| 释义 |
▪ I. go, n.1|gəʊ|
Pl. goes.
[f. the vb.]
1. The action of going, in various senses. Also, manner of going, gait. rare (chiefly in nonce-uses). For come and go see come n.1 2.
1727Boyer Fr. Dict. s.v., This Horse has a good Go with him, (he goes well, or paces well). 1842Lady Granville Lett. (1894) II. 333 A most distinguished-looking blowen, such a maintien and walk, like Dino and Orleans in her go. 1865G. Macdonald A. Forbes II. xxix. 267 All night Tibbie Dyster had lain awake in her lonely cottage, listening to the quiet heavy go of the water. 1893Chamb. Jrnl. 28 Jan. 56/1 Rolling with the come and go of small waves.
2. colloq.
a. Orig. of a horse: Power of going, mettle, spirit. Hence of persons, etc.: Dash, energy, vigour. Also of musical compositions, etc.: Brightness, animation, ‘swing’.
1825C. M. Westmacott Eng. Spy I. 178 She's only fit to carry a dean or a bishop.—No go in her. 1830A. W. Fonblanque Eng. under 7 Administ. (1837) II. 50 Ellenborough [spoken of as a horse],..all action, and no go. 1843J. H. Newman in J. Ornsby Mem. J. R. Hope-Scott (1884) II. 31 Its integrity, vigour—in a word, its go. 1864J. Brown Pl. Words on Health Pref. 9 A queer man..always scheming—full of ‘go’, but never getting on. 1872Bagehot Physics & Pol. (1876) 201 Oh, he has plenty of go in him. 1882Daily Tel. 9 Oct. 2/7 Mr. Grossmith's music is..full of humour and ‘go’. 1884Congregationalist Feb. 109 Numbers of people who like the ‘swing’ and ‘go’..of these popular religious ballads. 1887Daily Tel. 10 Sept. 2/5 She..looked like a boat with a great deal of ‘go’ in her. 1892Leslie Lett. to Marco (1893) 223 Physically, he is a wonderful man..very wiry, and full of energy and go.
b. Vigorous activity; hard work; esp. in phr. it's all go. colloq.
1965New Statesman 14 May 777/1 Believe me, it's all go with these tycoons, mate. Life's just one frenetic whirl of soigné secretaries and sex-mad air 'ostesses. 1967Boston Sunday Herald 14 May ii. 16/6 All the time it's go in Florida.
3. colloq. or vulgar. A proceeding; a turn of affairs, unexpected course of things; now chiefly one that causes embarrassment. Usually with adj., as a pretty, queer, rum go.
1796M. Robinson Angelina II. 168 ‘You may take off the four horses; the gentlewoman goes in the stage.’ ‘This a good go enough!’ cried one of the post⁓boys. 1797A. M. Bennett Beggar Girl (1813) III. 61 ‘There's a go now!’ cried Miss, with a hoyden laugh. 1803J. Kenney Raising Wind I. iii. 17 Ha! ha! ha! Capital go! isn't it? 1820Jack Randall's Diary (Farmer), It's what I call the primest go. 1833Marryat P. Simple I, It might have been a pretty go. 1841Punch I. 169 Stating his conviction that ‘this was rayther a rummy go’. 1849Mrs. Carlyle Lett. II. 43 ‘Kept at sea double the time’, and ‘short of provisions’;—that would have been a go! 1869Mrs. H. Wood Roland Yorke III. xli. 240 And leave us to old Brown! that will be a nice go! 1869B. Harte Return Belisarius 14 You knew that he's got the consumption? You didn't! Well, come, that's a go. 1876Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. i. vii, I see a man with his eye pushed out once—that was a rum go as ever I see.
4. colloq.
a. A turn (at doing something); a single spell of doing something, esp. in phr. at one go; an attack or attempt at, freq. as to have a go at. Also (without const.) to have a go: to make an attempt; to act resourcefully or with initiative; spec. (a) in Cricket, to hit out recklessly in an attempt to make runs; (b) to take independent or single-handed action against criminals.
1825J. Neal Bro. Jonathan I. 8 He would rivet his large eyes, for half an hour at a ‘go’, upon some part of the wall. 1835R. H. Froude Rem. (1838) I. 417 And now I will have another go at you, about your rule of faith in fundamentals. 1846Sir R. Owen Let. 5 Nov. in Life (1894) I. 304 As men spread they..killed the hyænas off at one go in Yorkshire, for example. 18775 Yrs' Penal Servit. iii. 221 I've twelve this go. I did a lagging of seven, and [etc.]. 1889J. K. Jerome 3 Men in Boat 58, I agreed and sat down, and they had a go. 1894N. Gale Cricket Songs 25 Toss him down a slow, you see, He's sure to have a go, you see! 1895Cornh. Mag. Aug. 176 We'll have another go at this game next Thanksgiving. 1898J. Arch Story of his Life xvi. 381, I wrote it in 2 goes of 6 hours each. 1912W. Elmhirst Freshman's Diary 28 Apr. (1969) 67 We paddled most of the way up..& then Beach had a go at punting. Coming back I had a go for some time. 1933Punch 1 Feb. 126/1 Whether my voice would work the charm, Frankly, I didn't know; But as it couldn't do much harm I thought I'd have a go. 1963Times 28 Feb. 3/6 After several overs, during which he seemed to command the bowling, he announced to Reid, who was his partner, that he had ‘had it’ and was going to have a go. 1965Times 1 Jan. 4/6 Mr. Bacon was asked what advice he would give to members of the public who saw a gunman carrying out a raid. ‘..if you can have a go then have a go,’ he replied. Ibid., It is completely wrong to encourage people to ‘have a go’..particularly when the criminals they are..having a go at are trigger-happy hooligans. 1966Economist 6 Aug. 534/1 There is a cryptic passage about legal protection for citizens who fight against crime (Russians who ‘have a go’?). 1971Daily Tel. 4 Mar. 15/4 A cashier who tried to ‘have a go’ was hit on the head with a gun butt.
b. A contest or battle; a fight, esp. a prize-fight or boxing-match; an argument. colloq.
1890Texas Siftings 1 Nov. 7/3 Cost me five dollars the other day to see the tamest kind of a go. There wasn't a knockdown in ten rounds. 1893K. Mackay Out Back (ed. 2) ii. i. 153 Douglas and Wrixon dearly loved a ‘go’ between horses. 1902W. Satchell Land of Lost xxvi. 243 There was the little go we 'ad on the gumfield—'e 'ad all the best of that. 1959I. & P. Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolch. x. 197 The Liverpudlian says ‘Come on I'll 'ave you a go’..or ‘I'll have you a scrap’.
c. An attack or bout of some sickness or ailment.
1890Ld. Lugard Diary 3 Jan. (1959) I. 62 Afraid shall have a go of fever, for which this place is notorious. 1920Blackw. Mag. May 614/2 A bad go of snow-blindness had driven me in to Leh. 1928Galsworthy Swan Song v. 45 No second go of measles, Jon.
d. (a) fair go: equitable treatment; a fair chance, a ‘square deal’; spec. a fair fight; also without fair; also int. and as an expression of enquiry; to give it a go: to give it a try; to make an attempt. Chiefly Austral. and N.Z. colloq.
1911L. Stone Jonah ii. vi. 215 The spinner handed his stake of five shillings to the boxer, who cried ‘Fair go!’ The spinner placed the two pennies face down..and then..the coins flew twenty feet into the air. 1918Chrons. N.Z.E.F. 11 Oct. 130/1 An interesting competition. Give it a go! Ibid. 22 Nov. 264/2 It's a bit tight, but we'll give it a go. 1919W. H. Downing Digger Dial. 22 Fair go, equitable treatment; a fair field and no favor. 1937J. A. Lee Civilian into Soldier i. 25 ‘I'm not getting a fair go.’ Guy tried to explain the injustice. 1941Baker Dict. Austral. Slang 27 A fair go, a fight. Ibid. 28 Fair go!, be reasonable! Give him (it, etc.) a chance! 1944W. E. Harney Taboo (ed. 3) 125 So he said, ‘All right, old man, you sing rain and that boy can have Rosie. Fair go.’ 1947‘A. P. Gaskell’ Big Game 22 No, fair go, Bomb. The Adjutant wants you. 1959H. P. Tritton Time means Tucker vii. 55/1 Dutchy..asked him to give us a fair go. 1961B. Crump Hang on a Minute Mate xiii. 149 Fair go? asked Jack, scenting a yarn in Sam's tone. 1961P. White Riders in Chariot xi. 346 A man stands a better chance of a fair go if he's got a mate. 1963Times 31 Jan. 4/1 Had England been left to score 300 or more at something like 70 an hour as was possible and ‘given it a go’, the odds would have been heavily against them. 1969Advertiser (Adelaide) 12 May 5/4 Stop whingeing and give a bloke a go, mates. 1969Coast to Coast 1967–68 23 He braced himself, but staggered under their onslaught and came down on his knees. ‘Fair go!’ ‘Poor Daddy,’ she murmured, settling down beside him. 1971N.Z. Listener 22 Mar. 13/1 Finger's out, honest. I'm giving it a go, Dad.
5. A quantity of anything supplied at one time. Cf. gang n.1 7.
a. of yarn for weaving. ? Obs.
1805Trans. Soc. Arts XXIII. 249 Beaming webs of any number of half gangs, goes, runners, or equal quantities of warps or chains of yarn.
b. colloq. of liquor; rarely of food.
1799in Spirit Publ. Jrnls. (1800) III. 352 [I] drank four goes of brandy and water. 1821Cobbett in 19th Cent. (1886) Feb. 254 Now he must live on plates of beef and goes of gin for the next seven years. 1836Dickens Sk. Boz (1892) 52 Oysters, stout, cigars, and ‘goes’ innumerable, are served up. 1855Thackeray Newcomes I. i. 6 The goes of stout..passed round merrily. 1865Daily Tel. 26 Dec. 3/3 Two or three ‘goes’ of roast mutton. 1883Stevenson Treas. Isl. ii. viii, Three goes o' rum!
c. colloq. The vessel containing this quantity.
1796Grose's Dict. Vulg. Tongue (ed. 3), Go-shop, the Queen's Head in Duke's-court..where gin and water is sold in three-halfpenny bowls, called Goes. 1861A. Smith Med. Student 33 A pewter ‘go’ which, if everybody had their own, would in all probability belong to Mr. Green.
6. In certain games.
a. Skittles. A delivery of the ball; also, any one of the recognized varieties of effect which this can produce.
1773A. Jones (title) The Art of Playing at Skittles..Shewing both the Old and New Methods of forming General Goes and Tips. 1884Sat. Rev. 18 Oct. 494/1 The best players always attempted their goes in diagonals of the frame, or from corner to corner. 1884Brit. Stand. Handbks. Sports & Pastimes II. ii. 16 Skittles, That all pins be knocked down, but should one remain standing it shall be considered an extra ‘go’... That the number of ‘goes’ be limited to five.
b. Cribbage. A ‘cry’ uttered by the player if he cannot play a card in his turn; the position thus indicated (for which the adversary scores one point).
1821Lamb Elia Ser. i. Mrs. Battle, She could never heartily bring her mouth to pronounce ‘Go’—or ‘That's a go’. She called it an ungrammatical game. 1830Hardie Hoyle made familiar 54 [Cribbage], [At 30] if B can play an ace, he says thirty-one, and takes two points; if not, he says go, and A scores one point for the go.
7. colloq.
a. Something that ‘goes’ or has a ‘run’; a ‘success’; esp. in phr. to make a go of it.
1876Sothern in J. F. Daly Life A. Daly (1917) 222, I learn yr. new piece is a ‘great go’—so it's quite on the cards you can do as well without me. 1877Bartlett Dict. Amer. s.v., ‘Make a go of it’, i.e. make it succeed. 1888Harper's Mag. Oct. 689/1 Determination to make the venture a go. 1896[see B.P. (a) s.v. B III]. 1898Daily News 23 June 6/1 ‘The Miscellany’ seems to have been a ‘go’. a1911D. G. Phillips Susan Lenox (1917) I. xv. 254 He had told the company that Susan was sure to make a go; and after she had made a go, he announced the beginning of a season of triumph. 1933Punch 19 Apr. 442/3 There seemed every reason for Tilly and Stevan to make a go of it. 1942E. Paul Narrow St. xxix. 261 The Amances had been unable to make a go of the hotel, and Monsieur Henri had been obliged to take it over. 1959G. Freeman Jack would be Gent. viii. 168 You have to make a go of marriage, you have to work to make a marriage a success.
b. A bargain, an agreement, a ‘deal’; usu. in phr. it's a go. colloq.
1878B. Harte Man on Beach 61 ‘Then it's a go?’.. ‘It's a go.’ 1908Magnet I. 1, The Remove don't like you now, but we'll stick together, and bring them round. Is it a go? 1936Wodehouse Laughing Gas i. 15 ‘Then say no more,’ I said. ‘It's a go.’
8. Phrases.
a. (it's) no go (colloq.): the attempt is hopeless. Also applied to a person: no good; not a success. See also no-go.
1825C. M. Westmacott Eng. Spy I. 178 It won't do, no go Dick. 1829T. Creevey Let. 20 Oct. in J. Gore Creevey's Life & Times (1934) xiv. 311 According to the Earl and myself, Fanny Kemble is no go. 1833Marryat P. Simple xxxi, That's no go. 1837Dickens Pickw. ii, Dog stopped—whistled again—Ponto—no go..wouldn't move. 1848Mrs. Carlyle Lett. II. 26 Amusement after a certain age is no go..merely distraction. 1848Thackeray Van. Fair xxxiv, You want to trot me out, but it's no go. 1888Lowell Heartsease & Rue 207 ‘You must rise’, says the leaven. ‘I can't’, says the dough; ‘Just examine my bumps, and you'll see it's no go’. 1912J. London Let. 19 Nov. (1966) 368 No; I told Eliza, George is no go.
attrib.1829Sporting Mag. XIII. 242 Stating the names of the constantly ‘no go’ coverts.
b. the go (now only, all or quite the go): said predicatively of persons and things; The height of fashion; the ‘correct thing’; the ‘rage’. colloq.
1793Coleridge Lett. (1895) 50 Have you read Mr. Fox's letter to the Westminster electors? It is quite the political go at Cambridge, and has converted many souls to the Foxite faith. 1800E. Hervey Mourtray Fam. I. 183 He is quite the thing; the go in every respect. 1810Splendid Follies I. 69 But kittens, you must recollect, are all the go. 1819Moore Ep. fr. Tom Cribb 2 Is this the new go?—kick a man when he's down! 1821Egan Tom & Jerry vi. (1870) 116 In the Parks, Tom was the go among the ‘goes’. 1840Barham Ingol. Leg., Lay St. Nicholas. But who doth not know it [a costume] was rather the go With Pilgrims and Saints in the second Crusade? 1841Fraser's Mag. XXIII. 15 He becomes all the go in the university. 1852R. S. Surtees Sponge's Sp. Tour vi. (1865) 25 Elegant shawls labelled..‘Quite the Go’. 1880G. R. Sims Ball. Babylon 82 Her carte is hung in the West-end shops,..And all day long there's a big crowd stops To look at the lady who's ‘all the go’.
c. near go (colloq.): a going near (to a danger or the like); a ‘close shave’.
1827Sporting Mag. XXI. 47 Some Christchurch men remember that go, and how near a go it was! 1841Fraser's Mag. XXIII. 15 Which..would have been a near go for his neck.
d. on or upon the go (colloq.): † (a) on the verge of destruction (obs.); (b) in a state of decline (? obs.); (c) in constant motion, in a restless state; (d) slang, slightly intoxicated.
(a)c1680Hickeringill Hist. Whiggism Wks. 1716 I. 133 They did so many Irrational, Senseless, and Destructive Acts, that almost all lay at Stake..and was just upon the go.
(b)1727M. Robinson Walsingham IV. 318 The good fellow is upon the go; his life's not worth six weeks' purchase. a1800T. Bellamy Beggar Boy (1801) I. 6 No longer could she pay attention to the larder, and there daily examine that part of its stores which was somewhat—another saying of her's—‘On the go’. 1842E. FitzGerald Lett. (1889) I. 99 As to poor old England, I never see a paper, but I think with you that she is on the go.
(c)1843A. Bethune Sc. Fireside Stor. 26 But if you can only afford to wait till you get us on the go. 1874Aldrich Prud. Palfrey xiii. (1885) 203 Ever since the day we said good-bye..I have been on the go. 1898Daily News 14 May 5/7 He might keep them on the go for a long time.
(d)1821Egan Tom & Jerry ix. (1870) 210 The fine old wines of the Corinthian had made him a little bit ‘on the go’.
e. great, little go, see the adjs.
Add:[4.] [a.] Hence (esp. in Journalistic usage) have-a-go attrib. phr., that ‘has a go’; characterized by a courageous, single-handed, and opportunistic display of bravery against criminals; plucky, ‘gung-ho’, intrepid.
1971Daily Tel. 14 Apr. 15 (heading) Have-a-go paratrooper aids stabbed doctor. 1986Sun 17 June 2 (heading) Baby-face gun bandit blinded have-a-go hero. 1987Telegraph (Brisbane) 25 Feb. 4/1 The have-a-go battler has decided to go it alone after his bid to form a new political party failed.
▪ II. go, n.2|gəʊ|
Also Go, Goh, I-go.
[Jap. go small stone.]
A Japanese board game of territorial possession.
1890B. H. Chamberlain Things Japanese 136 Go, sometimes, but with little appropriateness, termed ‘checkers’ by European writers, is the most popular of the in-door pastimes of the Japanese. 1911H. F. Cheshire Goh or Wei Chi 15 In the East proficiency in Goh is one of the best recommendations to high places. 1958Listener 13 Nov. 786/2 The game that does seem to me to be superior to chess, in that it has both depth and simplicity, is the Japanese game of Go. 1960R. C. Bell Board & Table Games iii. 96 This Japanese game [sc. Gobang]..is a poor relation of the intellectual I-go.
▪ III. go, v.|gəʊ|
Pa. tense went |wɛnt|; pa. pple. gone |gɒn, -ɔː-|. Forms: see below.
[A Com. Teut. defective vb., perh. originally existing only in the pres.-stem, though a strong pa. pple. occurs in some of the Teut. langs. The forms in the WGer. langs. are as follows: OE. inf. gán, pres. tense gá, etc. (see below), pa. pple. ᵹegán; OFris. pres. tense 3rd pers. sing. gâth, geith, pa. pple. gên; OS. inf. -gân in fulgân to accomplish; OLow Frankish gân (MDu. gaen, Du. gaan, pres. tense ga, gaast, etc.); OHG. (Alemannic) inf. gân, pres. tense gâm, gâs, gât, gâmês, etc., (Bavarian) inf. gên, pres. tense gêm, gês, etc. (MHG. gân, gên, mod.Ger. gehen, pres. tense gehe, gehst, etc.); the MHG. pa. pple. gegân is not found in OHG. The Scandinavian langs. have forms which appear to belong to this vb.: ON. inf. gá (late and rare), Sw. gå (pres. tense går, etc.), Da. gaa(e (pres. tense gaar, pa. pple. gaaet); but it is possible that these may have been evolved from the pa. tense gekk of ganga (gang v.), on the analogy of fá, fekk (see fang v.). The vb. does not occur in Wulfila's Gothic, but the Crim-Gothic of the 16th c. had, according to Busbeck, the inf. geen.
As is shown by the evidence of OHG., the vb. belongs to the class of ‘verbs in -mi’. The forms in the various langs. point to a twofold OTeut. stem, gæ̂-, gai-, which seems to have been apprehended as having the same relation to the stem gaŋg- (see gang v.) as stæ̂-, stai-, to the extended stem stand- (see stand v.); thus in OHG. gên, stên (which are strictly parallel in conjugation) are functionally mere variants of gangan, stantan. It is probable that the words expressing the contrasted notions ‘go’ and ‘stand’ have exercised some analogical influence on each other. Whether there is any etymological connexion between gæ̂- (gai-) and gaŋg- is uncertain. Three suppositions are conceivable: (1) that the two are unrelated, and have been associated owing to their similarity in sense and sound; (2) that gaŋg- (:—OAryan *ghongh-) is a nasalized reduplication of the root preserved in Teut. gæ̂- (gai-), (3) that the shorter vb. was evolved from the proportion stand- : stæ̂- (stai-) :: gang- : gæ̂- (gai-). The first two of these views leave the etymology undetermined. Kluge proposes an OTeut. type *ga-îm(i, f. ga- prefix + the root ī̆ (Aryan ei-, i-) of Gr. ἰέναι (εἶµι), L. īre, but this has not been generally accepted. Other scholars have suggested affinity with Skr. hā to leave, forsake, with Gr. κιχᾱ́νειν, κιχῆναι to attain, reach, or with Lettish gaju ‘I went’.
The place of the missing pa. tense was supplied in OE. by éode (-dest, -de, -don), believed to be an extension, with the suffix -de of weak preterites, of a lost form equivalent to the synonymous Goth. iddja:—OTeut. *ijjôm, an imperfect or aorist of the Indogermanic vb. yā- to go, an extended form of ei-, i- (see above); there are, however, some unsolved difficulties (see Sievers Ags. Gr.3 §114, Brugmann Grdriss. II. 861). The OE. éode became in ME. ȝede, yede, yode, etc.; in the south these forms died out in the 15th c., and were superseded by the pa. tense of wend, as this vb. had become synonymous with go, and its inf. and pres. tense had ceased to be in frequent use. The use of went as a pa. pple. is sometimes heard in illiterate speech. In Sc. and northern dialects yede was superseded, not by went, but by a new formation on the present-stem, gaed (see A. 3 b). In the archaistic language of Sackville and Spenser, yede was used as a present-stem, and yode as the corresponding pa. tense
The perfect tenses were originally formed with be; this is still used where the tense expresses a state, have being substituted where it expresses an action; in many cases either auxiliary may be used without perceptible difference of meaning.]
A. Inflexional Forms.
1. inf.
a. simple inf., go |gəʊ|. Forms: 1–2 gán, Northumb. gáa, ? gáe, gǽ, 3 Orm. gan, 3–4 gon, 4 Kent. guo, 4–5 ga(a, (gay), gan(e, goo(n, (5 gwon), 4–7 gon(e, (6 goen, Sc. gea), 6–7 goe, 9 Sc. gae, 4– go.
Beowulf (Z.) 1163 Þa cwom Wealhþeo forð gan under gyldnum beaᵹe. c950Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. viii. 18 Ðe hælend..ᵹeheht..gaa ofer..stream. Ibid. 28 Gae. c1000ælfric Deut. xiii. 2 Uton gan and feliᵹean fremdum go⁓dum. c1200Ormin 913 Þe preost wass shridd tærwiþþ To gan till Godess allterr. c1290S. Eng. Leg. I. 195/69 Ase heo in prisone al one was, an old man þare cam gon. a1300Cursor M. 15034 Þe childer þat war waike To ga þat pres a-mang. Ibid. 20135 Ne wald he neuer fra hir gan. 13..Guy Warw. (A.) 1219 Gon, fader, quod he, ich-ille. 1340Ayenb. 60 Uor þet þe zeneȝere hine ssolde guo þe hardylaker. c1340Cursor M. 1436 (Fairf.) Quen [adam] was dede sone an-nane his saule forþ to hel con gane. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints, Paulus 315 [Paule] lewit nero in sic effray, He of wit ner can gay. a1400Isumbras 719 His mene awaye gane gaa. c1400Sowdone Bab. 50 Shope him to grene woode to goon. c1400Mandeville (1839) v. 56 This Weye is most schort, for to go streyghte unto Babiloyne. c1420Chron. Vilod. st. 616 In hast to Wylton he byth ȝow gon. c1420Sir Amadas (Weber) 670 With me then schall thei gwon. 1423Jas. I Kingis Q. cvii, Bothe to cum and gone. c1450Henryson Mor. Fab. 296 in Anglia IX. 351 On to ga quha that mycht formest win. c15111st Eng. Bk. Amer. (Arb.) Introd. 27 They can goen vnder the water. 1583Satir. Poems Reform. xlv. 1054 Fand out some vther gait to gea. 1608Topsell Hist. Serpents (1658) 705 There was not one But forced forth the venomd-bloud, along his sides to gone. 1683Col. Rec. Pennsylv. I. 74 Ralph Withers desires Leave to goe home. 1838J. Grant Sk. Lond. 39 Do you think, man, that ye can gae like a cripple?
b. dat. inf. (with to) to go, in OE. tó gánne, ME. to ganne, guonne, gonde.
c1000ælfric Hom. II. 32 ᵹearo to ganne. a1225St. Marher. 4 Þe weie þæt ich am in begunnen to ganne. a1300Floriz & Bl. 612 (Hausknecht), And Babiloine ihc understonde Dureþ sixti mile to gonde. 1340Ayenb. 226 Bysye to guonne an to comene ganglinde.
2. ind. pres.
a. 1st pers. sing. go. Forms: 1 gá, gáa, Northumb. gǽ (? gáe), gáæ, 3–4 ga, 5–6 goo, 6–7 goe, 9 Sc. gae, 4– go.
