that theme to the end. 1884Church Bacon 22 While he was following out the great ideas which were to be the basis of his philosophy.
21. follow through. intr. Golf, etc. To continue the stroke, after the ball has been struck, to the full extent of the swing. (Cf. follow n. 4.)
[1895H. G. Hutchinson Golf (ed. 5) iv. 87 The difficulty..of getting the club to follow easily through after the ball.] 1897Encycl. Sport I. 464/1 The player should have the habit, so important in this ‘following through’, of regarding the ball merely as a point through which the club head is to pass in the course of its circuit. 1909P. A. Vaile Mod. Golf xiv. 197 The timing of the stroke, so that the head of the driver..runs into the line of flight of the ball, hits it truly, and then follows through in a true vertical plane. 1967Know the Game: Tennis 31 The racket is following through.
22. follow up. trans.
a. To go after or pursue closely; to keep steadily in the track or pursuit of.
1847Tennyson Princ. i. 203 We follow'd up the river as we rode. Ibid. iv. 446 It becomes no man to nurse despair, But..To follow up the worthiest till he die. 1888Times 16 Oct. 10/5 The Forest bylaws..make no provision for wounded deer being followed up.
b. To prosecute with energy (an affair already in progress); to reinforce by further vigorous action or fresh support.
1794Paley Evid. ii. ix. (1817) 216 It comes next to be considered how far these accounts are confirmed or followed up by other evidence. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. 354 The blow was speedily followed up. 1867Smiles Huguenots Eng. ix. (1880) 143 Louis was not slow to follow up this intimation with measures of a more positive kind. 1878R. B. Smith Carthage 98 The Romans followed up their success by an attack on Olbia.
absol.1854Dickens Hard T. i. ii, He would go in and damage any subject whatever with his right, follow up with his left [etc.].
c. = sense 2 d.
1795T. Paine Age of Reason ii. 66 Matthew..follows up this part of the story of the guard..with a second part. 1905W. Bodie Bodie Bk. 173, I must explain these two statements, and then follow them up by a third.
23. Comb. follow-me-lads n. pl. [cf. F. suivez-moi-jeune-homme], curls or ribbons hanging loosely over the shoulder; also sing., U.S. colloq., a furbelow in a woman's costume; follow-spot, a spotlight that follows a performer on the stage; also fig.
1862Times 21 Jan. 10/1 Vagrant ringlets straying over the shoulder, better known by the name of ‘follow me, lads’. 1872Spectator (Farmer), ‘Follow-me-lads’ are not in themselves very pretty, though, like any other fashion, they become the Princess. 1874Hotten Slang Dict., Follow-me-lads, curls hanging over a lady's shoulder. 1901Greenough & Kittredge Words (1902) 190 Kiss-me-quick, hug-me-tight, follow-me-lads,—names for articles of female attire. 1929K. H. Brown The Father i, Miss Evelina Amberley, in all her frills and laces and follow-me-lads, as scalloped and frilled and fluted as her name. Ibid. ix, The knife sawed through Aunt Euphemia's follow-me-lad, slashed out a thick chunk of somber plush. 1957J. Osborne Entertainer i. 12 The lighting is..bright and hard, or a simple follow-spot. 1960Lawrence & Lee Gang's All Here 7 The follow spot is preparing to seek the man who will go to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
▪ III. follow
obs. form of fellow. |