[c825Vesp. Psalter xli. 10 Forhwon unrot ic ingaa.] c950Lindisf. Gosp. John xvi. 5 Nu ic gaæ to him. c1000Ags. Gosp. Matt. xxi. 30 Ic ga [c 950 Lindisf. gae]. a1225Juliana 73 Ne ga i neauer mare þrefter o grene. c1305Edmund Conf. 63 in E.E.P. (1862) 72 Wiþ þe ic go in eche stede. c1340Cursor M. 25459 (Fairf.) Þusgatis on erþ I ga. c1500Melusine xxiv. 174 ‘I goo’..‘putte my peple in aray’. 1794Burns ‘Out over the Forth’, I look to the west, when I gae to rest.
b. 2nd pers. sing. goest |ˈgəʊɪst|. Forms: 1 gǽst, Northumb. gǽs (? gáes), gáæs, gást, 2–3 gast, 2–4 gest, 3 gæst, 4 Sc. gays, 4–5 gas(e, gost, goost, 5 gose, 6 Sc. gais, 6– goest.
c950Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. viii. 19 Ic fylgo ðe sua huider ðu gaes. Ibid. Luke xii. 58 Mið-ðy ðu gast mið wiðerworde ðinum. Ibid. John xiii. 36 Drihten huidir gaæs ðu. 971Blickl. Hom. 249 For hwan gæst þu swa buton wæstme þines ᵹewinnes. c1200Ormin 4666 Hu ferr þu gast Ut off þe rihhte weȝȝe. c1205Lay. 26437 Ȝif [þu] gæst him a leoð. a1300Cursor M. 27482 If þou man gas þin offrand to mak. 1340Ayenb. 129 Huannes comst þou. Huyder gest þou. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints, Machor 465 Quhare þu gays, wil I ga. c1386Chaucer Sec. Nun's T. 56 Thou goost biforn. c1430Freemasonry 677 Uche fote that thou gost then. c1460Towneley Myst. ix. 114 If thou here any saghes sere..Of that lad where that thou gase. Ibid. x. 186 Who owe this child thou gose with all? 1508Dunbar Flyting 216 We sall gar scale our sculis all the to scorne, And stane the vp the calsay quhair thow gais. 1535Coverdale Gen. xxviii. 15, I..wyll kepe the where so euer thou goest.
c. 3rd pers. sing. goes |gəʊz|; arch. goeth |ˈgəʊɪθ|. Forms: α1 gǽþ, Northumb. gá(a)ð, (? gáeð), 2 gæþ, 2–4 geð, 3 gaþ, geað, 4–5 geth(e, goþ(e, 4–6 goth(e, gooth, (4 goith), 5– (9 arch.) goeth. β1 Northumb. gaas, gáæs, gǽs (? gáes), 4–7 gais, gays, 4–5 gas(e, gos(e, 4 gez, (gotz), 5 gaes, goys(e, 6 Sc. geas, gois, 7 go's, 7– goes.
α Beowulf (Z.) 455 Gæð a wyrd swa hio scel! c950Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xxvi. 24 Sunu..monnes gaeð sua awritten is of him. c1000Ags. Gosp. John iii. 8 Þu nast..hwyder he gæþ [c 950 Lindisf. gaað, c 1160Hatton geð]. c1175Lamb. Hom. 29 Þeo sunnen, þe he geð to scrifte fore. c1200Ormin 1224 Oxe gaþ o clofenn fot. a1225Juliana 57 Ah hwa se obote ne geað ne schal he beon i borhen. c1315Shoreham 109 Ase al that hys here By sove daȝes geth. 1340Ayenb. 56 In þise manere geþ þe tyme. c1340Cursor M. 3051 (Trin.) Now goþ þat wrecche wille of wone. c1386Chaucer Sqr.'s T. 269 On the daunce he gooth with Canacee [var. goth MS. Camb., goþ Corp., Petw., goþe Lansd.]. 1388Wyclif John x. 4 He goith bifor hem. 1390Gower Conf. III. 104 So it geth Out of the see. c1435Torr. Portugal 2042 Se, where the kyng gethe. 1508Fisher 7 Penit. Ps. xxxii. Wks. (1876) 23 This holy prophete gooth shortly on all these. 1523Fitzherb. Surv. iii. (1539) 7 The pasture..that he gothe in. 1535Coverdale Luke vii. 8, I saye vnto one: Go, and he goeth. 1839Lane Arab. Nts. I. 107 He knoweth not..whither she goeth, nor what she doth.
βc950Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. Pref. 7 Swa hwidir gaas[t] gaæs hea gæð. Ibid. viii. 9 Ic cueðo ðissum gaæ & gaes. Ibid. xv. 17 Eghuelc þæt in muð inngaas in womb gaas. a1300Cursor M. 1970 Þar gas [Fairf. gase] na ransun bot liue for lijf. Ibid. 12914 Als bedel gais be-for iustis. a1300Floriz. & Bl. 63 Floriz gez to his rest. 13..E.E. Allit. P. B. 325 Alle þat glydez & gotz, & gost of lyf habbez. c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 147 He gos to S. Deny. c1386Chaucer Reeve's T. 117 Right by the hopur wil I stande..and se how that the corn gas In. a1400–50Alexander 3016 [Darius] Gaes him on to granton, & graithes þare his tentis. c1420Sir Amadace (Camden) ix, Sone a-gayn gose he. a1440Sir Eglam. 98 Mornyng to hys hedd he gays. 1486Bk. St. Albans E vj b, At huntyng..when he goys. 1500–20Dunbar Poems xiii. 23 Sum super expendit gois to his bed. 1513Douglas æneis i. iv. 11 Within the watter in ane bosum gais. 1583Leg. Bp. St. Androis 781 in Satir. Poems Reform. xlv, To that bischop in he geas. 1602Marston Ant. & Mel. Wks. 1856 I. 33 How goes the time? 1640Wits Recreat. Epigr. 369 Alwaies to the wall the weakest go's.
d. pl. go. Forms: α1 gáð, Northumb. gaað, gǽð, 2, 3 gað, goð, 4 guoþ, 4–6 gooþ, -th, 6 goth. β1 Northumb. gáas, -es, gǽs, 4 north. gas, gaas, gos, 6 Sc. gois. γ3 Orm. gan, 3–5 ga, 4–7 gon(e, 4–6 goon(e, 5 goo, 6–7 goe, 4– go.
αc825Vesp. Hymns vi. 23 In lehte scotunge ðine gað. c950Lindisf. Gosp. Luke ii. 3 Gaað alle..syndrio In his ceastra. a1200Moral Ode 347 Þos goð [printed god] unieþe toȝeanes þe cliue. a1225St. Marher. 15 Swa ich habbe ablend ham þæt ha blindlunge gað. 1340Ayenb. 34 Alle guoþ þrin, uor to lyerni. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 403 They fiȝteþ better..Whan þey gooþ þan whan þei rideþ. c1500God Speed Plough 73 in P. Pl. Crede 71 Prestis that goth to rome. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 1 All christians gooth this pilgrymage.
βc950Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. Pref. 5 Wæ ðæm..ða ðe gaes æfter gaast hiora. Ibid. xiii. 49 In endung worldes gæs englas & [etc.]. Ibid. Mark vi. 10 Suahuælc ᵹie gaas in hus ðer wunað. a1300Cursor M. 6822 Þam..þat til wikcud dedes gaas [Trin. gos]. Ibid. 13106 Messels er hale, cripels gas [Trin. go] right. 1508Dunbar Poems iv. 17 Onto the ded gois all Estatis.
γc1200Ormin 11945 Godess þeowwess gan onn himm. a1240Sawles Warde in Cott. Hom. 255 Ȝef we hire haldeð þenne ga we sikerliche. c1350Will. Palerne 1687 Þe beres..þe gon most gresli to eche gomes siȝt. c1386Chaucer Prol. 771 As ye goon by the weye, Ye shapen yow to talen. a1400–50Alexander 459 How þat ȝe ga sa grete gud dame? Ibid. 3456 Þai gone agraythen vp þaire gods. c1485Digby Myst. (1882) v. 380 In ony place wher ye goo or Ryde. 1529More Dyaloge B v b/1 They yt goone on pylgrymage. 1611Tourneur Ath. Trag. C 2 b, If you goe to buffets among the Boyes, they'l giue you one. 1627Bp. Hall Ps. Metaphrased ix, All that gone Through daughter Sions beauteous gate.
3. ind. pa.
†a. yede, yode. Obs. Forms: sing. 1–3 éode, (2nd sing. -est), Northumb. éade, 2–4 ȝeode, 3–5 ȝodd, ȝod(e, 4–5 yodd, yod(e, 2–5 ȝede, north. and Sc. ȝeid(e, 4 ȝedd, 4–5 yedd, yed(e, Sc. yeid, 3–5 ede, (3 ȝied(e, hiede, yhode, yoede, 4 giede, ȝide, ȝood, ȝud(e, yeid(e, yhed, 5 ude, youd, yude), 6 arch. yede, 6, 7, 9 arch. yod(e (2nd sing. -est); pl. 1 éodon, -un, -an, Northumb. éada, -e, -o, -un, 2–4 eode(n, (2 oden), 3–4 ȝeode(n, 4 ȝod(e, (4 yoede), 4–6 yod(e, ȝud(e, (5 yhude), 2 ieden, 3–5 ȝed(e(n, ede(n, 3 Orm. ȝedenn, (3 hiden, 5 hedon), 4–5 yed(e(n, (4 ȝiden), 4–6 Sc. ȝeid.
sing. Beowulf (Z.) 1232 Eode þa to setle. c950Lindisf. Gosp. John ix. 11 Ic eade & ic aðuoᵹ & ic ᵹesæh. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 135 Þe child þe hie mide hiede. Ibid. 175 Ure helende ȝiede bi þe se. a1225Juliana 6 Euch deis dei [heo] eode to chirche. c1250Gen. & Ex. 2030 Ȝhe ȝod him bitterlike a-gen. c1275Orison 15 in O.E. Misc. 139 As oþer childre þu eodest and speke. a1300Cursor M. 3353 (Cott.) He yode þar walkand be þe strete. Ibid. 4567 (Cott.) Þas oþer seuen yede i to see. c1300Ibid. 21601 (Edin.) To mete hir giede mani barune. c1300Beket 76 [He] ȝeode aboute as a best. 1375Barbour Bruce iii. 302 His cause ȝeid fra ill to wer. Ibid. vii. 36 Bot othir wayis the gammyn ȝude. c1420Chron. Vilod. st. 649 As hole, as fayre, as hit upon urthe ude. 1424Paston Lett. No. 4. I. 15 The seyd Walter yede at large owt of warde. c1449Pecock Repr. 225 The Lord sie that Moyses ȝede to se. c1460J. Russell Bk. Nurture 35 Where euer y ede day by day. 1494Fabyan Chron. v. lxxxiii. 61 The Bysshop..yode vnto the house. a1500Chester Pl. (Shaks. Soc.) II. 60 He toulde over all ther as he yeide That [etc.]. 1555T. Phaer æneid i. B ij, Venus..Her self by skye to Paphos yede wher stonds her honor seates [etc.]. 1591Eclog. Death Sir P. Sidney in Arb. Garner I. 276 Along the banks of many silver streams, Thou with him yodest. 1613W. Browne Brit. Past. i. iv, Then forth she yode. a1650Glasgerion 46 in Furniv. Percy Folio I. 250 He did not kisse that Lady gay when he came nor when he youd. 1808Scott Marm. iii. xxxi, In other pace than forth he yode.
plural.c825Vesp. Hymns v. 37 Bearn soðlice [Israhel] eodun ðorh dryᵹe ðorh midne se. c950Lindisf. Gosp. Luke xxiv. 13 Tuoeᵹe from him eado ðe ilca dæᵹe in..emmaus. 971Blickl. Hom. 67 Þonne eodan hie him toᵹeanes. 1154O.E. Chron. an. 1137 Sume ieden on ælmes þe wæron sum wile rice men. c1175Lamb. Hom. 155 Heo oden wepende. c1200Ormin 3396 Þeȝȝ ȝedenn forþ Till Beþþleæmess chesstre. a1300E.E. Psalter xvii[i]. 46 Þai halted þare þai yhode. a1300Cursor M. 11010 (Cott.) Þair modres..Yoede at ans wit þair child. c1340Ibid. 19038 (Trin.) [He] wiþ þe apostlis ȝood. 1340Ayenb. 233 Þe wyse maydines.. yeden in mid þe bredgome. 1362Langl. P. Pl. A. Prol. 41 Beggers faste a-boute eoden [1377 ȝede]. a1400Pistel Susan 228 To þe ȝate ȝaply þei ȝeoden wel ȝare. c1420Chron. Vilod. st. 758 For ever where ever þey hedoun þey wentoun dauncyng. 1450–70Golagros & Gaw. 577 Gaudifeir and Galiot baith to grund yhude. 1535W. Stewart Cron. Scot. II. 217 In till array syne neir the Saxonis ȝude. c1560A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) v. 16 In May quhen men ȝeid everich one,..To bring in bowis.
b. north. dial. gaed. Forms: 5–6 gaid, 6 geid, 8 gade, 8–9 gaed, 9 gede, geed.
c1400Destr. Troy 369 He..Gaid vp by a grese all of gray marbill. 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. ix. 173 [He] led her with him quhair euer he gaid. Ibid. 185 Of this the nobilitie geid til a counsell. 1725Ramsay Gentle Sheph. ii. iv, When first thou gade wi' shepherds to the hill. 1785Burns Holy Fair ii, The third..gaed a-wee a-back. 1813Hogg Queen's Wake 167 Bonnye Kilmeny gede up the glen. 1855Robinson Whitby Gloss. s.v. Geed, ‘I geed to market o' foot’. 1864Fraser's Mag. Nov. 629 He used to tak me along with him when he gaed to the hills.
c. went. Forms: 3–5 wente, 3– went; 2nd sing. 6– wentest, went'st. For earlier quots. see wend v.
1484Caxton Fables of Alfonce iii, A good man labourer wente fro lyf to deth. 1535Coverdale 2 Sam. vii. 9 Whither so euer thou wentest. 1590Shakes. Com. Err. iv. iv. 90 Wentst not thou to her? 1592Nashe P. Pennilesse Wks. 1883–4 II. 25 They went a Boot-haling one night. 1670Lady Chaworth in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 19 Heere is talke as if the Duke of M[onmouth] went Deputy into Ireland. 1705Arbuthnot Anc. Coins, etc. (1727) 273 Trajan..descended to the Mouths of the Tigris and Euphrates, and went upon the Ocean.
4. subj. pres. go. Forms: sing. 1 gá, gáe, (? gǽ), 2–3 ga, 6 Sc. ga, 3– go. pl. 1–2 gán, gá, Northumb. gáe, (? gǽ), 3 Orm. ga, 4– go.
sing. Beowulf (Z.) 1394 Ga þær he wille! [c825Vesp. Psalter lxxii. 17 Oððæt ic ingae in godes haliᵹ portic. 835Charter in O.E. Texts 447 Wið ðan ðe he..hire ðearfa bega.] c1175Lamb. Hom. 21 Þet he ne ga to bote. a1300E.E. Psalter xvi. 2[3] Fra þi lickam mi dome forthga. c1300Beket 1316 This cas ȝe mote amendi, how so hit evere go. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xii. 200 Go ich to helle, go ich to heuene, ich shal nouht go myn one! 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. x. 373 Quhat gait that euir it ga. 1796Plain Sense III. 10, I shall desire that she go to bed. 1847Tennyson Princess vi. 190 All good go with thee!
plural.c950Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xiv. 15 Þæt hia ᵹegaæ in ceastra. Ibid. Mark i. 38 Gæ we..in ða neesto lond. Ibid. xiv. 12 Hwidder wælleðu þæt we gae. c1175Lamb. Hom. 33 Þah ȝe gan of sunne ower sunne to bote. c1200Ormin 3390 Ga we nu till þatt illke tun. c1350Will. Palerne 804 Go we to þe gardyn.
5. subj. pa.
†a. yede. Forms: 1 Northumb. éade, éode, 6 yede.
[c950Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. viii. 34 [Hi] ᵹebedon þæt ofer⁓eade from ᵹemærum hiora. Ibid. Mark vi. 45 Þætte hia fore⁓eode hine ofer luh. ]c1500Nutbrowne Mayde in Arnolde Chron. (1811) 202 Bettyr were, the power squyer, alone to forest yede.
b. dial. gaid.
1500–20Dunbar Poems xxx. 25 Ga bring to me ane bischopis weid, Gife evir thow wald my saule gaid vnto Hevin.
c. went. Forms: see 3 c.
1611Shakes. Cymb. ii. i. 46 Is it fit I went to looke vpon him?
6. imp. go. Forms: sing. 1 gá, gáa, Northumb. gáæ, gáe (? gǽ), 2–5 ga, 3– go. pl. 1 gáð, Northumb. gáað, gáeð, 2–3 gað, 3–4 goð, 5 goythe; also 1 Northumb. gaas, gáes, 5 gase; 4 north. ga; 4– go.
sing.c825Vesp. Psalter vii. 8 In heanisse gaa eft. Ibid. cxlii[i]. 2 Ne ga ðu inn in dome mid ðiowe ðinum. c950Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. ii. 20 Gae In eorðo israheles. Ibid. viii. 9 Gaæ. c1175Lamb. Hom. 35 Ga to þine feder burinesse. c1205Lay. 26107 Ga..and hefd him binim her. a1225Juliana 190 Go swiþe..and bring me of is bende. 1382Wyclif 1 Kings xviii. 11 Now thou seist to me, Go. a1400–50Alexander 5406 Ga lawere & be-hald.
plural. [c825Vesp. Psalter xcv. 8 Ingað in ceafurtunas his.] c950Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. ii. 8 Gaes & ᵹefraignes innueardlice of ðæm cnæht. Ibid. viii. 32, & cueð to him gaeð. Ibid. xx. 4 Gaað. Ibid. Mark xvi. 15 Gaas on middan⁓ᵹeard allne. a1000Andreas 1334 Gað fromlice. c1175Lamb. Hom. 33 Gað to scriffte. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 71 Goð and scheweð ȝiu ȝiuwer prest. c1200Ormin 9269 Gaþ alle, & takeþþ upponn ȝuw Rihht shriffte off ȝure sinness. a1225Leg. Kath. 349 Gað ȝet. a1375Joseph Arim. 373 Gos to oure Maumetes, and proues heore mihtes. 1382Wyclif Matt. xx. 4 Go and ȝee in to my vyne ȝerd. c1386Chaucer Monk's T. 204 ‘Gooth, bryngeth forth the vessels’ [tho] quod he. a1400–50Alexander 3522 Gase quen ȝow likis. c1460Towneley Myst. ii. 204 Fy on yow! goyth hence Out of my presence.
7. pres. pple. going |ˈgəʊɪŋ|. Forms: 1 gánde, 4 gaande, goand(e, -ende, -inde, -onde, gonde (guoinde), 4, 6 goinge, -yng(e, 5 gooing, 8–9 Sc. gaun, 9 north. gawn, 6– going.
c825Vesp. Psalter xviii[i]. 6 Swe swe brydguma forð gande of brydbure his. 13..Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 2214 For now is gode Gawayn goande ryȝt here. c1340Cursor M. 401 (Fairf.) Al gaande [Trin. goynge] bestes, þe sext day. Ibid. 2005 (Trin.) Þe world was goonde In elde of þe þridde þousonde. 1340Ayenb. 120 Guodes..þet by chonginde and guoinde. c1380Sir Ferumb. 1890 ‘Þow semest bet’, quaþ Amerel, ‘a deuel gonde in dale, Þan’ [etc.]. c1430Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 4424 Here gooing wel perceiued was. 1500–20Dunbar Poems lxix. 30 A journay going everie day. 1583Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 73 This..discourageth not a fewe from goyng to their bookes. 1785Burns Holy Fair v, I'm gaun to Mauchline holy fair. 1802R. Anderson Cumberld. Ball. 29, I pass'd her gawn owre the lang meedow. 1823Blackw. Mag. Mar. 313/2 Ye had the gaun days o' prosperity for twenty years!
8. pa. pple.
a. gone |gɒn, -ɔː-|. Forms: 1 ᵹegán, 3–6 gan(e, 3–6, 8 gon, 4 goon(e, Sc. gayn(e, (gain, geen(e, 5 gonne, goyn, 6 goen, Sc. gaine, 7 gaene), 4–6 go, (5 goe, goo), 9 Sc. gaen, 4– gone. Also 3 i-gon, (h)i-go, 4–5 i-, y-gan, -gon, -goon, 6 i-goen, 3, 6–7 y-go(e. (Cf. ago.)
c1000Judith 140 Oð hie glædmode ᵹegan hæfdon to ðam weall gate. c1200Ormin 14226 Þurrh þatt teȝȝre win wass gan. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 3 Þe fireste tocume of ure louerd is gon. c1205Lay. 2064 Þus is þis eit-lond i-gon [c 1275 hi-go] from honde to hond. a1300Cursor M. 5171 (Cott.) Thriti yere es siþen gain. Ibid. 17288 + 436 (Cott.) Intil a strang plas..all þe apostels wore goone. Ibid. 23833 (Gött.) It es gane mani rath. c1300Harrow. Hell 4 Jhesu wes to helle y-gan. c1305Pilate 116 in E.E.P. (1862) 114 If þu haddest hider igon. c1340Cursor M. 1917 (Fairf.) A twelfmonþe was go by this. Ibid. 5275 A dreme lange siþen I-gan. 1375Barbour Bruce ii. 80 Lettres ar gayn To the byschop. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints, Margaret 639 Mychty god, makare of al warldis, þat gayne are or cum sal. 1382Wyclif Rom. Prol., Goende to Jerusalem. c1386Chaucer Prol. 286 A Clerk..That vn to logyk hadde longe ygo. ― Reeve's T. 158 [A northern speaker asks:] Whilk way is he geen. ― Shipman's T. 212 Vp to hir housbonde is this wyf ygon.1399Langl. Rich. Redeles ii. 11 The gayes han y-gon. c1400A. Davy Dreams 38 It is more þan twelue moneþ gon. c1440Partonope 337 She was goo. c1440Generydes 55 The day was gonne. c1450Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.) 206 Alle oure gode days than xulde sone be goe. c1460Towneley Myst. xviii. 218 This day is goyn nere ilka deyll. a1529Skelton Epit. Dk. Bedford 33 Wo, alas..for he is go. 1548Udall Erasm. Par. Pref. 18 Where not many yeares goen. 1552Abp. Hamilton Catech. (1884) 23, I haif nocht gaine efter Baalim. 1559Mirr. Mag., Jas. I (Scot.) xiii. 7 So was he suer I goen to haue his pray. c1560A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) x. 59 Evirilk greif is gane. 1579Spenser Sheph. Cal. Nov. 76 The..floure..Is faded quite and into dust ygoe. 1601J. Manningham in Shaks. C. Praise 45 A Citizen gaene soe farr in liking with him. 1647H. More Song of Soul iv. v, If that one substance also were ygo. 1710Prideaux Orig. Tithes ii. 65 margin, They will have Phineas to have gon this Expedition. 1869Gibbon R. Gray v, She's gaen out to the grass.
†b. went. Obs. exc. dial. (See also etym. note s.v. wend v.)
1642W. Sedgwicke Zions Deliv. (1643) Ep. Ded., A Judge that would have went right, if [etc.]. 1729Switzer Hydrost. & Hydraul. 319 The Length of Time it [an engine] has went. 1749G. Lavington Enthusiasm i. (1754) I. 25 Whether Mr. Wesley has not went to Bed since that time, others may know as well as himself. 1883‘Mark Twain’ Life on Mississippi xliv. 450 The unpolished [Southerners] often use ‘went’ for ‘gone’... ‘He had n't ought to have went.’ 1884― Huck. Finn xxviii. 287 I'll tell Miss Susan to..say you've went away for a few hours. 1886F. T. Elworthy W. Somerset Word-Bk. 825 You never didn ought to a-went; for—You ought not to have gone. 1890Dialect Notes I. 7 Mr. Emerson mentioned the principal parts go, went, went (have went for have gone).
B. Signification.
gen. An intransitive verb of motion, serving as the most general expression (I) for a movement viewed without regard to its point of departure or destination; (II) for a movement away from the speaker, or from the point at which he mentally places himself; and (III) for a movement to or towards a place which is neither in fact nor in thought that occupied by the speaker. The verb is thus on the whole co-extensive in meaning with the Latin ire; in the branches II and III it admits of being contrasted with come (= L. venire). Besides this general sense, it had formerly a special application to walking as distinguished from other modes of progression; possibly this may be the primitive sense, but only faint traces of it remain in current English. Like come, it is applied both to self-originated and to impressed movement, but the former application is felt to be the primary one. I. Of movement, irrespective of the point of departure or destination.
†1.
a. = To walk; to move or travel on one's feet (opposed to creep, fly, ride, swim, etc.); to move on foot at an ordinary pace (opposed to run, etc.). to go alone: to walk without support. Obs.
c1000Ags. Gosp. Matt. xi. 5 Blinde ᵹeseoþ, healte gað. c1200[see A 3 a]. a1300Cursor M. 14370 Do crepels gan, þe blind haf sight. Ibid. 15392 Fra þan he ran him ilk fote, ne yode he noght þe [Gött. a] pas Til [etc.]. c1386Chaucer Knt.'s T. 493 That other wher him list may ryde or go. 1387[see A 2 d α]. 1412–20Lydg. Chron. Troy i. i, Men..Which on their fete upright gan to gon. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 1076 He was halt and myght not go. 1523Fitzherb. Husb. §166 He..made..the lame to go. 1523[see A 2 c α]. 1587Wills & Inv. N.C. (Surtees 1860) 288 One stud mare..going now in Langshawes. a1592Greene Jas. IV, iii. iii, Tut, go me thus, your cloake before your face. 1605Shakes. Lear i. iv. 134 Ride more then thou goest. 1611Beaum. & Fl. Knt. Burn. Pestle ii. ii, Though I can scarcely go, I needs must run. 1628Coke On Litt. 70 It may be that he..is languishing, so as he can neither goe nor ride. 1633P. Fletcher Purple Isl. ix. xiii, But when he could not go, yet forward would he creep. 1661Lovell Hist. Anim. & Min. Introd., These only amongst crustates swimme not, but goe. 1684Bunyan Pilgr. ii. (1862) 313, I have resolved to run when I can, to go when I cannot run, and to creep when I cannot go. 1751R. Paltock P. Wilkins I. xviii. 179 A charming Child, able to go in his twelfth Month. 1768Goldsm. Good-n. Man iv. Wks. (Globe) 632/1 I'm so frightened, I scarce know whether I sit, stand, or go. 1836[see creep 1 b].
fig.1707Watts Hymn, ‘Come Holy Spirit’, Our souls can neither fly nor go To reach eternal joys.
b. to go on, upon, the earth, the ground (also simply): to live and move.
c1385Chaucer L.G.W. 1669 Medea, In his [Jason's] dayes nas ther noon y-founde So fals a lover going on the grounde. c1420Chron. Vilod. st. 598 As saffe as hole as he upoun urthe ȝede. 1500–20Dunbar Poems xxviii. 22 Ȝe tailȝouris, with weilmaid clais Can mend the werst maid man that gais. 1579Spenser Sheph. Cal. Nov. 39 The fayrest May she was that euer went.
c. With adj., pres. pple. or adv. indicating the manner of stepping or walking; esp. of a horse: to go narrow, go wide (see the adjs.); to go the wrong end before (see quot. 1737); to go above his ground = to step high.
a1200[see A 2 d α]. a1300[see A 2 d β]. 1382Wyclif Prov. xxx. 29 Thre thingus ben, that weel gon, and the ferthe that goth welsumely. 1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. ii. (1586) 115 b, If he [a horse]..goeth wide, his pace will be the surer. 1681Lond. Gaz. No. 1638/8 Stolen or strayed..a young Black Gelding..goes narrow behind. 1724De Foe Mem. Cavalier (1840) 73 My horse went very awkwardly and uneasy. a1732T. Boston Crook in Lot (1805) 8 A slip of the foot may soon be made, which will make a man go halting all along after. 1735New Jersey Archives (1894) XI. 422 Ran away..a Servant Man..He goes crooked. 1737Bracken Farriery Impr. (1739) II. 40, I don't think our saying, such a Horse goes the wrong End before, altogether improper, when we speak it of a Horse that goes wide before, and near behind. 1791‘G. Gambado’ Ann. Horsem. (1809) 109 That a horse could not go too much above his ground. 1838[see A 1 a].
2. a. To move or pass along, proceed, journey, travel (irrespective of the mode of progression). Said of persons and things.
c825[see A 3 a pl.]. c1000ælfric Gen. iii. 14 God cwæð to þære næddran..þu gæst on þinum breoste. 13..E.E. Allit. P. B. 931 And ay goande on your gate. a1300Cursor M. 4803 Gas warli thoru vncuth land. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) i. 4 Thurgh þe land of Hungary men gase to a cytee þat es called Chippron. 1426Audelay Poems 7 The pore that goth be the way. 1483Cath. Angl. 149 To Ga on mowntayns; tran[s]alpinare. 1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. i. (1586) 21 b, The weedes..so thicke, as you can scarse see where the Coulter hath gone. a1586Sidney Arcadia ii. (1633) 154 And so she went, and she went, and never rested the evening, where she went in the morning, till [etc.]. 1608[see A 1 a]. 1664Pepys Diary 31 Oct., The Duke of York..being now resolved to go in the Charles. 1667Ibid. 13 June, At two hours' warning they did go by the coach into the country. 1837Dickens Pickw. v, Winkle, will you go on horseback? 1842L. S. Costello Pilgr. Auvergne I. 319 A boulevard too tempting to allow us to go through the arch. 1847Marryat Childr. N. Forest v, We shan't have far to go..the animal is done up.
b. with adj. or adv. indicating the speed or amount of vigour put forth: lit. and fig. go bet (see bet adv.2). to go like blazes (see blaze n. 2 b). to go even (see even adv. I. 2). to go full drive, go full tilt (see the ns.).
c1340Cursor M. 5191 (Trin.) Childer he seide go we stronge Into egipte þinke me longe. c1440Promp. Parv. 202/2 Goo slowly, lento. 1583Hollyband Campo di Fior 307 How well that barke goeth with the saile. 1609Bible (Douay) 2 Kings ix. 20 It is the pace as it were the pace of Jehu the sonne of Namsi, for he goeth amayne. a1610Healey Theophrastus (1636) 66 He goes strong with his witnesses. 1688Miege Gt. Fr. Dict. ii. s.v., To go fast or softly..aller vite ou bellement. 1856Ruskin Mod. Paint. III. iv. xvii. §35 It does..a man..no harm to go slow. 1885Illustr. Lond. News 23 May 539/2 You take my advice, go easy for a bit. 1893Sketch 15 Feb. 178/1 The Government..are going very strong, as the rowing-man says. 1897Fl. Marryat Blood Vampire xviii, We have been going a little too fast.
c. with adverbial accusative of the way pursued, the distance traversed, or the rate of speed. For to go the pace fig. (colloq. or slang), see pace n.
a1300Cursor M. 15392 (Cott.) Fra þan he ran him ilk fote, ne yode he noght þe pas. c1300Ibid. 19076 (Laud) A grete pas to the tempyll he gos. c1340Ibid. 14195 (Fairf.) Qua has to ga any way gode is to ga on liȝt of day. c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 32 No weddid man owiþ to leue his wife..& goo many hundred myles in drede of þeues and enemyes. 1430[see A 2 b]. 1430–40Lydg. Bochas i. (1554) 31 b, Toward him a great pace gan she goe. c1550Peebles to Play vii, They had nocht gane half of the gait Quhen the madinis come upon thame. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 250 Who had horses so charged with baggage, that they might scant go any great pace. 1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 210 The Hare..having gone so much ground as she did before..betaketh her to rest the second time. 1677Miege Eng.-Fr. Dict. s.v., To go three miles in an hour. 1688Bunyan Heavenly Footman (1886) 155 Usually those by-paths are most beaten, most travellers go those ways. 1841Fraser's Mag. XXIII. 15 After ‘going the pace’ for some years. 1887G. R. Sims Mary Jane's Mem. 49 Oh, the nice cakes she made..I'd go miles for one now.
d. with cognate obj., as to go (the) circuit, go a cruise, errand, journey, pilgrimage, progress, go a voyage. Occas. in indirect pass.
1526[see A 2 d α]. 1638Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 38 Little boyes..who are ready..to runne, go arrands or the like. 1642W. Price Serm. 4 Men use to goe (saith Seneca) not the way that should be gone, but that way which is most gone. 1669Lady Chaworth in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 12 They talk heere as if the King would goe a northerne progresse this summer. 1671Charente Let. Customs 15 This Voyage is only gone in the night time. c1710C. Fiennes Diary (1888) 216 Had I known y⊇ Danger before, I should not have been very willing to have gone it [the passage]. 1727De Foe Syst. Magic i. iii. (1840) 82 As Elijah said to the priests of Baal, he might be busy, or asleep, or gone a journey. 1825New Monthly Mag. XVI. 130 Pomposo still goes the circuit. 1880Fowler Locke vii. 110 Locke..entreats him not to go circuit. 1883Black Yolande III. x. 190 He wants me to go a cruise with him.
†e. Hence occas. in distinctly transitive use: To go through (a tract of country); to go over (a river). Also fig., to go through (a course of study).
1483Caxton Gold. Leg. 47 b/1 With my staf I have goon this ryver of Jordan. 1579Spenser Sheph. Cal. Dec. 23, I went the wastefull woodes and forest wyde. 1683Wood Life 28 Sept. (O.H.S.), When the elaboratorie was quite finisht certaine scholars went a course of chimistrie.
3. spec. In Hunting language, the technical term for ‘to ride’ (to hounds).
1841Fraser's Mag. XXIII. 16 A first-flight Meltonian is not said to ride well, but to go well, after hounds. 1884H. Smart Post to finish xxx. 219 There would be far too many there who had seen Gerald Rockingham ‘go’ with the York and Ainstey.
4. a. To take a specified course (in either a physical or a moral sense), which is often expressed by an advb. acc. Said of persons and things.
Beowulf (Z) 455 Gæð a wyrd swa hio scel! a1225[see A 1 b]. a1300Cursor M. 11736 We wil þe wai ga be þe se. c1380Antecrist in Todd Three Treat. Wyclif (1851) 152 Þei gon not þe streiȝt weie. 1555in Strype Eccl. Mem. III. App. xliv. 125 Alas! how should the people of God go the right way. 1599Porter Angry Wom. Abingt. (Percy Soc.) 21 Nay, turne it this way, then the bowle goes true. 1611Shakes. Wint. T. iii. ii. 218 How ere the businesse goes, you haue made fault I' the boldnesse of your speech. 1660Trial Regic. 23 If you go otherwise..it will be, as if you pleaded not at all. 1662Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. i. iii. §10 Vossius goes another way to work. 1727Boyer Fr. Dict. s.v., You go the wrong way to work, Vous vous y prenez mal. 1816Scott Antiq. vi, They didna gang the road by the turnpike,..they gaed by the sands. 1818Cruise Digest (ed. 2) V. 498 Now if the use would have gone this way before the statute, it would still go the same way since the statute. 1861Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. ii, An exhortation to..go outside of the barge which was coming up. 1880M. Mackenzie Dis. Throat & Nose I. 386 It is from food ‘going the wrong way’. 1888Sat. Rev. 5 Aug. 136/1 The man who goes straight in spite of temptation. 1895M. Corelli Sorrows Satan xxix. (1897) 353 She will never go my way,—nor, I fear, shall I ever go hers.
b. Naut. as you go! as she goes = on the same course.
1692Capt. Smith's Seaman's Gram. i. xvi. 76 To keep her upon the same Point, they use, Steddy, or as you go. 1898Pall Mall Mag. Jan. 122 ‘Keep her [the ship] as she goes’, I said. ‘As she goes, sir’, the man at the wheel..said.
c. Of a line, etc.: To have its course, ‘run’ (in a certain direction).
1889Eng. Illustr. Mag. Dec. 258 On either side went a range of berths. Mod. The boundary here goes parallel with the river.
d. in connexion with various adverbs, as acrook, afield, agly, amiss, aside, astern, astray, at large, contrary, counter, evil, ill, † miss, right, well, wrong: see the advs.
1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xxiii. 192 And gyuede me with goutes, ich may nat go at large. c1440Promp. Parv. 202/2 Goo wronge, devio, deliro. 1871Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) IV. xviii. 113 Most likely the reckonings of the men of Kent did not go so far afield. 1873H. Spencer Stud. Sociol. xiv. 337 There are more ways of going wrong than of going right. 1879M. J. Guest Lect. Eng. Hist. xlvii. 470 James continued to go contrary to the wishes of his people. 1880Mrs. E. Lynn Linton Rebel of Family II. ix, All the well-laid schemes had gone agley.
5. a. Of persons: To be guided by; to act in dependence on or upon, according to, in accordance or harmony with. Also in indirect pass. Frequent in phrases, to go with the tide or the times.
1485Caxton Chas. Gt. (1881) 230 The whyche..went by hys commaundement holyly. a1631Donne Lett. (1651) 50, I had the same desires, when I went with the tyde. 1662Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. iii. i. §17 When we go according to them [our imaginations], it is impossible to apprehend things as our reason tells us they are. 1672Villiers (Dk. Buckhm.) Rehearsal iii. i. (Arb.) 73 That's the measure I go by. 1688Miege Gt. Fr. Dict. ii. s.v., To go according to the Times. 1692Bentley Boyle Lect. viii. (1724) 320 The reasons that they went upon were very specious and probable. 1815W. H. Ireland Scribbleomania 190 The Somerset-house society..is perhaps the best criterion to go by. 1840Carlyle Heroes ii. (1858) 233 The Koran..is admitted everywhere as the standard of all law and all practice; the thing to be gone-upon in speculation and life. 1841Fraser's Mag. XXIII. 15 The politician goes with his party, whether he approves of the measure or not. 1879‘Cavendish’ Card Ess., etc. 109 Had he gone on the chances, he would have won. Ibid. 167 Refer the case to the best judge in the room, and go by his decision. 1885D. Russell Gold. Hinges II. xiii. 194 It's the turn the world's taken, and we must go with the times. 1889Doyle Micah Clarke xxii. 218 It is a good rule to go upon. 1891Athenæum 14 Mar. 342/2 The British Government had only vague information on which to go.
b. Of things: To be apportioned, determined, or regulated by; † to be arranged according to; to proceed upon (an idea, supposition).
1590H. Smith Serm. (1866) I. 289 Neither virtue nor vice goeth by age. 1594Hooker Eccl. Pol. i. x. §9 Laws..must make common smaller offices to go by lot. 1599Shakes. Much Ado iii. i. 105 Louing goes by haps. 1627W. Bedell in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden) 136 Album Registrum Vestiarii, which went according to the letters of the alphabet. 1729Butler Serm., Hum. Nat. ii, Now all this licentious talk entirely goes upon a supposition. 1777Priestley Matt. & Spir. (1782) I. vii. 82 The Cartesian hypothesis..goes upon the idea that the essence of mind is thought. 1879C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iv. viii. 96 Nothing in this strange reign ever went by ordinary rules of justice or probability. 1881Mrs. C. Praed Policy & P. I. ix. 188 Things go by contraries out here. 1890Leisure Hour Jan. 165/2 A vivid picture is drawn of a world where all went by chance. 1892Eng. Illustr. Mag. IX. 908 Promotion goes solely by length of service.
6. With complementary adj. or equivalent phrase: To be habitually in a specified condition, esp. with regard to attire or circumstances affecting personal comfort. Now chiefly with reference to conditions implying neglect, privation, or disadvantage; cf. to go without (sense 69). to go short (see short).
c1000Ags. Gosp. Luke xx. 46 Warniað wið þa boceras ða þe wyllað on ᵹeᵹyrlum gan. 1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xvii. liii. (1495) 634 They yede crownyd wyth iuy that serued in the temple of Bachus. c1460Towneley Myst. ii. 141 Then myght I go with a ryffen hood. 1509[see gay a. 4]. c15111st Eng. Bk. Amer. (Arb.) Introd. 27 This people goeth all naked. 1535Coverdale Gen. xv. 2, I go childles [so 1611]. 1604[see gay a. 4]. 1616R. C. Times' Whistle ii. 749, I see..How basely in apparrell he doth goe. 1618G. Mynshul Ess. Prison, Creditors 12 If another weare thy coate, and thou goest cold, thou maist plucke it from his shoulders. 1634Sir T. Herbert Trav. 19 Both sexe goe naked. 1668Dryden Even. Love iv. i. Wks. 1883 III. 322 Piquing at each other, who shall go the best dressed. 1688Miege Gt. Fr. Dict. ii. s.v., He has gone a great while under an ill Report. 1738Swift Pol. Conversat. 146 Why, he us'd to go very fine, when he was here in Town. 1845Stephen Comm. Laws Eng. (1874) I. 150 There is an antient enactment against going armed. 1878Scribner's Mag. XV. 788/2 The men drink; the children go in rags. 1888G. Macdonald Elect Lady xvi. 144 Some girls miser their clothes, and never go decent. 1890Temple Bar June 192 Twenty pounds could be saved by going on short commons. 1891Ibid. Dec. 481 Protestants went in mortal fear. 1897J. C. Lees Hist. Inverness xvi. 265 It [the land] was allowed to go waste till [etc.].
7. Of a female: To pass (a specified period) in gestation: to be pregnant. More fully, to go with calf, child (see child n. 17), foal, young. Now usu. in phr. (to be) (a specified period) gone: to have been pregnant for that amount of time.
c1200[see A 3 a sing.]. c1460[see A 2 b]. 1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. ii. 117 They [Mares] go with foale aleuen monthes, and fole in the twelfth. 1601Holland Pliny. II. 220 Bitches..goe with young threescore daies. c1645Howell Lett. (1650) I. §3. xxiv. 76 The Queen is big, and hath not many days to go. 1661Lovell Hist. Anim. & Min. Introd., The woolf goeth a month or forty daies. 1684Otway Atheist iv. (1735) 79 The Drab is full gone with Bastard. 1747Gentl. Mag. 106 The queen is pray'd for in the churches, being several months gone with child. 1748Smollett Rod. Rand. II. xlvi. 107, I am now four months gone with child by him. 1795Nat. Hist. in Ann. Reg. 84* The female goes two months, and then brings forth two young ones. 1841Fraser's Mag. XXIII. 15 The mother of man is said to go nine months in producing him. 1845Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. V. ii. 518 A mare goes somewhere about eleven months with young. 1900Daily Express 19 June 4/5 Vincent was turned out into Commissioner-street with Mrs. Vincent seven months gone. 1931W. Holtby Poor Caroline iv. 133 Brought her to the Home, four months gone, and won't be fifteen till next March. 1935N. Mitchison We have been Warned iv. 407 My mother found she was six months gone. 1955[see catch v. 9 b].
8. To be moving.
a. Of persons, esp. in the sentry's challenge who goes? who goes there?
1593Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, iv. iii. 26 Who goes there? 1611B. Jonson Catiline iv. vii, Stand, who goes there? 1805T. Dibdin Eng. Fleet iii. ii. Duet, ‘Who goes there? stranger—quickly tell.’ 1847Tennyson Princess v. 3 ‘Stand, who goes?’ ‘Two from the palace.’ 1883Stevenson Treas. Isl. iv. xx, Who goes? Stand, or we fire.
b. Of the sea (with defining word): To have or be in a specified kind of motion. Cf. run v.
a1611Beaum. & Fl. Maid's Trag. i. ii, The sea goes hie, Boreas has rais'd a storme. 1627Capt. Smith Seaman's Gram. xiii. 60 The Sea goes too high to boord her. 1633T. James Voy. 36 There went a..great Surfe. The Sea still went very loftie. 1719De Foe Crusoe i. i. (1840) 7 The sea went very high.
c. Of a piece of mechanism: To be set or kept in motion; to act, work. † Const. with. See also going vbl. n. 8.
1680Moxon Mech. Exerc. I. 235 The Common Lathe that goes either with the Treddle Wheel, or the great Wheel. 1686J. Smith Nat. Time 33 A short Pendulum that goes well when clean, shall go faster than the mean time when foul. 1712J. James tr. Le Blond's Gardening 81 A Knee-Joint..having a Screw to it, which makes the Joint go stiffer, or slacker, at Pleasure. Ibid. 192 Mills that go with the Help of the Wind or Water. 1739Ellicott in Phil. Trans. XLI. 132 In a few Minutes it described an Arch of two Degrees, and the Clock went. 1823New Monthly Mag. IX. 314/1 A church clock may be made to go eight days without winding. 1878Scribner's Mag. XV. 868/1 Everything will have to go like clockwork. 1890Chamb. Jrnl. 12 July 439/2 [The] church clock has not gone for twenty years.
transf. and fig.1565Cooper Thesaurus, Arteriæ micant, the pulses beate or goe. 1599[see gnomon 1 c]. 1887Lowell Democr. 55 Those who believe that democracy..will go of itself. 1889Cornh. Mag. Dec. 581 She felt her heart ‘go’ in a most unusual manner. Mod. colloq. Her tongue goes nineteen to the dozen.
d. esp. Of a watch or clock (with defining word or phr.): To maintain a (specified) action, to keep (good or bad) time. Also transf.
1588Shakes. L.L.L. iii. i. 194 Neuer going a right, being a Watch: But being watcht, that it may still goe right. 1639Fuller Holy War ii. xlvi. (1640) 107 These curious observations (like over-small watches) not one of a hundred goeth true. 1710Steele Tatler No. 181 ⁋1 When we wind up a Clock that is out of Order, to make it go well for the future. 1819Byron Juan 1 xvii, Even her minutest motions went as well As those of the best time-piece made by Harrison.
9. With reference to sound.
a. Of a musical instrument (esp. an organ), a bell: To sound. Of a gun: To be fired.
1503Hawes Examp. Virt. xiii. st. 16 The organs went and the bellys dyd rynge. 1584R. Scot Discov. Witchcr. xv. xxiv. 439 To sing when the organs go. 1622Bacon Holy War Wks. 1827 VII. 129 This pope is decrepit, and the bell goeth for him. 1667–8Pepys Diary 20 Jan., To advise about the making of a flageolet to go low and soft. 1825New Monthly Mag. XIV. 495 A bell shall go for hours telling us that Mr. Ching is dead. 1841Fraser's Mag. XXIII. 16 The bell goes for church, as also for dinner. 1880Daily Tel. 7 Sept., First gun goes to the boat ahead.
b. Of a clock (with numeral as cognate obj.): To strike (the hour). Said also of the hour.
1709Prior Hans Carvel 113 The Chimes went Twelve: the Guests withdrew. 1721D'Urfey New Opera's 241 The Clock, said I, just Twelve has gone. 1793E. Parsons Castle Wolfenbach I. 1 The clock from the old castle had just gone eight. 1859Geo. Eliot A. Bede ii. xviii, Don't you know church begins at two, and it's gone half after one a'ready? 1887Westall Capt. Trafalgar i. 15 The clock on the mantel⁓piece went eight. 1889Stevenson Master of B. v. 133 Twelve was already gone some time upon the clock.
10. In senses 8 and 9, with imitative interjections or verb-stems used adverbially, e.g. to go bang, go clatter, go cluck, go crack, go crash, go patter, go smash, go snap, go tang, go whirr, etc.
1791Cowper Retired Cat 79 His noble heart went pit-a-pat. 1812H. & J. Smith Rej. Addr., Theatre 25 Tang goes the harpsichord. 1818Moore Fudge Fam. Paris viii. 2 My stays..I knew would go smash with me one of these days. 1887Baring-Gould Gaverocks II. xxxiv. 200 Clatter, clatter, went the horses' hoofs. 1889Mrs. E. Kennard Landing a Prize II. xii. 211 Something seemed to go snap within me. Ibid. III. ii. 30 Whirr went the reel. 1890M. W. Hungerford Life's Remorse III. xi. 127 Patter, patter, goes the rain. 1891Daily News 24 Oct. 5/3 A tyre..that will [not] go pop all of a sudden. 1892Sat. Rev. 2 July 10/2 Crack went the mast.
11. a. Of time, a space of time: To pass, elapse.
(For special uses of going and gone in this sense, see V.)
a1300Cursor M. 11281 Ten dais on þe monet was gan. c1385Chaucer L.G.W. 427 He made also, goon ys a grete while, Origenes upon the Maadeleyne. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) xxiv. 110 It es noȝt ȝit gane viiixx ȝere sen [etc.]. c1470Henry Wallace i. 271 This passit our, quhill diuers dayis war gane. 1548Hall Chron., Edw. IV, 240 b, Which yere with foure more were passed and gone. 1602Marston Ant. & Mel. iii. Wks. 1856 I. 33 How goes the time? 1782Cowper Convers. 382 ‘Yes Ma'am’, and ‘No Ma'am’, uttered softly, show Every five minutes how the minutes go. 1835Mrs. Carlyle Lett. I. 20 One week and half of another is already gone. 1889Mrs. E. Kennard Landing a Prize I. viii. 147 The afternoon went pleasantly enough.
†b. Of an event, etc.: To pass, happen, take place. Obs.
c1200,c1340[see A 8 a]. 1609in Digby Myst. (1882) p. xxiii, When ye whitson playes weare played, then ye showe at midsomer wente not.
12. a. Of coin, banknotes: To pass from hand to hand, to circulate; to be accepted or pass current at a certain value (cf. 24). to go (for) current (see current a. 8).
c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) xxv. 117 Þis monee..gase thurgh all þe Grete Caan landes. 1503Act 19 Hen. VII, c. 5 The Coins of a Sovereign [etc.]..shall go and be current in Payment, through all this his Realm. 1547Boorde Introd. Knowl. xviii. (1870) 169 All maner of gold goth there. 1663Pepys Diary 19 May, Groats..as good and better than those that commonly go. 1669Dryden Tyrannic Love v. i. Wks. 1883 III. 460 Love is the only coin in heaven will go. 1688Miege Gt. Fr. Dict. ii. s.v., This half Crown will never go, 'tis brass. 1696G. Harris in Blackmore's Hist. Conspiracy (1723) 122, Guineas then going at thirty Shillings apiece. 1813Sporting Mag. XLI. 242 One of the shillings he was afraid, would not go. 1872Punch 7 Sept. 101/2 Bank-notes, she supposes, will go everywhere.
†b. Of a ransom: To be accepted. Obs.
c1175Lamb. Hom. 9 Nouþer gold ne seoluer ne moste gan for þe. a1300Cursor M. 4494 Bot sal it wit-in thre dais be, It sal na raunsun ga for þe.
13. a. Of a report, tale, etc.: To pass from mouth to mouth, be current. Const. of, † on, † upon. Phr. the report (tale, story), goes that etc.; as the story goes.
1542[see glee n. 1 β]. 1548Hall Chron., Hen. VII, 5 b, The fame went and many menne surely supposed kyng Edwardes chyldren not to be dead. 1623Lisle ælfric on O. & N. Test. Ded., He of whom that ancient tale hath gon. a1633Austin Medit. (1635) 192 Something it is to haue a Fame goe on a Man. 1665Boyle Occas. Refl. v. vi. (1842) 317, I wonder not at the story that goes of a Grand Signior. a1715Burnet Own Time (1823) I. 428 To try the truth of these scandalous reports that went upon the clergy. 1745W. Harris in Priv. Lett. Ld. Malmesbury I. 4 Now the story goes that he [the young Pretender] is in the Highlands. 1868Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) II. viii. 187 As the story goes.
†b. Of a health, toast: To be passed round.
1698Wanley in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden) 257 Having dined with Madame Isted to day, where your health went over and over.
14. a. To be known by (a name or title). to go by or under the name or title of: to be known as; also (of a literary composition), to be ascribed to.
1599Shakes. Much Ado ii. i. 211 The Princes foole!.. It may be I goe vnder that title, because I am merrie. 1630W. T. Justif. Relig. now Professed iii. 28 The Liturgies that go vnder the name of Basil. 1662Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. i. iv. §3 He that goes under the name of Orpheus. 1687Burnet Contin. Reply Varillas 12 That Book that goes by the name of P. Martyr's Common Places. 1711Addison Spect. No. 169 ⁋2 That Disposition of Mind which in our Language goes under the Title of Good-nature. 1756P. Browne Jamaica 254 Wax, which..goes by the name of Terra Orellana. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. ii. I. 244 note, The ‘Character of a Trimmer’,..went under the name of his kinsman, Sir William Coventry. a1859Ibid. xxiii. (1861) V. 92 The monk who..sometimes went by the alias of Johnson. 1879M. J. Guest Lect. Hist. Eng. xxxv. 356 Shakespeare did not write that play, though it generally goes under his name.
†b. with adj. as complement: To pass for, to be currently accounted. Obs.
1663Flagellum, or O. Cromwell (ed. 2) 3 A Gentleman who went no lesse in esteem..then any of his Ancestors. 1670Cotton Espernon i. iii. 130 Had he apply'd himself wholly to his Book, [he] might have gone equal to the most famous Church-men of this latter age.
15. To have ordinarily a certain degree or range of value, amount, excellence, etc. as men, things, etc. go: judging by the standard commonly attained.
1545Brinklow Compl. 15 b, Whan rentys went at a moch lower pryce. 1552Act 5 & 6 Edw. VI, c. 14 §8 As the Price of Corn then goeth in the said Market or Fair. a1604Churchyard in Chips (1817) 19 Some friends I found, as friends do go. 1639Chapman & Shirley Ball iv. iii, Col. And are you sure he's honest? Lac. As lords go now a-days that are in fashion. 1719De Foe Crusoe ii. xiv. (1840) 295 They call it fortified, and so it is, as fortifications go there. a1735Arbuthnot (J.), I think, as the world goes, he was a good sort of man enough. 1841Fraser's Mag. XXIII. 16 ‘How goes it, Joe?’ ‘Pretty well, as times go.’ 1872Black Adv. Phaeton xxii. 314 It was a good enough luncheon, as hotels go. 1880G. R. Sims Dagonet Ball., Sal Grogan iii, A decent chap was her father, as folks in alleys go.
16. Of a document, language, etc.: To have a specified tenor, to run.
1605Shakes. Macb. i. iii. 87 You shall be King. And Thane of Cawdor too: went it not so? 1631Weever Anc. Funeral Mon. 288 Thus goes the Bull. 1682N.O. Boileau's Lutrin iv. 314 The General cry went still, Ay! one and all! Let the Proud Pulpit, Let the Pulpit fall! 1685Baxter Paraphr. N.T., Matt. i. 10 In a very ancient Hebrew Copy of the Gospel, this verse goeth (and Eliakim begat Abner [etc.]). 1852Dickens Bleak Ho. xlv, Those who are put in authority over me (as the catechism goes).
17. Of verses: To glide along rhythmically. Cf. flow v. 4. Of a song: To admit of being sung; also, to follow the measure of, to adapt itself to (a tune).
1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie i. vii. (Arb.) 28 When they could make their verses goe all in ryme. 1599Shakes. Much Ado iii. iv. 44 Claps into Light a loue, (that goes without a burden). 1611― Wint. T. iv. iv. 295 This is a passing merry one, and goes to the tune of two maids wooing a man. 1702Steele Funeral ii. iii, I con'd this Song before I came in, and find t'will go to an excellent Air of Old Mr. Laws's. 1879‘Annie Thomas’ Lond. Season II. 79 They [verses] ‘go’ easily enough. 1882Stevenson Fam. Stud. 289 The lines go with a lilt. 1892Harper's Mag. June 78/1 The verses seem to go of themselves.
18. a. Of a series of events, etc.: To have a specified (favourable or unfavourable) course or issue; to turn out (well or ill). Const. with, († for). Often with subject it or things. See also hard adv. 2 c.
c1489Caxton Blanchardyn xxvii. 102 He vnderstode..that the thynge wente euyll for hym. a1533Ld. Berners Huon lxvi. 229 Gerames..parceyued anone that the mater was lyke to go euyll. 1535Coverdale Deut. v. 16 That it maye go well with the in the londe, which the Lorde thy God shall geue the. 1594Shakes. Rich. III, iii. ii. 98 How goes the World with thee? 1625Burges Pers. Tithes 36 We know how it went with Israel when there was no King among them. 1663–4Pepys Diary 2 Mar., He believes that things will go very high against the Chancellor. 1711Steele Spect. No. 49 ⁋6 When Eubulus seems to intimate that Things go well. 1764Reid Let. Wks. I. 40/2 After I have given you so full an account of my own state, spiritual and temporal, how goes it with you? 1820Examiner No. 627. 249/2 His partizans seeing how things were going. 1872S. Butler Erewhon ix. 73 It would have gone hardly with him. 1885Mrs. E. Lynn Linton C. Kirkland III. vii. 241 All went merry as a wedding-bell. 1889‘B. W. D.’ & ‘Cavendish’ Whist w. & without Perception 46 The hand went so strangely that I couldn't possibly tell.
b. Of a contest, war, also a vote, an election: To issue, or result in some specified manner. Said also of a constituency in respect of its vote, or of a politician in respect of his decision to support one side or the other; colloq. often with an adjectival complement.
1597Shakes. Lover's Compl. 113 On this side the verdict went. 1597Bacon Col. Good & Evil (Arb.) 140 So in many Armies, if the matter should be tryed by duell betweene two Champions, the victory should go on one side, and yet if it be tried by the grosse, it would go of the other side. 1610in Crt. & Times Jas. I (1848) I. 120 The greatest voice goeth for my Lord of Southampton. 1682Dryden Medal Ep. Whigs A 3 b, When a Vote of the House of Commons goes on your side. 1712Arbuthnot John Bull iv. vii. (Arb.) 653 Sometimes they were like to pull John over: then it went, all of a sudden, again on John's side. 1781Hist. Eur. in Ann. Reg. 142/1 The elections went much in favour of the court. 1849Tait's Mag. XVI. 94/1 The war..went favourably to the Cavaliers. 1887Proctor Americanisms in Knowledge Dec. 28 s.v., A State is said to go Democratic, or to go Republican, when it votes for one or the other cause after being for a time doubtful, or on the other side. 1889Sat. Rev. 23 Nov. 589/2 Marlborough was by no means unlikely to have gone Jacobite after all. 1890Ibid. 22 Feb. 213/2 The constituency has alternately ‘gone’ Gladstonian and Tory. 1890T. F. Tout Hist. Eng. 52 A general election went decidedly against him.
c. To take its course; esp. in phrase to let (judgement, etc.) go by default.
1820Examiner No. 622. 171/1 The defendant had let judgment go by default. 1890Sat. Rev. 18 Oct. 444/1 The corn⁓porters' case has practically gone by default. 1892Boston (Mass.) Jrnl. 5 Nov. 12/7 The Tillmanites will..let the election go by default.
d. what has gone of ― ?, what is gone with ― ? = ‘What has become of ― ?’ or ‘What is the matter with ― ?’ (Cf. come v. 43 b.)
1771Mrs. J. Harris in Lett. 1st Earl Malmesbury (1870) I. 235 He started and asked what was gone of all the company, and begged to be conducted to them. 1803S. Pegge Anecd. Eng. Lang. 239 The London expression of enquiry after any body is ‘What is gone with such a one?’ 1814Lamb Lett. (1837) I. 332 What has gone of..M― and his gos-lettuces? 1865Dickens Mut. Fr. i. vi, What's gone with that boy? 1875G. J. Whyte-Melville Katerfelto xxx. (1876) 339 Nobody in Porlock ever knew what was gone with him. 1882B. Harte Flip v, What's gone with ye?
19. a. Of a performance, ceremony, etc.: To proceed in a specified manner with regard to degree of success; to be gone through well, badly, etc.
1665–6Pepys Diary 23 Feb., Teaching her my song of ‘Beauty retire’, which she sings and makes go most rarely. 1745Chesterfield Lett. (1792) I. ciii. 284 He tells me that your Greek grammar goes pretty well. 1890Sat. Rev. 20 Dec. 709/2 The Adelphi never seems to us to go quite so well as the Andria. 1892Eng. Illustr. Mag. IX. 449 The annual dinner..never goes better than when he is in the chair.
b. To be successful, meet with applause or support. (Cf. go down, 80 g.) to go big: to be a big success, have a large sale (cf. 89 h); slang (orig. U.S.).
1742Fielding J. Andrews ii. xvii, You must not tip us the Traveller; it won't go here. 1866Public Opinion 13 Jan. 51/1 His London street-railway scheme didn't go. 1891E. Phillpotts Folly & Fresh Air xii. 192 He..always found a banjo to ‘go’ better than anything. 1892H. Le Caron 25 Y. Secret Service (1893) 132 The paper..caught the public fancy and ‘went’ amazingly. 1893Sketch 15 Feb. 170/1 It became evident from an early point in the play that it would ‘go’. 1893Daily News 26 June 2/5 If only the manufactured iron trade can be got to ‘go’, then there is every probability of the revival being sustained. 1903Ade People you Know 88, I done that with a Piece called ‘A Boiled Dinner’, and it always went big. 1930Publishers' Circular 22 Feb. 186 We have reason to believe that The Miracle of Peille..will go big. 1936Wodehouse Laughing Gas xxi. 231 The nosegay didn't seem to go very big. I was not feeling strong enough to pick it up, but I shoved it forward with my foot.
c. spec. Of a route, etc., in Mountaineering: to be usable.
1883W. S. Green High Alps of N.Z. xiv. 232 The route to the northern ridges of the peak..would not ‘go’. 1937H. W. Tilman Ascent of Nanda Devi vi. 52, I wanted to have a look at the difficult part of the gorge to see if the route would still ‘go’. 1956C. Evans On Climbing vii. 112 It is important, as on rocks, to cultivate an eye for what will ‘go’ and what will not, so that no time is wasted.
d. To be acceptable or permitted; esp. in phr. anything (or everything) goes. colloq.
1879G. Meredith Egoist II. i. 17 Everything goes on the stage, since it's only the laugh we want on the brink of the action. 1887Lantern (New Orleans) 19 Feb. 5/1 As everything goes..I'll pass it by with never a word to say. 1891Harper's Mag. Dec. 104/2 Any other night goes, but not this night. 1892Kipling Many Invent. (1893) 168 Remember, everything goes in the States, from a trouser-button to a double-eagle. 1921Ladies' Home Jrnl. June 80/3 One of the few real ‘movie’ fortunes has been made by a man who..has constantly exploited the vicious theory that ‘anything goes in fun’. 1934Cole Porter (show- and song-title) Anything goes. 1958M. Allingham Hide my Eyes 191 Anything goes if it's done by someone you're fond of. 1959Listener 15 Jan. 113/1 In a brawl, they're deadly. Anything goes—spurs, hobble chains, the lot. 1960Sunday Express 12 June 14/3 In the evening anything goes..from Baby Doll frills to matador pants and a billowing overskirt.
e. To be accepted or carried into effect; to have authority or effectiveness; to be valid; to be obeyed without question; esp. in phr. what I say goes. colloq. (orig. U.S.).
1891Century Mag. Dec. 190/1 ‘Can you fix it?’.. ‘I guess what I say to Jim goes,’ she said. 1901Merwin & Webster Calumet ‘K’ 62 My only order was, ‘Clear the road—and be damn quick about it.’ What I said went. 1931Punch 18 Mar. 286/3 An emergency Cabinet of five..with supreme emergency powers..subject of course to full democratic control. But what I say goes. 1949G. B. Shaw Buoyant Billions iii. 31 He makes so much money that whatever he says, goes.
¶20. that goes without saying = ‘that is a matter of course’; transl. of F. cela va sans dire.
1878Scribner's Mag. XVI. 397/2 That goes without saying. 1897Literature 27 Nov. 185/2 It goes without saying that the books are not ordinary ones.
II. Uses in which movement from a place is the primary notion.
21. a. To move away, depart, leave a place. Const. from, † of. See also go away (75 below).
c1000Ags. Gosp. John xiv. 31 Arisað, uton gan heonon. a1225[see A 2 a]. a1300[see A 1 a]. c1300Beket 1114 in S.E. Leg. (1887) 138 Fram Norehamptone bar he eode for holi churche to fiȝte. c1320Sir Tristr. 331 Rohand toke leue to ga His sones he cleped oway. c1325Cursor M. App. ii. 730 Off fyue þousand was þer none, that myȝt of þat stede gone. a1400–50Alexander 4008 Quen þe gouernoure is gane þan is þe gomes wastid. c1450Merlin 142 Lete vs gon. 1535Stewart Cron. Scot. (1858) I. 3 Now tell me or ȝe ga. 1535Coverdale 1 Sam. xxx. 22 Let euery man take his wife & his children and be goynge. 1610Shakes. Temp. ii. i. 122 No, no, hee's gone. 1671Milton Samson 1237 Go, baffled coward, lest I run upon thee. 1894S. Weyman Under Red Robe iv, Turning sharply to the right, [she] was in an instant gone from sight. 1897Fl. Marryat Blood Vampire xii, I couldn't let you go without saying how grieved..I am.
b. with cognate acc. to go one's way, etc.
c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) v. 14 He..ȝode his way. 1481Caxton Reynard xi. (Arb.) 25 The vytayller..was goon his way. 1535Coverdale Judith viii. 34 Go thy waye in peace. 1641Milton Ch. Govt. i. vi. Wks. (1847) 39/2, I willingly depart, I go my ways. 1801Southey Thalaba ii. xxviii, Now go thy way, Abdaldar!
c. fig., esp. in to go from one's word, etc. (Cf. go back, 76 c.)
1530Palsgr. 571/2, I go from a thynge, I denye a thing that I have ones sayd, je desauoue. 1611Bible 1 Macc. ii. 22 We will not hearken to the kings words, to goe from our religion, either on the right hand, or the left. 1726–31Tindal Rapin's Hist. Eng. (1743) II. xvii. 114 To give her a pretence to go from her word. 1888F. Barrett Lady Biddy Fane III. liv. 104 They had given their promise to do so, and would not go from their word.
†d. Used in imp. as a rebuke or remonstrance. (Cf. come v. 34 b; also go along, 73 a, go on, 86 j.)
1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. i. v. 88 You are a Princox, goe. 1599― Hen. V, v. i. 73 Go, go, you are a counterfeit cowardly Knaue.
e. to let go (see let v.). In fig. phr. let it go at that: let that account, estimate, conclusion, etc., be accepted; let us say no more about it.
1881J. C. Harris Uncle Remus xxx. 111 Hit wuz Miss Molly Cottontail, en I speck we better let it go at dat. 1898E. N. Westcott David Harum 306 ‘Very well,’ said John, ‘we will let it go at that.’ 1917J. Farnol Definite Object ii. 19 Eleven will do as well as any other time; let it go at that. Ibid. xxxvi. 312 Somebody tried to kill me, but somebody didn't kill me; here I am, getting stronger every day, so we'll let it go at that. 1955J. D. Salinger Franny & Zooey (1962) 13 I'm no Freudian Man or anything like that, but certain things you can't just pass over as capital-F Freudian and let them go at that.
f. go well. A form of address, of African vernacular origin, used at parting.
1948A. Paton Cry, Beloved Country i. ii. 14 That was good of you. Go well, small one. 1951P. Abrahams Wild Conquest ii. ii. 298 ‘Where do you journey?’ ‘To the land of the Basuto.’ ‘Go well, my friend.’ ‘Go well, white man.’ 1961H. Stanton Go Well stay Well 5 ‘Go well.’ ‘Stay well.’ Sesuto: ‘Tsamea pila.’ ‘Sala pila.’ These words constitute the customary expressions of good-will when African friends are parting. The friend who stays says to the friend who goes, ‘Go well’, conveying the thought, ‘May God protect you on your journey.’
22. a. To begin to move from a given point or state, to begin any action; esp. in imperative go!, said by the starter in a race, etc. Of an explosive = to go off (see 85 c); also fig. here goes, there goes, touch and go: see these words. from the word go: from the start, from the very beginning (colloq., orig. U.S.).
c1386[see A 2 c α]. 1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iv. (1586) 181 That when they [bees] are ready to flie, or going, they make a great humming. 1820Examiner No. 641. 473/2 The Revolution in Spain has been succeeded by a Revolution in Naples. We thought that Prussia would go next. 1834D. Crockett Narr. Life 59, I was plaguy well pleased with her from the word go. 1837Dickens Pickw. ii, Hear the company—fiddles tuning—now the harp—there they go! 1867Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Go! A word sometimes given when all is ready for a launch of a vessel from the stocks. 1885Howells Silas Lapham (1891) I. 82 He was a drag and a brake on me from the word Go. 1892Field 2 Apr. 479/3 On the word ‘to go’ being given Oxford started well. Ibid., Opposite there Mr. D. H. McLean gave the word go. 1934H. G. Wells Exper. Autobiogr. I. v. 211, I lost him from the word Go. 1937― Star Begotten vii. 135 People will hate them from the word Go! 1963Times 24 Jan. 6/6 It was wrong from the word ‘go’ to put in a limitation such as 60.
b. To play jazz or similar music excitingly or uninhibitedly; to ‘swing’. Freq. imp.
1926Melody Maker Jan. 19 Atta-boy, let's go! 1935Vanity Fair Nov. 71 Hot artists or bands that can put across their licks successfully..can ‘go’. 1958Punch 27 Aug. 270/1 In a kind of trance I began to cry rhythmically ‘Go man go!’
23. In conjunction with adjs. having a negative sense, as quit, unpunished, unrewarded, etc. where the original sense is that of leaving a court of justice or the like, but passing now into that of continuing in a specified state (cf. sense 7). to go free (see free a. 5).
a1225St. Marher. 18 Hit were þi gein þet tu þe gest un⁓blescet. a1300Cursor M. 6713 (Gött.) Þe bestis lauerd sal ga [Trin. go] quite Of alkines chalange and wite. 1484Caxton Fables of Alfonce iii, The trouthe was knowen wherfore the poure man went quyte. 1610Shakes. Temp. iv. i. 242 Wit shall not goe vn-rewarded while I am King of this Country. 1820Examiner No. 655. 699/2 The only method..is to let all opinions go free. 1877C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iii. i. 4 Such forays usually went unpunished. 1888G. Gissing Life's Morning I. ii. 72 Her worldly tastes did not go altogether ungratified.
24. a. To pass or be disposed of by sale. Const. at, for (so much); also to go cheap. In auctioneers’ phraseology going! = on the point of being sold! gone! = sold!
c1430Freemasonry 92 Pay thy felows after the coste, As vytaylys goth thenne. 1549Latimer 1st Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 39 For that herebefore went for .xx. or .xl. pound by yere..now is it let for .l. or a .C. pound by yeare. 1677A. Yarranton Engl. Improv. 21 Twenty years purchase, which they will go at, and much more. 1754H. Walpole Lett. (1857) II. 412, I can't conclude my letter without telling you what an escape I had at the sale of Dr. Mead's library, which goes extremely dear. 1764H. Walpole Let. 10 May (1904) VI. 62 There was a whole-length of Sir Henry Sidney, which I should have liked, but it went for fifteen guineas. 1777Sheridan Sch. Scand. iv. i. (1782 Dublin) 41 I'll knock 'em down at forty pounds. Going—going—gone. 1803Pic Nic No. 13 (1806) II. 227 When any article under sale was going for less than its appointed value. 1814Moore Sale of Tools ii, Once, twice, going, going, thrice, gone!—it is yours, sir. 1862Temple Bar VI. 414 Going at four pounds fifteen, if there is no advance. 1881A. Lang Library i. 19 The bidders are professionals, in a league to let the volumes go cheap. 1968M. Torrie Your Secret Friend v. 54 What did Little Monkshood go for? Do you know? 1971Radio Times 30 Oct.–5 Nov. 36/3 Sunday tv..Going for a Song. Customers and connoisseurs explore the world of Antiques.
†b. Phrase. he goes for my money = ‘he's the man for me’. Obs.
1549Latimer Ploughers (Arb.) 38 Amonge al the packe of them that haue cure the Deuil shall go for my money. 1589R. Harvey Pl. Perc. 15 He goes for my money.
25. a. Of money: To be parted with, to disappear, be expended or spent. Const. in.
1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xx. 75 And that goth mor for hus medicine ich make the good aȝenwarde. 1879M. J. Guest Lect. Hist. Eng. xxx. 299 Whatever money he got..it all went in books. 1889Mrs. Oliphant Poor Gentleman II. ix. 163, I should make the money go.
†b. To be paid out of the revenues of. Obs.
1487Paston Lett. No. 893 III. 331 [It] was the will of her husbonde that the annuyte schulde go oute of the seide maner of Swaynesthorpe. 1512Act 4 Hen. VIII, c. 11 The seid annuell rentes appoynted to be goyng out of the seid Maners.
26. To be given up, relinquished, or sacrificed. † Also, to be forfeited.
a1715Burnet Own Time II. 55 If any person suffered in England on the account of the letters betrayed by him, his head should go for it. 1832F. A. Kemble in Rec. Girlhood (1878) III. 196 The house must go, the carriage must go, the horses must go, and yet [etc.]. 1850Tait's Mag. XVII. 659/2, I have parted with..everything except my marriage-ring, and it must go next. 1890Jrnl. Educ. 1 June 297/2 Greek, not being a primary subject, must go, except for the classical specialist.
27. a. To cease to exist or to be present; to be taken away, lost, or consumed; to come to an end, be abolished.
c1200[see A. 8 α]. a1310in Wright Lyric P. xx. 61 Al goth bote Godes wille. c1375Lay-folks' Mass-bk. 137 Til his parchemyn was al gon. c1450Golagros & Gaw. 36 All thair vittalis was gone. 1610Shakes. Temp. iii. ii. 73 Take his bottle from him; When that's gone, He [etc.]. 1772Junius Lett. lxviii. 335 The reputation you pretend to is gone for ever. 1857Buckle Civiliz. I. xiii. 717 All its independence was gone. 1883Black Yolande II. xiv. 255 One of the results of using those..drugs is, that the will entirely goes. 1885Mrs. E. Lynn Linton C. Kirkland I. vi. 168 Sometimes the eyesight goes for ever. 1892Sat. Rev. 5 Nov. 527/2 The Bishop's veto, of course, is to go..The Ecclesiastical Courts are to go too.
b. Cricket. Of a wicket: To be ‘lost’. Also, of a batsman: to be ‘out’.
1862Baily's Mag. Aug. 90 Hornby..was the first to go. 1890Field 10 May 672/3 The next three wickets went before anything had been added to the score. 1904P. F. Warner How we recovered Ashes vii. 105 Three of the greatest batsmen in the world gone for nine runs on a perfect wicket!
28. a. To ‘depart this life’, die.
1390Gower Conf. I. 44 Wherof the worlde ensample fette May after this, whan I am go. 1426Audelay Poems 9 Do for ȝoure self ore ȝe gone. 1535Coverdale Job xxxvi. 12 They shall go thorow the swearde, & perish or euer they be awarre. a1610Healey Epictetus' Man. (1636) 46 Thy neighbours wife..dyeth. Every one can say, Why! wee are all mortall;..but when his owne goes, then [etc.]. 1708Prior Turtle & Sp. 375 We're here to-day and gone to⁓morrow. 1830F. A. Kemble in Rec. Girlhood (1878) II. iii. 89 Have I lived to see him go before me! 1850Tait's Mag. XVII. 722/2 Your brother's gone—died half-an-hour ago.
b. In many phrases signifying ‘to die’, some of which are of Biblical or religious origin, as to go the way of all the earth (1 Kings ii 2, Josh. xxii. 14, often misquoted to go the way of all flesh, of all living), to go to a better world, to one's account, to one's own place, etc.; while others are jocular or slang, as to go aloft, off the hooks, off the stocks, to (the) pot, etc. (see the accompanying words).
29. To fail, give way; to succumb to pressure, strain, or any deteriorating influence.
a. Of a material object: To break, also to break with noise, to crack; to wear (in or into holes).
1798Nelson in Nicolas Disp. (1845) III. 20 About half-past three the foremast went in three places. 1840R. H. Dana Bef. Mast xxxiii. 125 We looked every moment to see something go. 1867Judy 1 May 5/2 It [a window] wasn't cracked..that morning, and she thought she heard it go when she was over the way. 1883Fenn Middy & Ensign xiii. 74 Your major split some stitches somewhere, for I heard them go. 1892Cassell's Mag. July 469/2 His jerseys go into holes, and his flannels shrink. 1892Field 15 Oct. 579/3 Sacks split or go in holes.
b. To faint, become unconscious. (Perh. with mixed notion of go off, go to sleep.)
1768Goldsm. Good-n. Man v. Wks. (Globe) 637/2 Help, she's going, give her air.
c. Of a crop, etc.: To be attacked by disease or decay.
1735–40Dyche & Pardon Dict., Going..also a term applied to liquor, meat, &c. when it is perishing or spoiling. 1855Ld. Houghton in Life (1891) I. xi. 516 The crop good, but the potatoes..going everywhere.
d. Of living beings, their organs or faculties: To fail, decline, give way, break down.
1809Malkin Gil Blas vii. iv. ⁋3 You see that my lord archbishop is going very fast. 1890Daily News 17 Nov. 7/2 His [a pugilist's] legs had gone, and he had been over-trained. 1892Sat. Rev. 9 Jan. 41/1 Omnibus-horses generally go first in the loins. 1892Chamb. Jrnl. 6 Aug. 509/2 I could feel my brain going.
III. Uses in which the prominent notion is that of the destination or direction. Here the verb is distinguished from come by the implication that the movement is not towards the speaker, or the person whose point of view he for the moment assumes.
* of self-originated movement or action.
30. a. To move, take one's way, pass, or proceed to or towards a place, into the presence of a person, or in a specified direction. Const. to, towards, into, or with any prep. or adv. indicative of motion whither.
971[see A 3 a pl.] c1000Ags. Gosp. Matt. xxiv. 38 Oð þone dæᵹ þe noe on þa earce eode. a1175Cott. Hom. 229 Heo ȝede to þan iudeiscan folce. c1175Lamb. Hom. 3 Goð [printed God] in þane castel þet is onȝein eou. a1225Ancr. R. 128 Þeos eoden into ancre huse ase dude Saul into hole. a1300[see A 3 a]. a1300Cursor M. 4537 ‘Ga to þe prisun’, said þe king. c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 45 Who euere of freris..wilen goon among sarasyns. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. iii. 168 Mede..graunteth to go with a good wille To Londoun. a1400–50Alexander 2111 [He] to þe place goys. a1450Knt. de la Tour (1868) 120 She went vnto the kinge and..made pees betwene the kinge and her husbonde. 1591Shakes. Two Gent. iii. i. 388 Must I goe to him? 1598–9E. Forde Parismus ii. (1636) 229 And the Judges gone to the Dungeon to bring forth the Prisoner. 1600Fairfax Tasso i. lxxvii, To the Christian Duke by heapes they gone. 1665Pepys Diary 17 Apr., That he do appoint a fleet to go to the Northward. 1897Fl. Marryat Blood Vampire xv, The Baron..turned round to go downstairs.
b. to go to Jericho, Bath, Hong Kong, Putney, etc.: used imperatively or optatively to imply that one desires to see no more of a person, or does not care what becomes of him. Similarly to go to Halifax (for which see gibbet).
1648Mercurius Aulicus Nos. 7–9. 5 Let them all goe to Jericho, And n'ere be seen againe. 1669Depos. Cast. York (Surtees) 165 Sirrah! goe to Hallifax. 1758A. Murphy Upholsterer ii. (1763) 33 He may go to Jericho for what I cares. 1857Trollope Three Clerks xxvii, ‘She may go to Hong-Kong for me’. 1859Thackeray Virgin. xvi, ‘She may go to Tunbridge, or she may go to Bath, or she may go to Jericho for me’.
c. transf. Of a road, passage, door, etc.: To ‘lead’ to, into, etc.
13..K. Alis. 6250 He..dude perforce stoppe the pas, That goth fro Taracounte to Capias. a1533Ld. Berners Huon lxvi. 228 This other way goeth to Rome. 1583Hollyband Campo di Fior 89 Can you set vs in the waye, that goeth to Philopons schoole? a1586Sidney Arcadia iii. (1633) 245 Follow him through the door that goes into the garden. 1719De Foe Crusoe i. xviii, Their Men..secur'd..the Scuttle which went down into the Cook-Room. 1749Fielding Tom Jones vii. x, Which way goes to Bristol.
d. Colloq. phr. where do we go from here (or there)? = what shall we do next? what happens next?
1922Wodehouse Clicking of Cuthbert ix. 222 ‘I've had three ginger ales,’ observed the boy. ‘Where do we go from here?’ 1937A. Christie Death on Nile ii. xxvi. 255 Well, sir, where do we go from here? 1952R. Vickers Sole Survivor 45 He was as bewildered as I was myself... I asked: ‘Where do we go from here, Gramshaw?’ 1954M. Hutton in Best One-Act Plays of 1952–53 57 Right. We've got her name. Where do we go from there?
31. With implication of an additional meaning.
a. The place mentioned as the destination is often intended to include, or simply stand for, what is done there; as in to go to the ball, to bed (also to go into, to bed to), to church, to court, to grass, to market, to press, to school, to stool, etc. (see these words).
b. Of female animals (occas. of male): to go to (the) bull, cow, horse, etc. = to copulate with.
1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. ii. (1586) 117 What age doe you thinke best for the Mare to go to the horse. Ibid. iii. 129 The time for going to Bull, some take to be best in the midst of the spring. Ibid. 129 b, If you suffer him immediately..to go to the Cowe, it is certayne hee may get a Calfe. 1616B. Jonson Epigr., On Mill, My Lady's Woman 3 When Mill first came to Court, the vnprofiting foole..Was dull, and long, ere shee would goe to man.
c. In some contexts, to go to a place is used to imply the additional notion of entering on a mode of life, employment, or the like, which is associated with it; e.g. in to go to college, go to the university, go to prison, etc. to go to the bar: to become a barrister. to go † on the highway (or † the road), go on the stage, go on the streets: to become a highwayman, an actor, a prostitute.
1727Boyer Fr. Dict. s.v., To go upon the Highway (to be a High-way man). a1745Swift Direct. Servants Wks. (1869) 569/2, I..advise you to go upon the road..the only post of honour left you. 1849Tait's Mag. XVI. 37/1, I should have bid adieu to the Muses, and gone to the bar. 1883D. C. Murray Gate of Sea I. v. 138 She had gone upon the stage..to make bread for herself. 1891Review of Rev. 15 Sept. 299/1 Few of the working women proper go upon the streets. 1897Hall Caine Christian xi, Drake had gone to Harrow and thence to Oxford.
d. to go to sea: to go a voyage; also (more usually) to become a sailor. Of rigging: To be carried adrift.
1599Massinger, etc. Old Law v. i, She's going to sea—your grace knows whither better than I do. 1664–5Pepys Diary 8 Mar., He was to go to sea in her. 1770Nelson in Southey Life (1813) I. 4, I should like to go to sea with uncle Maurice. 1857S. P. Hall in Merc. Marine Mag. (1858) V. 12 The spare lower yard started from its lashings..and went to sea.
e. to go places: to go to various places; to travel; spec. (fig.) to be successful, to ‘make the grade’; to make progress. colloq. (orig. U.S.).
1925S. Lewis M. Arrowsmith xx. 232 The habit of social ease, of dressing, of going places without nervous anticipation. 1932Lit. Digest 30 Jan. 36/2 All Russians love to ‘go places’. 1933A. Waugh Wheels within Wheels xi. 222 You want to be able to go places and do things. Ibid. vii. 137 He hasn't been places yet. 1934M. Weseen Dict. Amer. Slang x. 142 Go places, to be successful; to get ahead. 1944L. A. G. Strong Director 254 They were jealous because she'd made the grade... She was going places. 1947N. Cardus Autobiogr. 250 This for me, is to live and to ‘go places’. 1958‘A. Gilbert’ Death against Clock 85 We're going places right away.
f. To urinate or defecate; to go to the lavatory; freq. to go somewhere. colloq.
1926E. Bowen Ann Lee's 71 Do you want to go somewhere? Have you got a pain? 1935Time 24 June 45/1, I took off all my clothes but my drawers and—well—I had to go. 1959W. Golding Free Fall ii. 61 But I been three times... I can't pee any more! 1962J. Wain Strike Father Dead 138 He's in the men's room. He's been wanting to go all evening, but as long as you were playing he didn't want to miss a note. 1967F. Mullally Prizewinner i. 19 Excuse me..I've got to go somewhere.
32. Instead of, or in addition to, the place of destination, the purpose or motive of going is often indicated. This may be expressed in various ways:
a. by the simple inf. to go get : to go and get; to reach; to work hard or ambitiously (cf. go-getter). Now colloq. and U.S.
go look! used to convey a contemptuous refusal to answer a question (obs. exc. dial.; common in Derbyshire).
Beowulf (Z) 1232 Eode þa to setle. 1375Barbour Bruce i. 433 Ga purches land quhar euir he may. c1386Chaucer Shipman's T. 223 Lat vs heere a messe and go we dyne. a1400–50[see A 2 d γ]. c1475Rauf Coilȝear 157 Ga tak him be the hand. 1542–5Brinklow Lament. (1874) 111 That I shulde go pour out my vyces in the eare of an vnlearned buzarde. 1591Spenser Teares Muses 398 Now thou maist go pack. 1602Narcissus (1893) 87 Come, daunce vs a morrice, or els goe sell fishe. a1625Fletcher Mad Lover ii. i, There's the old signe of Memnon: where the soule is You may go look. 1668Howe Bless. Righteous (1825) 199 We mighte as well go preach to devils. 1724De Foe Mem. Cavalier (1840) 71, I bid him go take care of his..things. 1795Ann. Agric. XXIII. 315 Nor does the drilled corn..go lie (as the farmer calls it) so readily as the broad-cast. 1813Jane Austen Lett. (1884) II. 216 Your Streatham and my Bookham may go hang. 1831S. Lover Paddy the Piper, Leg. & Stor. Irel. 151 There's an iligant lock o' straw, that you may go sleep in. 1849Tait's Mag. XVI. 170/1 Go hire the needful workmen. 1890Eng. Illustr. Mag. Sept. 888 As to a hauberk I must needs go lack; for I could not come by it. 1893[see chase v.1 7 c]. 1912Pedagogical Seminary XIX. 96 A rebuke to pride with the notion of ‘get out’,..‘Go jump in the lake.’ 1922Joyce Ulysses 750, I dont like a man you have to climb up to go get at. 1928F. Hurst President is Born viii. 113 They're the go-getters without your brains to go-get! 1929Galsworthy Roof iii. 45 Froba. Heu! You are go-getters. Bryn. What is a go-getter? Froba. Kind of an early bird—go gets the worm. 1968Globe & Mail (Toronto) 17 Feb. 35 (Advt.), Now there is polish as well as boyish personal appeal. Go see. 1968Encounter Sept. 22/1 Go hit your head against the wall. 1969A. Glyn Dragon Variation vii. 216 Let's go get ourselves a drink.
b. by the inf. with to.
For weakened senses of this construction in which the notion of movement in space is lost, see 34 b, c.
a1225Ancr. R. 10 Þet beoð, alse he seide, þe goð to helpen widewen. a1300[see A 2 b]. c1470Harding Chron. ix. ii, He bidden was to ga To helpe the kyng Euandre. 1590Shakes. Com. Err. v. i. 225 Our dinner done, and he not comming thither I went to seek him. 1817Byron Beppo xl, Coach, servants, gondola, he goes to call. 1879Edna Lyall Won by Waiting xiv, Esperance..went to dress for dinner.
c. by and with a co-ordinated verb. In the modern colloquial use of this combination the force of go is very much weakened or disappears altogether. In the positive imperative go is often nearly redundant (cf. L. i nunc, et{ddd}); otherwise, to go and (do something) = ‘to be so foolish, unreasonable, or unlucky as to ―’. So in the vulgar phrase (I have, he has, etc.) been and gone and (done so and so).
c1000Ags. Gosp. Matt. ix. 13 Gað soðlice and leorniᵹeaþ [Vulg. euntes autem discite] hwæt is [etc.]. a1300Cursor M. 7519 Gaes and fottes me in hij Mine aun armur. c1380Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 385 Men schulen fle to heven wiþouten peyne if þei wolden goo and slee..Cristen men. c1430Lydg. Chichev. & Byc. in Dodsl. O. Pl. XII. 335, I ful longe may gon and seeke Or I can fynde a good repast. 1558Sir T. Gresham in H. H. Gibbs Colloquy on Currency App. 6 Againste all wisdome the seyd bishoppe went and vallewid the French crowne at vjs. ivd. 1600Shakes. A.Y.L. ii. iii. 31 Would'st thou haue me go & beg my food. a1631Donne Poems (1650) 3 Goe and catch a falling starre. 1755H. Walpole Corr. cclxvii. (ed. 3) III. 105 Don't go and imagine that {pstlg}1,200,000 was all Sunk in the gulph of Madame Pompadour. 1815Houlston Juvenile Tracts vi. Cork Jacket 6 He might go and hang himself for all they cared. 1878Scribner's Mag. XVI. 87/1 The fool has gone and got married. 1891Temple Bar Aug. 470 That I should actually have been and gone and told him so!
d. by a n. (governed by to, and often without article) denoting an action that is to be performed, a ceremony at which one is to be present, etc.
Also with weakened sense in to go to sleep.
c1175[see A 2 c α]. c1330[see A 2 c β]. c1430Hymns Virg. (1867) 56 Seynt iohun..for ihesus loue to deeþ gan goon. c1485Digby Myst. (1882) iii. 578 Tyme drayt ny to go to dyner. 1548Hall Chron., Rich. III, 33 To morow we wyl common more: let us go to supper. a1586Sidney Arcadia iii. (1633) 232 When they were all gone one day to dinner. a1745Swift Mem. Creichton Wks. 1841 I. 589 As soon as he was gone to rest. 1794[see A 2 a]. 1879Edna Lyall Won by Waiting xxix, He took a fancy for going to the afternoon service at the abbey.
e. by the vbl. n. governed by a (= on; in mod. use frequently omitted); also by ordinary ns. denoting an action, governed by † in, on, rarely upon. go a begging (see begging vbl. n. 2 b).
1388Wyclif Matt. xxv. 14 A man that goith in pilgrimage, clepide hise seruauntis [etc.]. a1440Sir Eglam. 409 The kyng of Sydon an-huntyng ys gon. 1530Palsgr. 570/1, I go a foragyng..I go a grasyng, as a horse or beest dothe. 1562Veron Invoc. Saints 83 Why..dydde they goe a gaddynge to our Ladye of Wilsdone. 1604Edmonds Observ. Cæsar's Comm. 65 Such an inconuenience, as might make him repent for going a birding. 1684Bunyan Pilgr. ii. (1879) 192/9 The Women..that called at his House as they were going on Pilgrimage. 1766Goldsm. Vic. W. xx, I was resolved not to go sneaking to the lower professors. Ibid. xxx, That you will permit..two of your servants to go upon a message. 1802–12Bentham Rationale Judic. Evid. v. (1827) 214 The plaintiff..is obliged to go upon the hunt for other witnesses. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xxi. IV. 665 The King was certainly going a hunting. 1888F. Warden Witch of Hills I. iv. 76, I said that I was going boar-hunting. 1897Fl. Marryat Blood Vampire iii, Do let me keep her [the baby], whilst nurse goes on her errand.
f. by a complementary n., denoting the function or capacity in which the subject is to be employed. Obs. exc. in to go apprentice (now rare), and to go bail, now chiefly fig., as I will go bail (colloq.) = ‘I will be bound’, I am certain.
1665Pepys Diary 6 Dec., My Lord Sandwich goes Embassador to Spayne speedily. 1670Marvell Corr. cxli. Wks. 1872–5 II. 314 The King..ordered the Lord Barclay to go Lord Lieutenant. 1707Hearne Collect. 24 Jan. (O.H.S.) I. 321 He went Chaplain to the Factory. 1768Goldsm. Good-n. Man i, It was but last week he went security for a fellow whose face he scarce knew. 1852Thackeray Esmond ii. iv, One of the boys 'listed; the other had gone apprentice. 1884Rider Haggard Dawn lxxv, He won't marry her now, I'll go bail. 1890Cassell's Mag. July 470/2, I will go bail for your character.
33. To have recourse, refer, appeal to (an authority, source of information, etc.); to carry one's case to or before (a tribunal, etc.). † Sometimes in imp. with me as ethical dative. to go to the country (see country 6 b).
1377Langl. P. Pl. B. x. 192 Who so gloseth as gylours don go me to the same. c1400Apol. Loll. 93 Goþ more to þe lawe & to þe witnes. 1532More Confut. Tindale Wks. 376/2 Go me to the newe lawe and to those sacramentes which Tyndall agreeth for sacramentes. 1825New Monthly Mag. XIV. 193 Mr. Salmon..is determined to go to a jury. 1874Blackie Self-Cult. 76 You must go to Aristotle for that. 1878Scribner's Mag. XV. 737/1 Why does not this artist go to nature? 1881Philad. Rec. No. 3463. 4 When the bar-tender goes before a jury the above statement evidently will be his defence. 1892Sat. Rev. 8 Oct. 419/2 She need not go to others for her bons mots.
34. a. To turn to, betake oneself to (an employment or occupation); to proceed to some specified course of action; to resort to some specified means of attaining one's object. to go to blows, cuffs, law, war, work, etc. (see the ns.).
a1250Owl & Night. 873 Ȝif þu gest herof to disputinge. a1300[see A 2 d β]. 1467Eng. Gilds (1870) 409 And þ⊇ electors to go to a new eleccioun. 1535Coverdale Prov. xxix. 9 Yf a wyse man go to lawe with a foole..he getteth no rest. 1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. i. (1586) 3 b, I goe to writing or reading, or suche other businesse as I have. 1596Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, ii. iii. 35 O, I could diuide my selfe, and go to buffets, for mouing such a dish of skim'd Milk with so honourable an Action. 1611[see A 2 d γ]. 1678Butler Hud. iii. iii. 530 He that..goes to Law to be Reliev'd Is sillier than a sottish Chews. 1790By-stander 79 note, Two of these different professions having disagreed, they went to boxing. 1891Mary Wilkins Humble Rom., etc. 277 He had rented a pretty little tenement over in Rye, and gone to housekeeping.
†b. To set oneself, attempt to (do something).
1662Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. i. ii. §2 Nay, he goes to prove the truth of Sanchoniathons History by [etc.]. 1776Maiden Aunt I. 55 But mind me, Emma, if you go to slip out of the room, I'll send old Harley to plague you.
c. In negative or hypothetical contexts, to go (for) to (do something) is vulgarly used for: ‘To do anything so improper as to ―’, ‘to be so foolish, bold, or severe as to ―’.
1752Foote Taste ii. Wks. 1799 I. 22 Indeed I did not go to do it. 1798T. Morton Secr. worth Knowing i. i. 6 Sure nobody wou'd go to kill so handsome and good a creature. 1803M. Charlton Wife & Mistress II. 59 A non-natural woman, to go to leave her children. Ibid. II. 151 Who would go for to take him for a Lord's son? 1824Mrs. Cameron Pink Tippet iii. 16, I am sure she would not go to tell a lie of any body. 1847C. M. Yonge Scenes & Characters vi. 57, I told my brother I did not think Mr. Devereux would go for to say such a thing. 1886H. Baumann Londinismen 65/1 Don't you go for to think thet 'cos my 'air is grey, I ain't got any strength left me. 1890Mrs. H. Wood House of Halliwell II. xi. 293 ‘Dear ma'am’, uttered Nurse Gill, ‘you'd never go to suspect her!’ 1895‘M. E. Francis’ Daughter of Soil iii. 29 O' course, I wouldn't go for to say sich a thing o' th' Squire.
35. a. To carry one's action to a specified point of progress or completeness. Const. to; also with adv. or adverbial phrase, and with cognate or adverbial accusative, as in to go the length of. For many phrases, see far, near, nigh.
† if you go to that = ‘if you come to that.’ (he) will go far: in recent journalistic use, said of an author, statesman, etc., to imply that he is likely to achieve great things (= F. il ira loin).
1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. i. (1586) 21 In Syria, where they cannot goe very deepe, they use..very little Plowes. 1631Shirley Love's Cruelty ii. ii. (1640) D i b, En. Meere trifles. Hi. And you go to that, Lady, that which you part withall for All these pleasures, is but a trifle. 1681J. Flavel Meth. Grace xxviii. 483 Death need not pull and hale; such a man goes halfway to meet it. 1689T. R. View Govt. Europe 3 We are not to stick at the Letter, but go to the foundation, to the inside and essence of things. 1690Locke Hum. Und. iv. vi §7 (1825) 446 Unless we can discover their natural dependence, which, in their primary qualities, we can go but a very little way in. 1695Congreve Love for Love ii. ii. (ed. 2) 27 Well, if you go to that, where did you find this Bodkin? 1697Collier Ess. i. (1703) 187 The generality..want either force or inclination to go to the bottom, and try the merits. 1757Foote Author Epil., Wks. 1799 I. 129 When she's quite in voice, she'll go to C! 1776G. Semple Building in Water 59 Even at the Depth we went to at the North End. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. ii. I. 182 Having gone all lengths with a faction while it was uppermost. 1879M. J. Guest Lect. Hist. Eng. xlvii. 476 Strafford really went some way towards bringing his scheme to pass.
b. esp. with regard to the amount of an offer or a concession in mercantile or other negotiations. † to go less: to offer or accept a lower price or less onerous conditions, take less extreme measures, etc.
1626Shirley Maid's Rev. iii. ii. (1639) E iv, We can prolong life. Ans. And kill too, can you not? Sh. Oh any that will goe to the price. 1632Massinger Maid of Hon. iii. i, It is too little; yet, Since you haue said the word, I am content, But will not goe a gazet lesse. c1645Howell Lett. (1650) III. xv. 27 The Parlement persists in their first Propositions, and will go nothing less. a1648Ld. Herbert Hen. VIII (1683) 418 It was objected..that the Law having made the Offence to be Death, it was not safe to go less. 1659J. Arrowsmith Chain Princ. 101 The Sybils books..two whereof..were purposely cast into the fire..because Tarquin would not go to the price of them. 1704N. N. tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnassus i. 92 Poor Literati..could not afford to go the Price of Better Meat. 1721Perry Daggenh. Breach 30 Having made it sure that no Man else would go below him. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. vi. II. 65 Lewis consented to go as high as twenty-five thousand crowns. 1892Strand Mag. IV. 294/2 The price was higher than she cared to go to.
c. In various phrases with the general sense ‘to share equally in something’, chiefly with adverbial accusative, as to go halves (with), formerly also † to go (another person's) halves, to go shares, go snacks, go snips; or (cf. 32 f) with complementary n. as to go sharer, go mates, go partners. (See the various ns.).
d. To put or subject oneself to (trouble, expense).
1842Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. III. i. 18 The tenant..went to very needless expense. 1890Temple Bar Aug. 576 Arden has gone to the ridiculous cost of engaging Ridge. 1895M. Corelli Sorrows of Satan ix. (1897) 98 Few publishers..go to the trouble of..giving the number of copies for an Edition.
e. trans. (on the analogy of cognate accusatives). To go to the extent of; to venture as far as. to go the whole hog (see hog 11 b). spec. To eat or drink (something specified); esp. in phr. I, you, etc., could go (a drink, etc.). (Cf. quot. c 1882.) colloq.
1855H. Greeley 1 Dec. in Greeley on Lincoln 89 He..tells everybody he is connected with the Tribune, but doesn't go its isms. c1882Comic Song ‘West End Boys’ iii. (Farmer), Another bitter I really can't go. 1883‘Mark Twain’ Life on Mississ. xliii. 390 There's one thing..which a person won't take in pine if he can go walnut; and won't take in walnut if he can go mahogany..That's a coffin. 1929F. C. Bowen Sea Slang 58 To go, to eat. 1944F. I. Cooze Kiwis in Pacific 12 God, how I could go a nice, long cool beer. 1948D. Ballantyne Cunninghams (1963) i. iv. 25, I could go a good feed of eels just now.
f. To yield, produce (a certain amount). U.S.
1816U. Brown Jrnl. 23 July in Maryland Hist. Mag. (1915) X. 369 None [of the fields] that I saw will go 15 Bushels to the Acre. 1868Iowa State Agric. Soc. Rep. 1867 160 Corn.—On well-manured land.. will go seventy-five bushels. 1869‘Mark Twain’ Innoc. Abr. 57 An altar with facings of solid silver—at least they call it so and I think myself it would go a couple of hundred to the ton (to speak after the fashion of the silver miners).
36. trans.
a. To risk, adventure (a certain sum), to stake, wager. Also absol.; sometimes with indirect object. to go better, in certain card games, to offer a higher stake than is named in the adversary's challenge; so to go one better: hence often fig. to outbid or outdo somebody else. Similarly (U.S.) to go (an amount) better: to raise the bet by (so much); to go (a person) (one) better: to outbid or outdo (someone).
1605B. Jonson Volpone iii. v, Like your wanton gam'ster at primero, Whose thought had Whisper'd to him, not goe lesse. 1672Marvell Reh. Transp. i. 283 This Gentleman would always go half a Crown with me. 1768Goldsm. Good-n. Man iii. i, Men that would go forty guineas on a game of cribbage. 1845S. F. Smith Theatr. Apprent. 148 My adversary went the dollar, and five better. 1855Dickens Dorrit vi, And I'll go another seven and sixpence to name which is the helplessest, the unborn babe or you. 1864W. B. Dick Amer. Hoyle (1866) 174 B. puts down a dime. C. says, ‘I'll go a dime better,’ and he puts down two dimes. 1874Congress. Rec. 17 Feb. 1556/1 The Senator from North Carolina..proposes an increase of 46 millions of banking circulation. The Senator from Pennsylvania..goes him better, and proposes an unlimited increase. 1878Scribner's Mag. XV. 660/2 I'll do better than the church. I'll see 'em that and go one better. 1879‘Cavendish’ Card Ess., etc. 59 Each that stood might pass or make the renvi, that is go better again. 1886McCarthy & Mrs. C. Praed Right Honourable I. vii. 142 Our fellows wanted to be popular. These fellows..want to go one better. 1889K. Munroe Golden Days 66 [I was] going him one better every time for a fifty vara lot. 1890Temple Bar June 199 You ought to go on the zero. 1890[see see v. 13—second transf. example]. 1953W. Stevens Let. 21 Dec. (1967) 805 The weather was constantly going me one better. 1960W. H. Whyte Organization Man 34 Some European critics of America have gone them one better.
b. With personal object: to take on (a person) in a wager, game, or offer. U.S. colloq.
a1846W. T. Porter Quarter Race Kentucky 179, I knows Bill well, and I'll go you an independent on his beating yon feller bad. 1876Besant & Rice Gold. Butterfly Prol. ii. 11 The very dice on the counter with which the bar-keeper used to ‘go’ the miners for drinks. a1889Spirit of Times (Farmer), I goes you five dollars, this time. 1902S. E. White Blazed Trail xxiv. 161 ‘Surely you won't refuse to be my guest here..!’ ‘Wallace,’ said Thorpe, ‘I'll go you.’ 1909‘O. Henry’ Options (1916) 38 ‘Believe I'll go you,’ he said, brightening. ‘I'll accept the invitation gladly.’
c. Cards. To make a call or declaration of; to accept (a specified number of cards).
1876[see Napoleon 4]. c1884,1898[see nap n.5 2 b]. 1932Sunday Express 6 Mar. 13/2 Cries of ‘I'll stick’ and ‘I'll go four’ heard by police..led to..a summons for permitting gaming. 1964N. Squire Bidding at Bridge ii. 25 The principle of the rebid of 1 NT..may cause you to go a trick too high. Ibid. iii. 30 Four No-trumps over an opening bid of One No-trump means: ‘Go six if you are maximum!’
** of passive movement, change of state, etc.
37. a. To be carried, moved, impelled, etc. to, towards a place or person, into a place, etc. lit. and fig. to go to the bottom (see bottom n. 2).
c1050Byrhtferth's Handboc in Anglia (1885) VIII. 305 & on þissum monðe gæð seo sunne on þæt tacn. a1300Metr. Eng. Psalter xvii[i]. 7 Mi crie in his sighte in eres yhode euen. 1340Ayenb. 206 Zuo longe geþ þet pot to þe wetere, þet hit comþ to-broke hom. a1586Sidney Arcadia ii. (1633) 162 His old blood going to his heart. 1591Shakes. Two Gent. ii. i. 116 Being ignorant to whom it goes, I writ at randome. 1749Smollett Gil Blas (1782) I. 156 This very day I met two of them going to their long home. 1895Lord Shand in Law Times Rep. LXXIII. 637/2, I am further of opinion..that there was evidence of negligence to go to the jury.
b. fig. to go to one's heart: to cause one great sorrow, pity, or the like.
1481Caxton Reynard (Arb.) 88, I trowe hit shold not moche goo to my herte so that another dyde it. 1687Burnet Reply to Varillas 126 This it seems went to his heart. 1694F. Bragge Disc. Parables ix. 314 How does every rub and hindrance go to their very heart. 1844Fraser's Mag. XXX 587/2 It goes to my heart to be disunited from them. 1859Thackeray Virgin. xviii, It went to my heart to say no to her. 1890Murray's Mag. VII. 96 The look of sorrow..went to his heart.
38. a. (Chiefly will go, but also in indefinite present tense.) To be capable of passing, to find room to pass into, through, etc., a place. Hence, of a number, to be contained (so many times) in another number; also impers. (‘won't go’) in division or subtraction (cf. quots. 1856, 1890).
1686J. Smith Of Nat. Time 39 Let two plain and flat plates or boards..be joyned so close together that a Six⁓pence may but just go between. 1825J. Nicholson Operat. Mechanic 18 Five will go twelve times in sixty. 1856Titan Mag. Dec. 498/1 Twelves in two—won't go! Ibid. 499/1 Twelve will go once in fourteen, and leave two over. 1879M. J. Guest Lect. Hist. Eng. xx. 198 All the good we can find about him will go into a very few words. 1881A. Lang Library ii. 62 Elzevirs..go readily into the pocket. 1890Universal Rev. 15 July 445 Four from three won't go—borrow one.
b. To be usually or properly put into, to have its proper position in a certain place.
1729Switzer Hydrost. & Hydraul. 97 A Brass Pillar..having a Ball at the Bottom of it, that goes into a Socket. Mod. This box goes on the third shelf from the top.
39. a. To pass to a person; to fall to his lot; to be allotted or awarded to him; to pass into his hands, into his pocket, under his control, etc.
1607Shakes. Cor. ii. iii. 129 Let the high Office and the Honor go To one that would doe thus. 1807Crabbe Par. Reg. (1812) I. 122 Nor has he care to whom his wealth shall go. 1849Tait's Mag. XVI. 288/1 American ships..divide the freights which formerly went to the British..shipowner. 1850Ibid. XVII. 675/1 One might have known the estate would go to creditors. 1869Hughes Alfred Gt. xiv. 168 A fine of 120 shillings (half to go to the king). 1878Scribner's Mag. XV. 638/2 The money I had saved went to the doctors. 1890Field 10 May 687/1 The first and second prizes went to colts. 1890T. F. Tout Hist. Eng. 100 The newly enclosed land nearly all went to the big landlords. 1891Field 19 Dec. 949/3 Both games going to Courtney.
b. Of a dignity, an estate, office, property, etc.: To pass by inheritance, succession, or otherwise.
1818Cruise Digest (ed. 2) VI. 120 Where an estate was devised specifically, and was afterwards sold by the testator by a contract executory, the estate went from the devisee. 1831Society I. 34 It was proved it [a large estate] should not have gone in the female line. 1877C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iii. vi. 55 The dukedom went to his brother. 1879M. J. Guest Lect. Hist. Eng. xliii. 432 The crown was then to go to the descendants of Henry's younger sister.
40. To be applied or appropriated to a purpose. Const. to, towards; also to with inf.
c1420Pallad. on Husb. i. 375 The fistulose & softer [stone] let hit goon To cover with. 1688Burnet Lett. State Italy 162 All the Revenue goes to the keeping up of the Magnificence of the Court. 1850Tait's Mag. XVII. 718/1 An increase of yield goes all to the amount of produce sold. 1867Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. Ser. ii. III. ii. 549 Fees..do not go towards the sustentation of the school. 1889Macm. Mag. Dec. 126/1 The capital..goes to swell the profits of the original possessors of the soil.
41. a. To contribute to a result; to be amongst the conditions requisite for a purpose; to be one of the constituent elements of something. Const. to, towards; also, to with inf.
1607Donne Lett. (1651) 141 Here also you have true businesse and many quasi negotia, which go two and two to a businesse. 1626Bacon Sylva §903 The Medicines which goe to the Ointments are so strong, that [etc.]. 1663Gerbier Counsel 52 There goeth four load of Sand, which..cost two shillings six pence. 17..Swift To Pope (J.), Something better and greater than high birth and quality must go toward acquiring those demonstrations of public esteem and love. 1755Man No. 26. 3 With a single glance we view an army, without attending to every separate soldier that goes to compose it. 1789Cowper Lett. 8 Aug., There goes more to the composition of a volume than many critics imagine. 1851Mrs. Browning Casa Guidi 62 Count what goes To making up a Pope. 1870Nicholson Man. Zool. (1880) 447 The bones which go to form the head and trunk. 1882J. C. Morison Macaulay 1 With a good eye for the influences which go to the formation of character. 1890Harper's Mag. May 961/2 Whole gardens of roses go to one drop of the attar.
†b. To be allotted as proportionate to. Obs.
1672Petty Pol. Anat. (1691) 58 One Horse plows 10 acres, and there goes 1 Man to 3 Horses.
c. To amount to, be equivalent to.
1841Fraser's Mag. XXIII. 17 Sixteen ounces go to the avoirdupoise pound. 1879C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iv. xvii. 177 How many loaves go to a bushel of wheat. 1889Philips & Wills Fatal Phryne I. iii. 54 Twenty-five francs go to the pound. 1890Chamb. Jrnl. 21 June 389/1 ‘How many..go to a crew with you, captain?’ 1890Graphic 11 Oct. 407/2, 150 glasses go to the keg.
42. To conduce, tend to; with n. or v. in inf. † Formerly also, to have an object or result amounting to. Esp. in phr. to go to show: to tend to show; to indicate; to serve as evidence that. Freq. absol., to indicate or prove something implied.
1781Hist. Europe in Ann. Reg. 46/1 An attempt..which in its success would have gone to the destruction of himself, his party, and friends. 1804Tennant Indian Recr. I. 47 Fastidious ideas regarding rank..went nearly to the exclusion of this useful set of men from the society of..grandees. 1818Jas. Mill Brit. India III. vi. i. 50 The bill, therefore, went to the confiscation of the whole of the Company's property. 1820Examiner No. 634. 361/2 [They] would also go to account for much of the personal violence. 1823T. Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 385 Those geographical schisms which go immediately to a separation. 1823New Monthly Mag. IX. 244/1 It [the amendment] went to a half approval of the conduct of ministers. 1842Emerson Jrnl. May in Sel. Writings (1965) 111 Then this new molecular philosophy goes to show that there are astronomical interspaces betwixt atom and atom. 1850Tait's Mag. XVII. 375/1 Two things go to render this statement..worthless. 1889Advent Rev. & Sabbath Herald 16 July 450/3 Events..which go to show, with peculiar eloquence, to what extent the Romish policy has succeeded. 1889Sat. Rev. 14 Dec. 684/2 It goes to show that the Dutch are not the equals of the English. 1925New Yorker 25 July (Advt. inside front cover), Which just goes to show. Wherever you go in Paris you will find The New Yorker. 1937D. L. Sayers Busman's Honeymoon 17 It does rather go to show, doesn't it, that there is something not quite right about the Wimseys. 1962Listener 7 June 1000/1 Dramatic cases of child neglect only go to show, and wild generalizations are based upon them. 1966A. Thomas Judge i. 16 It seemed unlikely that our paths would cross... Which, as they say, only goes to show. 1969‘A. Gilbert’ Missing from Home viii. 134 ‘It just goes to show, doesn't it, you can't be too careful.’ ‘Yes,’ agreed Mr. Crook hollowly, ‘it just goes to show.’
43. a. To attain, reach, extend; with advb. phrase indicating the point aimed at or attained. Cf. 35.
a1586Sidney Arcadia i. (1633) 19 His love was not so superficiall, as to goe no further than the skin. 1690Locke Hum. Und. ii. i. §19 No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience. 1707Freind Peterborow's Cond. Sp. 149, I think it is hardly possible that Modesty could go a greater length. 1825New Monthly Mag. XIII. 233 The history..goes very far back. 1864J. H. Newman Apologia 182 My memory goes to this,—that I had asked a friend [etc.]. 1873P. V. Smith Hist. Eng. Instit. i. ii. 48 These proceedings did not go to the length of treason. 1874Deutsch Rem. 362 But the difference goes still further. 1885Mrs. E. Lynn Linton Chr. Kirkland I. ii 43 His mathematics did not go very deep. 1892Black & White 19 Nov. 580/1 The horns go to great lengths, but are not very thick at base.
b. as (or so) far as it goes: a phrase used to limit the applicability of a statement, etc., or the extent or efficiency of what is referred to.
[1420Searchers Verdicts in Surtees Misc. (1888) 16 Als farre als thayre syde house gas.] 1789Twining Aristotle on Poetry (1812) I. 10 The resemblance is, indeed, real, as far as it goes. 1818Cruise Digest (ed. 2) V. 598 The case of Martin v. Strachan decided this case, as far as it went. 1820Examiner No. 651,632/1 He has a real notion of pleasantry, as far as mere pleasantry goes. 1862H. Spencer First Princ. ii. i. §37 (1875) 132 We make a statement, true as far as it goes. 1885Law Times LXXIX. 130/1 The poor law system..is, so far as it goes, Socialism pure and simple.
c. to go a good, great, long, short way (to or towards): to have a great, little effect; also, to have great influence with (a person).
1697Collier Immor. Stage i. (1730) 18 A very indifferent Religion well Believed, will go a great way. 1749Chesterfield Lett. (1792) II. ccxi. 308 Your stay at Rome will go a great way towards answering all my views. 1820Examiner No. 612. 1/2 A mode of testimony which ought to go a good way with the Laureat. 1841Macaulay in Trevelyan Life (1876) II. ix. 123 Where people look for no merit, a little merit goes a long way. 1849Tait's Mag. XVI. 233/2 Every walk a man takes..is as good as a course of lectures..and goes far more toward his spiritual fashioning and culture. 1885Times (weekly ed.) 25 Sept. 15/1 The farm produce goes a short way to filling the mouths.
d. With far, as or so far, further, a long way, etc. Of a stock of provisions, etc.: To hold out, suffice for distribution. Of clothing: To last, wear. Of money: To have purchasing power.
1419E.E. Wills (1882) 40 Ȝefe euere man and woman a Love and a galon of ale, als fer als it will go. 1667Dryden Prol. Secret Love, Now old pantaloons Will go as far as formerly new gowns. a1672Wilkins (J.), Considering the cheapness, so much money might go farther than a sum ten times greater could do now. 1693Tate Juvenal, Sat. xv. 105 Whose Flesh, torn off by Lumps, the rav'nous Foe In Morsels cut, to make it farther go. 1840Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. I. iv. 410 Turnips, if consumed under sheds, go so much further. 1879M. J. Guest Lect. Hist. Eng. xlii. 430 {pstlg}4 a year..in those days would go as far as forty would do now. 1889Mrs. E. Kennard Landing a Prize III. i. 15 Money goes a long way in Norway.
44. To pass into a certain condition. Chiefly implying deterioration.
a. With adj. complement: To become, get to be (in some condition). (Cf. come 25 a.) † to go less: to be abated or diminished. Also with n. complement: to become, use, or adopt the characteristics of (something specified); to go all ―: see all C. 2 c; to go bush: see bush n.1 9 e; to go missing: to get lost; to go native: to turn to or relapse into savagery or heathenism; also transf. (cf. Fanti b); to go ― on (someone): to adopt a particular mode of behaviour towards or affecting (that person); to go public: to become a public company.
1583T. Stocker tr. Civ. Warres Lowe C. i. 117 The siege of Leyden continued, & their victuals went very low. 1654Earl of Monmouth Bentivoglio's Warrs Flanders ii. 32 The Regent went every day less in her authority. 1688R. Holme Armoury ii. 173/1 Boniclatter [is] Cream gone thick. 1769Mrs. Raffald Eng. Housekpr. (1778) 231 Let them [apricots] go cold betwixt every time. 1803S. Pegge Anecd. Eng. Lang. 243 He went dead about three months ago. 1845Hood Love iii, A poet gone unreasonably mad. 1861Temple Bar III. 23 He went bankrupt. Ibid. 248 Fright and..anxiety have..made strong men go gray in a single night. 1881J. P. Sheldon Dairy Farm. 56/1 If it [the milk] is not taken proper care of it soon goes sour in hot weather. 1884R. Buchanan Foxglove Manor III. xxxiii. 122 Her cheeks went scarlet. 1888Lady D. Hardy Dang. Exper. III. iv. 84, I trembled and went hot and cold. 1890Boldrewood Col. Reformer (1891) 419 Suppose he goes lame all of a sudden! 1891Sat. Rev. 24 Jan. 101/2 Any bishopric or benchship that has just gone vacant. 1891Harper's Mag. Oct. 720/2 Before us lay a sea of fern, gone a russet brown from decay. 1901Kipling Kim vii. 177 Kim did not sweep the board with his reminiscences; for St. Xavier's looks down on boys who ‘go native altogether’. 1928L. P. Greene Red Idol 253, I do all the heavy work... That's the only thing that's saved me from going native altogether. 1929J. P. McEvoy Hollywood Girl (1930) vii. 102, I thought he was the one who had gone Hollywood. Pictures in the paper, guest of this and that. It's a wonder you notice me, I told him. 1930Times Lit. Suppl. 4 Sept. 694 Religious ceremonies which suggest to him that the new religion of Christianity [in S. America] has, after the fashion of new religions, gone native. 1953Economist 24 Oct. 273/2 (headline) BBC goes VHF. 1958F. Norman Bang to Rights 56 The snout had gone missing. 1960E. W. Hildick Boy at Window iii. 29 The best white mouse I ever had! Nearly human! And now it's gone native! 1963Times 28 Jan. 2/7 Tentative plans are that on reaching a total of 3,000 acres a private limited company should be formed, and that at 5,000 acres it should ‘go public’. 1963Sat. Even. Post 15 June 4/2 Don't go too ‘arty’ on us. 1965Listener 16 Dec. 983/1 Within twelve years 2,500,000—one in seven—had gone missing. 1966[see city page s.v. city 9]. 1966New Society 17 Mar. 25/3 (headline) Amis goes serious on us. 1966New Yorker 1 Oct. 183 (Advt.), Then I write my letter accusing them of going establishment. 1970Sci. Jrnl. Aug. 3/3 It is not the fact that we are going nuclear that should give us pause. 1971Guardian 6 July 7/6 A warning about the affairs of V and G was given as early as 1962, the year after the company went public.
b. To turn, be transformed to. Also rarely, to be reduced to.
1591Spenser Teares Muses 596 Eftsoones such store of teares shee forth did powre, As if shee all to water would haue gone. 1796H. Glasse Cookery iii. 28 If you boil pickled pork too long, it will go to a jelly. 1858Carlyle Fredk. Gt. ii. v. (1872) I. 72 The Vohburg Family..was now gone to this one girl. 1859Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XX. ii. 431 The more the produce is Graminaceous, the more it goes to flower and seed. 1889A. E. Barr Feet of Clay xii. 236 The devil's corn all goes to bran. 1891C. Dunstan Quita II. i. xv. 17 She has lost all her colour, and has gone to skin and bone.
c. Const. to with n. indicating some ruined condition; in many phrases, as to go to pieces, go to rack, ruin, smash, etc., for which see the ns.
IV. quasi-trans. with pronoun as obj.
45. With pleonastic refl. pron. in various foregoing senses. Now only arch. [Cf. F. s'en aller.]
c1175Lamb. Hom. 27 Þe unclene gast þe geð him of þan sunfulle mon and geð him of þan stude to stude. a1300Fall & Passion 53 in E.E.P. (1862) 14 God him ȝed an erþ here xxxti winter an somdel mo. a1300Cursor M. 13191 Efter quen þe dai es gan, þai [Wod men] haf þair wijt and gas þam ham. 1400–50Alexander 535 Gais him vp at þe grece. 1892Cosmopolitan XIII. 727/2 So I may go me to mass, mamma, Along with my coal man lover.
46. go it.
†a. To direct one's course. Obs.
1689H. Pitman Relation in Arb. Garner VII. 365 When these had shared her cargo, they parted company: the French with their shares went it for Petty Guavas, in the Grand Gustaphus.
†b. imp. = Be off! away with you! Obs.
1797M. Robinson Walsingham III. 306 So you had better be moving..take yourself off—go it—budge.
c. colloq. and slang. To go along at great speed; to pursue one's action with furious vigour; to engage recklessly in dissipation. to go it blind: to plunge into a course of action without regarding the consequences. to go it alone: to act by oneself, without support or assistance; hence go-it-alone adj., characterized by independent action. See also bald-headed a. b, strong adv. 1 c.
1821Egan Tom & Jerry (1870) 236 Logic, under the domino, had been ‘going it’ on a few of his friends with much humour. 1830Chron. in Ann. Reg. 191/1 A gentleman..presented himself at the balcony..declaring that he would fire upon the first man that attempted to enter the house..A cry of ‘Go it! go it!’ was raised by the mob. 1840Marryat Olla Podr. (Rtldg.) 301 That's going it rather strong. 1842Spirit of Times 9 Apr. 67/1 George pulled..to the head of the next quarter stretch, where his jockey looking at what he had in ‘hand’, determined to ‘go it alone’. 1848Lowell Biglow P. Poet. Wks. 1890 II. 126 Honest folks that mean to go it blind. 1855Knickerbocker Apr. 335 A ball through his frontal bone Laid him flat on his back on the hard-fought ground, And left Captain Davis to go it alone. 1856Titan Mag. Aug. 101/1 ‘Go it, governor; smash, dash, and crash!’ 1907J. London Iron Heel xv. 193 He broached a scheme to have the Locomotive Engineers make terms with the railroads and to ‘go it alone’ so far as the rest of the labour unions were concerned. 1956A. L. Rowse Early Churchills 225 Holland could not ‘go it alone’. 1961Daily Tel. 27 Apr. 19/5 A ‘go-it-alone’ British space programme would be a waste of scarce scientific manpower and resources. 1964M. Gowing Britain & Atomic Energy vi. 196 In England..a ‘go it alone’ programme was being drawn up. 1966Rep. Comm. Inquiry Univ. Oxf. I. 28 The appropriate question must be posed: not ‘how far can any college go it alone?’ but ‘how far can the colleges..co-operate to form the policies of Oxford?’
V. Special uses of the pples.
47. Uses of the pr. pple. going.
a. going in or of ―: about to attain (a specified age) on one's next birthday; also without prep. Cf. going on ―, 61 b, going upon, 67 e, going on for ―, 86 k.
1700Congreve Way of World v. v, Till she was going in her fifteen. 1785J. Trusler Mod. Times I. 47 She knew she was as much a woman as herself, and that she was going in eighteen. 1877Gd. Words XVIII. 5/2 Doris is goin' fifteen. 1886Chesh. Gloss. 144 ‘How old is your daughter?’ ‘Oo 's goin' of eighteen.’ 1888G. Allen Devil's Die I. ix. 124 She would have given her age, if asked, as ‘going thirteen’.
b. going to (with active or pass. inf.): on the way to, preparing or tending to. Now used as a more colloquial synonym of about to, in the auxiliaries of idiomatic compound tenses expressing immediate or near futurity. Cf. F. je vais. (to be) just going to: (to be) on the point of (doing so and so).
1482Monk of Evesham (Arb.) 43 Thys onhappy sowle..was goyng to be broughte into helle for the synne and onleful lustys of her body. 1672Lady M. Bertie in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 26, I believe next news I heare will be that you are going to bee married. 1703Locke Let. 23 July (On Dr. Pococke), As I was going to say. 1752C. Lennox Fem. Quix. i. xii, Glanville..saw himself going to be discarded a second time. 1789T. Twining Aristotle on Poetry (1812) I. 153 At the instant that he is going to be sacrified, the discovery is made. Ibid. II. 129 When a brother kills, or is going to kill. 1826in Cobbett Rur. Rides (1885) II. 61 Lambs..to be sold..to those who are going to keep them. 1861Geo. Eliot Silas M. vi. 103, ‘I aren't a-going to try and 'bate your price’. 1890Chamb. Jrnl. 14 June 370/2 It seems as if it were going to rain.
48. Uses of the pa. pple. gone.
a. By a development from the ordinary use of gone in the perfect tense conjugated with be (esp. in sense 21), the phrase to be gone has assumed the sense: To depart (promptly or finally), to take oneself off. See also begone. Similarly to get oneself gone, for which see get v. 28 c.
1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iv. (1586) 181 To shewe by their comming out, a greate desire to bee gone. 1599H. Buttes Dyets drie Dinner P iv, Its safest we be gone, Lest [etc.]. 1628Gaule Pract. Theories (1629) 384 He thrust in among some, and faine would haue bin gone from others. 1653Walton Angler ii. 41 Come honest Viator, lets be gone. 1727Boyer Fr. Dict. s.v. Gone, If you will not be gone presently. 1791Mrs. Radcliffe Rom. Forest i, In the morning La Motte rose at an early hour impatient to be gone.
b. In Archery, said of an arrow when from its flight it is seen to have been shot beyond the mark. Similarly in Bowls, of a bowl which runs beyond the jack (hence transf. of the player).
1545R. Ascham Toxoph. (Arb.) 36 Escheweing shorte, or gone, or eithersyde wide. 1611Cotgr. s.v. Passé, Ie suis passé, I am gone, or ouercast, I haue throwne ouer, at Bowles, &c.
c. Dead; departed from life. See 28. Also dead and gone (see dead).
1595Shakes. John iii. iv. 163 If that yong Arthur be not gone alreadie, Euen at that newes he dies. 1705Addison Italy 230 A Dog, that has his Nose held in the Vapour, dies in a very little time; but if carry'd into the open Air..recovers, if he is not quite gone. 1852Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xxviii, Strange that..one should be living, warm and beautiful..one day, and the next be gone, utterly gone, and for ever!
†d. In a state of swoon, unconscious (cf. 29 b). Also (very freq. in 17th c.), Dead drunk (more fully, gone in drink).
1641Hinde Life Bruen lxvi. 219 Hee could take no food..but he was ready to faint and to be gone upon it. 1657in Burton's Diary (1828) II. 70 The Speaker..said, I am a yea, a no, I should say. This caused an alternate laughter all the House over, and some said he was gone. 1661Pepys Diary 9 Sept., Sir W. Penn..had been drinking to-day, and so is almost gone, that we could not make him understand it. 1681H. More Expos. Dan. Pref. p. vii, Men so much gone in drink..would not be able to make any thing of it. 1691tr. G. d'Emilianne's Observ. 249 The Singing⁓men [having drunk freely]..were quite gon, and knew no longer what they sung.
e. Infatuated (in love, wickedness, etc.). gone on: (in recent colloq. or vulgar use) enamoured of, infatuated about.
1698J. Collier Short View i. 12 Silenium is much gone in Love, but modest withal. 1858Guthrie Christ Inherit. Saints (1860) 38 Gone in iniquity they boast..of the victims whom they have seduced. 1885Illustr. Lond. News Xmas No. 7/1 Iris was gone on you yesterday. 1885F. Anstey Tinted Venus 59, I saw directly that I'd mashed her—she was gone, dead gone, sir. 1888Lady 25 Oct. 374/1 They seem to be quite gone on the culture and elevation of the people by the eye.
f. far gone: in an advanced stage of a disease; deeply engaged or entangled; greatly fatigued or exhausted, etc. Usu. const. in; spec. extremely insane, drunk, or evil. See also far adv. 3 b.
1593Shakes. Rich. II, ii. i. 184 Yorke is too farre gone with greefe. 1616T. Roe Jrnl. 25 Oct. (1899) II. 303 The king returned at Euening, hauing beene ouer night farr gone in wyne. 1656Baxter Ref. Pastor iv. §2 Wks. 1707 IV. 369 Some Men are so far gone in Pride, that [etc.]. 1713Steele Guardian No. 106 ⁋3, I am myself very far gone in this Passion for Aurelia. 1741Mrs. Manley Power Love II. 152 Caton was far gone in Impudence. 1771Smollett Humph. Cl. II. 49, I will follow you to the world's end, if you don't think me too far gone to be out of confinement. 1793Beddoes Let. to Darwin 31 Far gone in a Consumption of the lungs. 1804E. de Acton Tale without a Title II. 187 She is far gone in the fashionable heroism of the English day. 1815H. C. Robinson Diary 26 Feb. (1967) 39 Charles Lamb..[took] too much wine. He was not so far gone as to be outrageous..but he was flurried in his manner. 1822Osmond II. 2 Osmond being a great deal too far gone in the tender passion. 1849C. M. Yonge in Magazine for Young June 188 Poor Ned, he must have been far gone, indeed, to let his children go without Baptism! 1850Tait's Mag. XVII. 681/2 Agenor was now too far gone in guilt to recede. 1872Earl Pembroke & G. H. Kingsley S. Sea Bubbles i. 21 Two horses too far gone to be able to gallop. 1878Scribner's Mag. XV. 363/2 The captain was..by no means so far gone in his infatuation. 1887J. Ball Nat. in S. Amer. 253 Two ladies..both far gone in intoxication. 1939F. Thompson Lark Rise i. 8 They were not too far gone in poverty to neglect such means as they had to that end. 1947J. Harvey Gothic England ii. 62 The latter [sc. painting] is now too far gone for detailed stylistic analysis.
g. Lost, ruined, undone. Of a battle, game, etc.: Lost. † to give for gone: to regard as hopeless.
1596Shakes. Merch. V. iii. v. 20 Well, you are gone both waies. 1603― Meas. for M. v. i. 302 Is the Duke gone? Then is your cause gone too. 1621Fletcher Custom Country v. i, I am gon. 1625in Virginia Mag. Hist. & Biog. I. 162 The terror whereof..so dismaide the whole Colony, as they allmost gave themselves for gone. 1709Mrs. Manley Secret Mem. (1736) II. 248 That would be giving the Matter for gone. 1798Invasion I. 226 Waterford, at the first sight of a person by whom he was known, gave himself up for gone. 1858Carlyle Fredk. Gt. iii. v. (1865) I. 166 Seeing the Battle gone..Ludwig too had to fly. 1889‘B. W. D.’ & ‘Cavendish’ Whist with & without Perception 71 If he leads the usual ace, king, the game is distinctly gone.
†h. In the absolute construction with a designation of an interval of time: = ago, since.
a1300Cursor M. 17331 (Cott.) For godd had said gan siþen lang ‘Mi-self [etc.]’. c1340Ibid. 14188 (Trin.) Was þou not but litil gone Almest þere wiþ iewes slone. c1386Chaucer Sqr.'s T. 528 But sooth is seyd goon sithen many a day. 1549Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. Rom. 29 Christe so many hundred yeares gone was in prophecies promysed. 1657Cromwell Sp. 21 Apr. in Carlyle, Now six years gone.
i. Used to indicate that an interval is reckoned backward from a specified past date. (Cf. come v. 36 b.)
1837Carlyle Fr. Rev. I. i. ii, It is twenty years, gone Christmas-day, since Lord Chesterfield [etc.]. Ibid. III. iii. i, On Monday gone five weeks..we saw Paris beheading its King, stand silent.
j. Preceding or following a statement of age: Over, more than the age mentioned. Cf. 47 a.
1858Carlyle Fredk. Gt. vii. ii. II. 241 No hurry about Fritz's marriage; he is but eighteen gone. 1893Temple Bar XCVII. 216 A man ‘gone ninety years of age’.
VI. With prepositions, in specialized uses.
49. go about―.
†a. To encompass. Also in indirect pass.
1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 3 Þe see geþ him al aboute, he stond as in an yle. c1300St. Brandan 2 The see of occian..goth the worlde aboute. c1420Pallad. on Husb. i. 788 Another with a diche aboute ygoon is. c1440Promp. Parv. 202/2 Goon a-bowtyn.., circino.
b. To busy oneself about; to set to work upon, take in hand; in early use, † to seek after. (Cf. to be about.) Also in indirect pass.
c1532G. Du Wes Introd. Fr. in Palsgr. 905 To go about rychesse, ambicion. 1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. (1586) iv. 187 If they [bees] go about their businesse chere⁓fully. 1650Trapp Comm., Numbers xi. 13 Lust is un⁓satisfiable; to go about it is to go about an endless piece of work. 1687Burnet Reply to Varillas 33 Those who write upon true Information, know what they go about. 1739Wesley Wks. (1872) XII. 108 Let the leaden cistern be gone about. 1885M. Linskill A Lost Son, etc. 247 She went about her work in a cold, impassive way.
50. go after―. To go in pursuit of; to visit as a wooer or a disciple.
The expression ‘to go after other gods’ in all Eng. versions of the Bible, is a literal rendering of Vulg. ambulare post deos alienos and its Heb. original, which expresses rather the sense ‘to walk in the train of’, ‘follow the guidance of’.
c1440Promp. Parv. 202/2 Goon aftyr, succedo. 1847Marryat Childr. N. Forest iv, Now, Edward, we are going after a fine stag. 1889Cornh. Mag. Dec. 659 Don't you go after that Frenchwoman. They're not to be trusted.
51. go against, † again―.
†a. To go to meet. Obs.
c1290Beket 2058 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 165 Þare-with wel baldeliche: he eode a-ȝein is fon. c1350Will. Palerne 4954 Gladli wiþ grete lordes sche goþ him aȝens. c1477Caxton Jason 62 She wente agaynst him and toke him by the hande. 1530Palsgr. 570/1, I go agaynst one, I go to mete hym..We be ynowe to go against hym.
b. Of a contest, an enterprise: To result unfavourably to.
a1533Ld. Berners Huon xv. 40 Y⊇ mater was lykely to go yll agaynst the erle. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 112 Never thing prospered with me, but it hath gone against me. 1816Scott Old Mort. xxxviii, The law gaed again the leddies at last. 1862Temple Bar V. 25 The case had gone dead against them from the beginning.
c. To run counter to, oppose, militate against.
1530[see against prep. 10]. 1688Burnet Lett. State Italy 111 The smallest thing, that seems..to go against their Interest, is lookt after with a very watchful care. 1878Scribner's Mag. XVI. 82/2 How will he ever expect to get the money if he goes against my wishes? 1885Mrs. E. Lynn Linton Chr. Kirkland I. viii. 224 Literature..was a thing which went dead against our family traditions.
d. to go against the grain, hair, † heart (also simply against me = against my feelings): (of an action) to be uncongenial, excite repugnance (see against 9 b, 10).
c1460Towneley Myst. ii. 221 It goyse agans myn hart full sore. a1586Sidney Arcadia i. (1633) 49 As it went against my heart to breake any way from you. 1749Fielding Tom Jones xi. ii, It would go horribly against me to have her come to any harm. 1888McCarthy & Mrs. C. Praed Ladies' Gallery I. ii. 57 It went against me not to give the poor fellow some sort of burial.
52. go at―. To make an attack upon; to take in hand vigorously. to go at it: to enter upon an action, contest, etc. with energy. to go at the collar (said of a horse: see collar n. 6).
1820Examiner No. 637. 403/1 Our..Orator went at it again, like a Titan refreshed. 1863Kingsley Water-bab. 324 At his legs the little dog went. 1881Mrs. C. Praed Policy & Passion I. x. 204 I'm a plain-spoken man, and I go at a thing straight, without beating through the bush. 1887P. Fendall Sex to Last I. i. x. 248 Selina went at her again for further information. 1888Berksh. Gloss. s.v., A labourer enquired in the morning, ‘What be I to go at to-daay?’ 1888Harper's Mag. July 183 In front..stretched a mighty crevasse..He went at it with a bound. 1890Boldrewood Col. Reformer (1891) 291 The highly-conditioned horses went at their collars..and..rattled along.
53. go before―.
a. To precede in time or serial order, be anterior to.
1382Wyclif Ecclus. i. 3 The wisdam of God goende be⁓forn alle thingus, who enserchede? 1521Fisher Serm. agst. Luther Wks. (1876) 328 The workes that gothe before faythe. 1629H. Burton Babel no Bethel 6 The Councell..surpasseth..all that went before it. 1837–8Sir W. Hamilton Logic xv. (1866) I. 276 The other two [propositions], as naturally going before the conclusion, they have styled the premises. 1849Tait's Mag. XVI. 81/2 Pity 'tis these should pay for the bad men who have gone before them.
†b. To take precedence of, be superior to. Obs.
1611Shakes. Cymb. i. iv. 78 If she went before others I haue seene as that Diamond of yours out-lusters many I haue beheld.
54. go behind―. (See behind prep. 3 and 8 c.) Also, in recent use, to reopen a question settled by (a previous decision or agreement).
1888R. A. King Leal Lass II. iv. 63 Marry May he must—this was a postulate he would not go behind. 1890Spectator 8 Feb., It was a piece of sharp practice, an attempt to go behind the settlement made by Cardinal Manning [etc.]. 1892Law Reports 2 Q. Bench 544 In such a case the Court will go behind the compromise in order to see the nature of the original debt.
†55. go beside―. To pass over, miss. Obs.
c1375,1382[see beside B 4]. 1530Palsgr. 571/1, I go besydes my purpose, je faulx a mon esme. 1798Geraldina I. 39 He cannot bear to see the loaves and fishes go beside his family.
†56. go between―. To act as a mediator between; to reconcile. Obs.
1549Latimer 2nd Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 63 The regent of France was fain to be sent for from beyond the seas, to set them at one, and go between them. 1601Shakes. All's Well v. iii. 256, I did goe betweene them as I said, but more then that he loued her.
57. go by―.
†a. To neglect, pass without notice; to pass unheeded. Obs. (Cf. go-by n.)
c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 7167 Þair ordure reule þai went bathe by And leuyd our dishonestly. 1513Douglas æneis vii. viii. 66 The messinger is nocht gone by myne eris [L. non..meas effugit nuntius aures]. 1549Compl. Scot. viii. 72 O ignorant..pepil, gone by the pathvaye of verteouse Knaulage. a1592H. Smith Wks. (1866–7) I. 234 When you can go by an offence, and..suffer trouble quietly, you have a kind of peace and joy in your heart.
†b. to go by one's day: to pass one's prime.
1818Sporting Mag. I. 295 Rainer..was considered rather gone by his day.
†c. to go by the worse, worst: to be worsted.
1563Golding Cæsar i. (1565) 23 To whom the Heduanes.. had..gyuen battell: wherin going by the wors, they had receyued great domage. 1639F. Robartes God's Holy Ho. ix. 63 As he [Moses] lifted up his hands to God, Amalek went by the worst. 1671Milton Samson 903 In argument with men a woman ever Goes by the worse. 1727Boyer Fr. Dict. s.v., To go by the worst, avoir du pire.
58. go for―.
†a. To set out, leave, start for (a destination).
1616in Crt. & Times Jas. I (1848) I. 428 The Lord Roos is gone for Spain. 1595,1660–1[see for prep. 12 a]. 1704Marlborough Lett. & Disp. (1845) I. 244, I may have the satisfaction of embracing you before I go for Holland. 1807Milner Martyrs iii. ii. 124 At length having left Rome, we went for Bavaria. 1883‘Mark Twain’ Life on Mississippi xxiv. 269 They break camp and go for the woods.
b. To go to fetch; to fetch.
1594Marlowe & Nashe Dido iii. i, Anna, good sister Anna, go for him. 1923[see bird dog s.v. bird n. 9]. 1937D. L. Sayers Busman's Honeymoon vi. 110 Leave everything as it is. Crutchley, you'd better go for the police.
c. To pass as or as equivalent to; to be accounted or valued as. Now only in to go for nothing, little, something, or the like.
1556Chron. Gr. Friars (Camden) 68 Item the v. day of December [1550] was proclamyd that the French crownes shuld goo but for vjs. iiijd. 1577St. Aug. Manual (Longman) 13 He that cares not to lyve for thee Lord, is nothing and goeth for nought. a1586Sidney Arcadia i. (1590) 12 b, Since she goes for a woman. 1623Lisle ælfric on O. & N. Test. 17 Which for likenesse of stile and profitable vse haue gone for his. 1655W. Gurnall Chr. in Arm. verse 11. ii. ix. §3 (1656) 150 Faith before temptation hath much heterogeneal stuffe that cleaves to it, and goes for faith. 1688Burnet Lett. State Italy 186 The oaths..went for nothing, but matters of form. 1691Locke Consid. Lower. Int. (1692) 21 Many who go for English Merchants, are but Dutch Factors, and Trade for others in their own Names. Ibid. 137 A Crown with us goes for 60 Pence. 1820Examiner No. 655. 690/1 His testimony would go for nothing. 1867Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) I. iv. 193 His plighted faith went for as little as the plighted faith of a deliberate perjurer. 1885Mrs. E. Lynn Linton Chr. Kirkland III. vii. 240 She was pretty too; and that went for something.
d. To have for one's aim; to aim at securing; † also = the later go in for (see 83). In recent use also with stronger sense (cf. e), to concentrate effort on the attainment of (an object). Also, to be enamoured of or enthusiastic about; to care for, like, or prefer; to choose, accept, or support.
c1560A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) xvi. 30 Quha suld my dullit spreitis raiss, Sen for no lufe my lady gaiss? 1641H. Peacham Worth of a Peny 32 Some go for recreations which trouble..the mind more then the hardest study, as Chesse. 1790By-stander 288 It is a pity Captain Parslowe did not go for twenty thousand pounds, for through such a judge and such a jury he would have received every halfpenny of it. 1800Addison Amer. Law Rep. 23 The present form of action..goes only for the money supposed to have been actually received. 1830W. L. Garrison in Life W. L. Garrison (1885) I. 201 In politics..I go for the people—the whole people. 1835P. Hone Diary 13 Nov. (1889) I. 172 Daniel Webster's claim is incomparably stronger than that of either of the other candidates. He is entitled to the people's votes... I go, therefore, for Webster. 1839Congress. Globe 6 Dec. 25 No, sir, I go for the laws and the Constitution, whether they define the qualifications of the voter, or prescribe the manner in which this right shall be exercised. 1864Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XXV. ii. 445 Their breeders go for open wool as much as possible. 1877Scribner's Mag. XV. 7/1 Each dog selected his bird, and went for it steadily. 1882M. E. Braddon Mt. Royal III. viii. 155 Miss Vandeleur had made up her mind not to ‘go for’ any marriageable man in too distinct a manner. 1930Amer. Mercury Dec. 456/1, I go for that gee. He's a righto. 1936Studies in Eng. (Univ. Texas) XVI. 44 Go for..signifies..to become enthusiastic over something or somebody. 1940Harrisson & Madge War begins at Home ix. 241 Comedy songs that are anti-Hitler the public are at first inclined to go for. 1950A. Baron There's no Home 65, I could go for you in a big way, kid. 1952M. R. Rinehart Pool xxi. 196 She doesn't go for whiskers. 1962Listener 8 Nov. 759/1, I myself don't go at all for that heartiness, that matey stuff..which figures so largely in mountaineering books. 1962K. Orvis Damned & Destroyed i. 12 The people will never go for that guff.
e. colloq. To assail, attack; whether with physical force or violent language.
1880Sat. Rev. 18 Sept. 369/2 Every now and then Mr. Mercer goes for the citizens with a bowie. 1890Illustr. Lond. News 16 Aug. 194/2 A couple of novelists..have ‘gone for’ the critics. 1890Boldrewood Col. Reformer (1891) 243 The black cow..immediately went for him.
f. To go for the purpose of becoming; to become; to act as.
1741, etc. [see for prep. 8 b]. 1957A. Wilson Bit off Map 1 I'm well made all right. I could go for a model if I wanted.
g. To be valid or applicable for (a person); usu. in phr. that goes for me, etc. = that applies to me; that is my opinion. orig. U.S.
1923C. E. Mulford Black Buttes iii. 36 In case nobody ever told you to go to hell before, I'm tellin' you now. That goes for the town an' everybody in it. 1925T. Dreiser Amer. Trag. (1926) I. ii. xxx. 360 She thinks I don't like her, and that's right, I don't... And that goes for that little Cranston show-off, too. 1936Wodehouse Laughing Gas v. 63, I don't care if Pittsburgh chokes. And that goes for Cincinnati, too. 1941Punch 2 July p. v/2 (Advt.), If you require anything that can possibly be connected with wire or wire-ropes (and this goes for manila and hemp ropes and canvas, too), British Ropes Ltd. can supply you. 1959Listener 5 Mar. 431/2 That goes for all his music written..in the last twenty years and it applies to his lighter style of writing as well.
h. to go for broke: to make strenuous efforts; to go ‘all out’. U.S. slang.
1951Amer. Speech XXVI. 26 Go for broke means to bend every effort, to ‘shoot the works’. 1963Guardian 5 June 6 If he were to go for broke on behalf of the Negroes..the President would endanger the moral reform cause. 1968Ibid. 19 Feb. 1/7 The enemy is ‘going all out—..he is going for broke’.
i. To be in one's favour; to be favourable or advantageous to; esp. in phr. to have (something) going for one. colloq.
1967Melody Maker 29 July 6/7 But his swing is ridiculous. He's got everything going for him. 1968Listener 5 Dec. 749/2 Mr and Mrs White Rhodesia have quite enough going for them to make do with a few minor self-denials. 1970New Yorker 10 Oct. 174/2 She has a lot going for her. Her serve..comes in hard and fast.
59. go into―.
a. See simple senses and into. † to go into the field: i.e. for the purpose of fighting a duel. to go into (a Cabinet, Parliament): to become a member of. to go into society: to appear habitually at private or public entertainments.
1616in Crt. & Times Jas. I (1848) I. 433, I heard yester⁓night that Sir Henry Rich was gone into the field with Sir Ralph Sheldon. 1831Wellington in Blackw. Mag. CXXXV. 267/2, I should be very sorry to go into any Cabinet of which he is not a member. 1855Dickens Dorrit ii. v, Miss Fanny..had become the victim of an insatiate mania for what she called ‘going into society’. 1888McCarthy & Mrs. C. Praed Ladies' Gallery I. iii. 62 He wanted to go into Parliament. Ibid. II. iii. 34, I don't go into society much.
b. To join or take part in; to undertake.
1688Burnet Lett. State Italy 11 Those who are discontented do naturally go into every new thing that..promises relief. a1715― Own Time (1823) I. 61 When the war broke out in England, the Scots had a great mind to go into it. 1861Temple Bar I. 270 He had gone largely into government contracts. 1877C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iii. xxvi. 253 He went eagerly into the compact. 1889F. Pigot Strangest Journ. Life 213 He went into a railway, and no dividend was declared.
†c. To agree, accede to. Obs.
1713Addison Cato ii. iii, Cato, we all go into your opinion. a1715Burnet Own Time (1823) I. 456 All these schemes settled in a proposition into which the King went. 1741Middleton Cicero I. iii. 211 Cicero's friends were going forwardly into it, as likely to create the least trouble to Cicero himself. 1762Gentl. Mag. 10/2 Cuchullin, of himself willing to fight, went into the opinion of Calmar.
d. To enter upon a specified state, condition, or process; to take up a specified attitude. Also in indirect pass.
1776Foote Capuchin i. Wks. 1799 II. 386, I might have gone into keeping. 1781Hist. Eur. in Ann. Reg. 191*/2 If the enquiry was seriously gone into. 1845Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VI. ii. 301 Expensive improvements have been already gone into. 1845Ld. Houghton in T. W. Reid Life (1891) I. 356 The Times has gone into open opposition to the Government on all points except foreign policy. 1898Athenæum 23 Apr. 537/2 ‘The Marchioness against the County’, is just going into its third edition.
e. To pass or allow oneself to pass into (ecstasies, hysterics, passion, etc.).
1677Lady Chaworth in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 41 Lord Worcester's lady is gone almost into a mopishnesse with malancolly. 1831F. A. Kemble in Rec. Girlhood (1878) III. 71, I..nearly went into hysterics. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. vi. II. 41 The King..went into a rage with Saxton. 1889Temple Bar Dec. 533 The man..who went into ecstasies at discovering that Cape Breton was an island. 1889F. Barrett Under Str. Mask I. vi. 93 An artist would have gone into raptures over the scene.
f. To enter as a profession or occupation.
1820Examiner No. 616. 65/1 His Royal Highness then went into the army. 1825New Monthly Mag. XIV. 328 Since he went into orders, he is very anxious not to swear. 1841Fraser's Mag. XXIII. 15 The young divine goes into the church. 1850Tait's Mag. XVII. 340/1 He was skilful in many ways, but never went into regular service. 1878Scribner's Mag. XVI. 860/2 Hicks naturally went into law. 1888Goodman Paid in his own Coin I. xiii. 245 He went into practice for himself. 1890Field 8 Mar. 347/1 [He] went keenly into dairying. 1890Sat. Rev. 13 Sept. 320/1 The American gentleman seldom or never goes into politics.
g. To adopt as a style of dress, to dress oneself or be dressed in (esp. mourning).
1666Pepys Diary 15 Oct., Lady Carteret tells me ladies are to go into a new fashion shortly. 1671Lady M. Bertie in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 23 We are all goeing into mourning for the Dutchesse of York. 1711Addison Spect. No. 64 ⁋1 When it is the Fashion to go into Mourning. 1862Temple Bar IV. 554 She..shocked Mrs. Grundy by refusing to go into full mourning. Mod. To go into frocks, long dresses, trousers, etc.
h. to go into († a, † the) committee (see committee 3). Said also of a bill.
1820Examiner No. 620. 136/1 The House then went into the Committee. 1823New Monthly Mag. IX. 290/1 The..Bill went into a committee. Ibid. 293 The House went into a Committee on the..Bill.
i. To examine or discuss minutely. to go into detail(s (see detail n. 3).
1820Examiner No. 616. 71/2 It was not necessary for him to go into the character, public and private, of the great statesman. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xv. III. 499 It is not easy to believe that any tribunal would have gone into such a question. 1879M. J. Guest Lect. Hist. Eng. xvii. 161 We cannot of course go into the history of these wars.
j. Pugilism. To assail vigorously.
1811Sporting Mag. XXXVII. 100 Molineux..went into Crib pell mell.
60. go off―.
a. See simple senses and off. † to go off the tool: to leave the workman's hands (obs.). to go off one's head or chump (see head n. 34, chump n. 2 b). to go off milk: (of a cow) to leave off yielding milk.
1665J. Webb Stone-Heng (1725) 44 The outward Course of Stones..appear not so smooth, and neat, as when first they went off the Tool. 1884Times (weekly ed.) 5 Sept. 14/4 Or the cows go off milk for a time, and then they [the owners of the cows] must be content to drink water.
b. To shirk; to fail to fulfil.
1749Fielding Tom Jones xvii. iii, Did I ever go off any bargain when I had promised?
c. To cease to like; to begin to dislike.
1934E. Bowen Cat Jumps 232 That's where I went right off him. In fact, he's not a nice man. 1965M. Spark Mandelbaum Gate iii. 76, I simply don't feel anything for him any more. In fact, I've gone off him. 1969Listener 24 July 127/1 Then word came down that the editor had gone off the idea and was averse to naming individual pubs.
61. go on―.
a. See simple senses and on. to go on a wind: to avail oneself of it for sailing. to go on board (see board n. 14 b). to go on one's knees (see knee).
1844Kinglake Eothen (1847) 66 They rarely go on a wind if it blows at all fresh.
b. To approach (a point of time) usu. in pres. pple.; freq., to approach (a specified age). Cf. senses 47 a and 86 k.
1577Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1585) 377 When the Emperour Theodosius went on the eight yeare of his age. 1670W. Walker Idiomat. Anglo-Lat. 226, I am going on my fourscore and four. Quartum annum ago & octogesimum. 1798C. Smith Yng. Philos. III. 160 Scarce any body have come to see her here, though she have been here going on three weeks. 1876T. E. Brown Doctor 17 The only child,..And just about goin' on twenty-one. 1880‘Mark Twain’ Tramp Abroad xx. 193 Been here going on two years. 1924C. C. O'Connor Case of Galileo viii. 45 He..appealed to his judges to consider his age (he was going on seventy). 1959O. Hammerstein II (song-title) Sixteen going on seventeen.
†c. To enter on, take up (a subject) for discussion; to begin, undertake (an action).
1508Fisher 7 Penit. Ps. xxxii. Wks. (1876) 23 This holy prophete gooth shortly on all these in the same ordres as we haue rehersed to you. 1611Shakes. Wint. T. ii. i. 121 This Action I now goe on, Is for my better grace.
†d. To consider the case of, examine judicially. (Cf. go upon, 67 c.)
1662W. Gurnall Chr. in Arm. verse 17 xiv. §2. 106 When the Jury shall go on thy murdered soul,..thou wilt be found guilty of thine own damnation.
e. To care for, concern oneself about; usu. in negative contexts, esp. in phr. not to go much on (something). colloq. (orig. U.S.).
1824in N. E. Eliason Tarheel Talk (1956) 274 The people goes more on making nice cloth hear than they did thare. 1882B. Harte Flip ii, We don't go much on that kind of cattle here. 1892Eng. Illustr. Mag. IX. 460 She didn't go much on me, but the boy was everything to her. 1940F. Sargeson Man & Wife (1944) 80, I don't go much on putting people away, I said. 1941Coast to Coast 1941 197 They didn't go much on any of the chaps. 1958Daily Express 17 Feb. 3/6 Waterloo was fascinating. But I didn't go much on the old armour. 1960‘N. Shute’ Trustee from Toolroom 12 Jo says she wants to live in Tahiti, but I don't go much on that, myself. 1963P. Willmott Evolution of Community vii. 73 This estate is low class. I don't go on the other people here myself.
f. To become chargeable to (the parish, the funds of a friendly society, etc.). (Cf. go upon, 67 b.)
g. To use (something) as evidence or as a starting-point. colloq.
1947K. Tennant Lost Haven xix. 318 'Course I've got nothing to go on, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the johns wasn't on to us.
62. go over―.
a. To cross, pass to the other side of. to go over the top: see top n.1 3 d.
1535Coverdale Deut. iv. 21 And the Lorde was angrie with me for your sakes, so that he sware, yt I shulde not go ouer Iordane.
b. To visit and inspect the various parts of (a building, an estate, etc.).
1830F. A. Kemble in Rec. Girlhood (1878) II. vi. 183, I have been gratified and interested..by going over one of the largest manufactories of this place. 1885Law Times LXXIX. 74/2 The defendants had gone over the house before taking it.
c. To admit of being placed or laid over.
1841Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. II. ii. 181 Sufficient dung is made on the farm to go over the fallow. 1890Eng. Illustr. Mag. Sept. 891 Fox gave him a vizard to go over his face.
d. To pass in review; to consider seriatim.
a1586Sidney Arcadia ii. (1633) 170 So in this jolly-scoffing bravery he went over us all, saying he left one, because she was over-wayward; another, because [etc.]. 1644Digby Two Treat. Ded. 6, I should haue kept it by me, till I had once againe gone ouer it. 1687Burnet Contin. Reply to Varillas 66 Thus I have gone over his third Tome. 1695Locke Further Consid. Value Money 91 And thus I have gone over all Mr. Lowndes's Reasons for raising our Coin. 1781E. Rutledge in Sparks Corr. Amer. Rev. (1853) III. 389, I really believe we shall have the whole business of civil government to go over. 1873Black Pr. Thule xxi. 337 One after the other she went over the acquaintances she had made. 1881G. M. Craik Sydney III. i. 13 Horace and I have been going over old letters.
e. To read over; to rehearse.
1779Sheridan Critic iii. i, Whisk. I wish, Sir—you would practise this without me..Puff. Very well; we'll go over it by and bye. 1841Fraser's Mag. XXIII. 16 The school⁓boy goes over his lesson, before going up before the master.
f. To repeat, tell over.
1690Locke Hum. Und. ii. xvi. §7 And some, through the default of their memories..are not able all their life⁓time to reckon, or regularly go over any moderate series of numbers. For he that will count twenty [etc.]. 1878Scribner's Mag. XVI. 228/1 He went over the explanation two or three times.
g. To examine in detail and operate on as is found necessary; to revise or retouch throughout (a piece of work). Often with again.
1897Garden 1 May 318/2 It is necessary to go over the beds daily. Mod. Is the picture finished, or must you go over it again?
h. slang. To search and rob (a person). (Cf. go through, 63 f.)
1889Referee 2 June 1/2 A few who had..gone over the landlord, left him skinned.
63. go through―.
a. † To execute (a design) (obs.); to deal in succession with all the stages of (a business, a course of study, etc.).
a1586Sidney Arcadia i. (1633) 18 The world sooner wanted occasions, than hee valour to goe through them. 1598R. Grenewey Tacitus' Ann. vi. viii. (1622) 133 Barbarous people count temporizing and delay, as base and seruile; and to goe through presently their deseignments, a royall point. 1700Wallis in Collect. (O.H.S.) I. 316 He did with them go through a whole course of chymistry. 1707Addison Pres. State War (1708) 38 The greatest Powers in Germany are borrowing Mony, in order to..go thorough their part of the Expence. 1813Southey Life Nelson II. vi. 37 When he discovered that the judge's orders were to go through the business in a summary manner [etc.].
b. To examine and discuss seriatim; to scrutinize thoroughly.
1668Marvell Corr. xcix. Wks. 1872–5 II. 252 The Committee of the whole House hath now gon through that Bill. 1711Addison Spect. No. 44 ⁋8, I have now gone through the several dramatick Inventions which are made use of by the ignorant Poets. 1861Temple Bar I. 405 It took the party some time to go through the contents of the casket. 1887L. Carroll Game of Logic i. §1. 14 It would take far too long to go through all the Propositions.
c. To declaim, recite, sing, etc. at full length; to perform in detail, to enact the several points of.
1766Goldsm. Vic. W. xvii, He has taught that song to our Dick..and I think he goes through it very prettily. 1815Chalmers Let. in Life (1851) II. 21 They must have four [Ministers] to every funeral, or they do not think that it has been genteelly gone through. 1869A. W. Ward Curtius' Hist. Greece II. ii. iv. 33 The youths went through their exercises under the superintendence of the law. 1877C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iii. xvii. 154 A form of trial was gone through.
d. To experience, submit to, suffer, undergo.
1712Arbuthnot John Bull iii. App. ii, I tell thee, it is absolutely necessary for the common good, that thou shouldst go through this operation. 1820Examiner No. 619. 113/1 He has already gone through unutterable agonies. 1847Helps Friend in C. (1851) I. 19 All that men go through may be absolutely the best for them. 1889Repent. P. Wentworth I. viii. 158 Wentworth had gone through a process of moral hardening.
e. Of a book: To have all the copies sold of (an edition); now only, to be published successively in (so many editions). (Cf. pass, run through.)
1820Examiner No. 629. 278/1 The Cenci..had nearly gone through the first edition. 1889J. M. Robertson Ess. Critical Meth. 18 The ‘Elements’..went through seven editions.
f. slang. To search and rob. Also, to search (a person). (Cf. go over, 62 h.)
1861Calif. Police Gaz. (San Francisco) 31 Mar. 2/4 Upon ‘going through him’, over $2,000 was found upon his person. 1865T. W. Knox Camp-fire & Cotton-field 421 Not being privileged to ‘go through’ me as they had anticipated, the gentlemanly guerrillas went through the overseer. They took his money, his hat, his pantaloons, and his saddle. 1887F. Francis Jr. Saddle & Mocassin iv. 71 These gentlemen [cow-boys] had lately ‘gone through’ the coaches with great regularity. 1896Westm. Gaz. 20 Apr. 2/3 Two men were charged in the police-courts on Saturday with attempting to ‘go through’ the pockets of an elderly gentleman. 1931‘D. Stiff’ Milk & Honey Route 205 Train crews also go through the hobos. 1945R. W. Service Ploughman 194 The girls were ‘going through’ a drunken sailor.
g. To wear out, make holes in; to use up.
1959H. Pinter Birthday Party i. 2 He goes through his socks terrible. 1966Which? Jan. 25/1 No fewer than 80 (of 118) reported water pump failure, and these members have between them gone through 103 pumps.
64. go to ―. Colloq. phr. to go to it: to go ahead; to get to work; to ‘get cracking’; freq. imp.
1735–6S. Legge Alphabet of Kenticisms (1876) 30 Going to 't, i.e. going to do it; as, ‘do this or that;’ the answer is—‘I am going to 't.’ 1917Megrue & Hackett It pays to Advertise i. 40 Go to it. 1932Wodehouse Louder & Funnier 12 Stoke up and go to it. 1952C. Day Lewis tr. Virgil's Aeneid ix. 188 How they went to it then!
65. go under―. To submit to, undergo. Obs. exc. dial.
c1449Pecock Repr. ii. x. 204 Which with thi fre wil hast goon vndir for us the lawis of deeth [L. ultro qui mortis pro nobis jura subisti]. 1881Lanc. Gloss., Go-under, to undergo; to suffer, as in the case of a surgical operation.
66. go up ―. See simple senses and up. to go up King Street: to become bankrupt (Australian). to go up the form (see quot. 1683).
1683Moxon Mech. Exerc. II. 318 Thus Beating from the hither towards the farther side, is in Press-mens phrase called Going up the Form. Ibid., Then in like manner he again skips the Balls from the second and fourth Row to the first and third Row, and again Goes up the Form with the Balls. 1890Boldrewood Col. Reformer (1891) 368 That stuck-up beggar..may marry his cousin, and go up King Street the next week for all we care.
67. go upon―. (See simple senses and upon.)
†a. To attack, proceed against. Obs.
1430–40Lydg. Bochas i. xiv. (1554) 27 a, Meleager..Pulled out a sweord and upon them he goeth. c1500Melusine lix. 348 Go we vpon our enemyes to helpe & socoure our frendes. 1530Palsgr. 570/2, I go upon a mannes enemye, or assayle hym.
†b. To be chargeable to. Obs. (Cf. go on, 61 f.)
1660Marvell Corr. iii. Wks. 1872–5 II. 18 All things are to go upon his Majestye's own purse.
†c. Of a judicial authority: To consider the case of. (Cf. go on, 61 d.) Obs.[1215Magna Carta §39 Nec super eum ibimus, nec super eum mittemus. 1817J. Evans Excurs. Windsor 283 The expressions, we will not go upon him, we will not send upon him, signify, that the king would not sit in judgment, or pronounce sentence on any freeman.] a1586Sidney Arcadia iii. (1633) 313 He needed no Judge to goe upon him: for no man could ever thinke any other worthy of greater punishment, than hee thought himselfe. 1706S. Sewall Diary 6 June (1879) II. 163 The Govr. bundled up the papers and sent them into the House of Deputies, without asking the Council whether they would first go upon them, with whom the Petition was entered. a1715Burnet Own Time (1823) II. 38 They next went upon the duke of Buckingham.
d. To take in hand. Also in indirect pass.
1607Shakes. Cor. i. i. 282 Let's hence, and heare..in what fashion..he goes Vpon this present Action. 1743Johnson Let. to Cave Aug. in Boswell, The Life of Savage I am ready to go upon. 1751R. Paltock P. Wilkins I. xxv. 242 The first Thing I went upon was a Table; which..I intended to make big enough for us all. 1896Pall Mall Mag. Dec. 470, I..cannot bear to see things botched or gone upon with ignorance.
†e. = go on, 61 b. Obs.
1622Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. ii. iii. ii. 231 In all the time that I haue serued his Maiesty..which is now going vpon the three and twentieth yeare.
f. = go on, 61 g.
1909F. L. Barclay Rosary xv. 154 You see, this gave me something to go upon.
68. go with―.
a. To accompany, attend as a companion; in vulgar use, to ‘keep company with’ as a lover.
1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccxcvi. 439 Ye shall be soue⁓rayne and gouernour..of all theym that gothe with you. 1603Philotus xcv, Ȝe sall ga with me hame. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. I. 544 It was determined that..Fletcher should go with Monmouth to England. 1892Harper's Mag. May 932/1 The ‘young ladies’ he had ‘gone with’ and ‘had feelin's about’ were now staid matrons.
b. To be associated with, be a concomitant of.
1601Shakes. All's Well i. i. 49 For where an vncleane mind carries vertuous qualities, the commendations go with pitty. 1751Jortin Serm. (1771) IV. i. 6 Poverty and riches are of themselves things indifferent; and the blessing of God may go with them both. 1873H. Spencer Stud. Sociol. xv. 361 Criminality habitually went with dirtiness.
c. To side with. (Cf. B. 5 a.)
c1460Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. ix. (1885) 129 The peple will go with hym þat best mey susteyne and rewarde ham. 1611Shakes. Cymb. v. 76 The day Was yours by accident: had it gone with vs, We should not [etc.]. 1886Athenæum 7 Aug. 169/3 We cannot go with him in defending the MS. ‘tibi’..as an ethical dative. 1892Cornh. Mag. July 47 My sympathies went strongly with the lady.
d. To match; to harmonize with.
1710Tatler No. 157 ⁋12 A Dulcimer..goes very well with the Flute. 1852Dickens Bleak Ho. xl, The innocence which would go extremely well with a sash and tucker is a little out of keeping with the rouge and pearl necklace. 1888F. Barrett Lady Biddy Fane III. lxii. 199, I made a hat for my lady; not so much like a woman's as a boy's, that it might go fairly with her habit. 1890Murray's Mag. Nov. 629 Pride is a luxury which goes ill with poverty. 1893Cornh. Mag. July 93 A delightful baritone, which ‘went’ beautifully with her own soprano.
e. To understand; to follow intelligently.
a1873Lytton Ken. Chillingly xiii, ‘Do you go with me?’ ‘Partly, Sir, but I'm puzzled a little still.’ 1891Law Times XC. 462/1 The Court declared the deed a nullity on the ground that the mind of the mortgagee did not go with the deed she signed.
69. go without―. Not to have; to dispense with, put up with the want of.
1596Shakes. Merch. V. i. ii. 97, I hope I shall make shift to goe without him. 1647Trapp Comm. Titus i. 16 Faint chapmen that go without the bargain, as he did that came kneeling to our Saviour, and saying, What shall I do to inherit eternall life? 1650A. Boate in Abp. Ussher's Lett. (1686) 558 Rather than he should go without it, I would bestow mine own Copy upon him, if I had it still. 1825New Monthly Mag. XIII. 139 We had rather eat the same dinner two days following than go without one. 1872S. Butler Erewhon ii. 10, I had to go without my own grog. 1889M. Caird Wing of Azrael I. ii. 10 Viola had to go almost without education.
absol. or ellipt.1458in Turner's Dom. Archit. III. 43 Of the pore penyles the hiereward wold habbe A hood or a girdel, and let hem goo without. 1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie iii. xix. (Arb.) 218 That one man should haue many at once, and a great number goe without that were as able men. 1695Locke Further Consid. Value Money 58 Silver which every Goldsmith..was content to pay high for, rather than go without. 1889Gissing Nether World III. xii. 253 You'll eat this or go without.
VII. Combined with adverbs.
70. go about.
a. To go to and fro, move hither and thither, travel in divers places; (of a report, money) to circulate, have currency; also, † to move round in a circle, to complete a cycle.
a1300Cursor M. 12611 Sua lang a-bute þan had mari gan þat weri was sco bath lith and ban. c1435Torr. Portugal 2041 As Seynt Antony about yede, Byddyng his orysoun. 1529More Comf. agst. Trib. iii. Wks. 1214/1 As I go more aboute than you, so muste I nedes more here..the maner of men in thys matter. 1530Palsgr. 569/2, I go aboute, as a whele dothe, je rotis. 1594Bp. J. King Jonas (1599) ii. 36 The moneths of the year haue not yet gone about, wherin the Lorde hath bowed the heavens, and come downe amongst vs. 1605Shakes. Macb. i. iii. 34 The weird sisters, hand in hand..Thus do go about, about. 1664Waller's Poems Printer to Rdr., For we see clipt and washt Money go about when the entire and weighty lies hoarded up. 1749Fielding Tom Jones viii. ii, I think it is great Pity that such a pretty young Gentleman should undervalue himself so, as to go about with these Soldier Fellows. 1849Thackeray Pendennis xlvii, An attorney's clerk, indeed, that went about with a bag. 1877C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iii. xxi. 198 A report went about that Henry had murdered him.
b. Mil. To turn round.
1796–7Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1813) 65 Should it be required again to form in line on the same ground, the divisions will go about, ranks by three's.
†c. To use circumlocution. Obs.
1815Woman's Will ii. i, Why do you go about with me thus—why not speak to be understood?
d. Naut. (See about A 6 b.)
e. to go about to (see about A 10).
c1380–1690 [see about A 10]. 1697Collier Ess. Mor. Subj. ii. (1703) 14 But because they [Diseases] are natural, it seems we must not go about to cure them. 1875E. White Life in Christ iv. xxiv. (1878) 371 It is no sufficient answer to our argument to go about to prove that life carries with it an association of moral ideas.
71. go abroad. (See simple senses and abroad.)
a. Of a report, etc.: To circulate, have currency, be widely diffused. (Somewhat arch.)
†b. To tear, come to pieces (obs.).
c. To go out of doors or away from home (obs. exc. dial.).
d. To go to a foreign country.
a.1513More in Grafton Chron. (1568) II. 768 That thereby shall be ceassed the slaunderous rumour and obloquy nowe going abrode. 1535Coverdale Micah iv. 3 The tyme wil come, that thy gappes shal be made vp, and the lawe shal go abrode. a1719Addison Evid. Chr. Relig. (1733) 3 The report which had gone abroad concerning a life so full of miracles. 1888McCarthy & Mrs. C. Praed Ladies' Gallery II. viii. 125 My fame had gone abroad in London.
b.1568Satir. Poems Reform. xlviii. 40 It tuggis in hoilis, and gais abbreid.
c.1530Palsgr. 569/2, I go abrode, as one dothe that gothe out of his chambre after a sicknesse, or gothe out of his house to be sene. 1725Pope Let. to Swift 15 Oct in S.'s Wks. (1841) II. 580 Here is Arbuthnot recovered from the jaws of death..He goes abroad again, and is more cheerful than even health can make a man. c1785Cowper Ep. to J. Hill 23 Horatio's servant..begg'd to go abroad..'Tis but a step, sir, just at the street's end. 1815Jane Austen Emma i. xiii, The going abroad in such weather.
d.1719[see abroad A 4]. 1786Mrs. Piozzi Anecd. of Johnson 168 His desire to go abroad, particularly to see Italy, was very great. 1871Geo. Eliot Middlem. i. ix, And now he wants to go abroad again.
72. go ahead. (See ahead.) To make one's way to the front in a race, etc. Also (until recently chiefly U.S.), to go forward, or to proceed with one's work, etc., without pause or hesitation; to make rapid progress.
1831American (Harrodsburg, Ky.) 25 Mar. 2/5 We say to our Clay friends, ‘go ahead.’ 1839Mill in Westm. Rev. XXXII. 508 The man..who ‘goes a-head’ with a policy adapted for uniting the Reformers, will find all things prepared for him. 1840[see ahead adv. 5]. 1845Punch 8 Mar. 116/1 We should still go a-head, as this moment we do. 1868Nat. Encycl. I. 618/2 Go-ahead is of American origin, and is used..where the British would say ‘all right’. 1870R. Brough Marston Lynch xii. 110 Go a-head! in whatever you feel to be your vocation. 1877C. Loftus My Life I. ii. 45 My brother..quickly passing him, went ahead, and won the match easily. 1883Harper's Mag. Nov. 871/1, ‘I will show the way.’..‘Oh, then go ahead.’ 1898Pall Mall Mag. Jan. 82 ‘Don't interrupt me when I am explaining problems to you’..‘All right—go ahead’. 1966Listener 23 June 904/2 In the meantime Sixtus was authorized to go ahead.
73. go along.
a. See simple senses and along adv. In imp. go along! go along with you! = ‘Be off’; also as an expression of impatience or derision, = go on.
1535Coverdale Deut. ii. 27, I wil go a longe by the hye waye, I wil nether turne to the righte hande ner to ye lefte. 1688Miege Gt. Fr. Dict. ii. s.v., To meditate as one goes along. 1840P. Parley's Ann. I. 29, I asked her for a half-penny twelfth-cake just now, and she said, ‘Go along; go along’. 1897Fl. Marryat Blood Vampire vi, ‘Go along with you, you bad boy’, chuckled the Baroness.
b. to go along with: to proceed or travel in company with; † to follow intelligently (an exposition); to agree with or approve of (up to a specified point); to accompany, attend upon; to be the regular concomitant of; † to be classed together with.
1602Shakes. Ham. i. ii. 15 Nor haue we heerein barr'd Your better Wisedomes, which haue freely gone With this affair along. 1695Locke Further Consid. Value Money 8 If this Security goes not along with the publick Stamp, Coining is labour to no purpose. a1698Temple Of Her. Virtue Wks. 1720 I. 196 Whatever remains in Story of Atlas..is so obscured with Age or Fables, that it may go along with those of the Atlantick Islands. 1727Boyer Fr. Dict. s.v., I go so far along with you. 1866Lond. Rev. 17 Feb. 188/1 So far we go along with M. Deak and his friends. 1883H. Spencer in Contemp. Rev. XLIII. 14 It may..result that diminished happiness goes along with increased prosperity.
74. go around.
a. = go round (sense 90 g). U.S.
1883[see around adv. 4]. 1965Word Study Feb. 4/1 There are simply not enough words to go around for things.
b. To go here and there; to wander about; spec. to be regularly in company with (someone, esp. a sweetheart) (= go with, sense 68 a).
[1896in Eng. Dial. Dict. s.v. around, A seed em gangen aroond.] 1959J. Braine Vodi xii. 162 Once he started going around with her there were more withdrawals than deposits in his Post Office savings book.
75. go away. (See simple senses and away.)
a. To depart, go from a place or person. † Of time: To pass.
c1200Vices & Virtues (1888) 11 Ga awei fram me, ðu ȝewereȝede, forð mid te dieule! c1400Apol. Loll. 89 Wan þe pope goþ a wey fro Crist, & doþ þe contrari..þan is not he Cristis vicar. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 4675 Þe schip sayland away ȝode. 1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iv. (1586) 181 After which hours, they [Bees] commonly goe not away. 1610Shakes. Temp. v. i. 304 This one night, which part of it, Ile waste With such discourse, as I not doubt, shall make it Goe quicke away. 1711Hearne Collect. (O.H.S.) III. 163 'Tis pretended that this Smith must have went away that Morning. 1841Lane Arab. Nts. I. 102 He went away as he had come. 1869C. Gibbon R. Gray xix, I saw her gaeing awa' in a gig wi' a man.
b. to go away with: to carry off as one's own. † to go away with it: to get the best of it, to win the advantage.
1597–8Bacon Ess., Faction (Arb.) 80 The Traitor in Factions lightly goeth away with it. 1611Bible Transl. Pref. 4 The Edition of the Seuentie went away with the credit. 1633Bp. Hall Hard Texts, N.T. 561 Thou maiest goe away with the glory of a perfect and irreprehensible justice. 1688Miege Gt. Fr. Dict. ii. s.v., They shall not go away with it so. Ils me la payeront, ou je m'en vengerai.
†c. To pass away, die. (Cf. go off, 85 d.)
1611in Crt. & Times Jas. I (1848) I. 148 He was reasonably well recovered in show, but went away in his sleep, when it was least looked for.
†d. To faint. (Cf. go off, 85 h.)
1740Richardson Pamela (1741) I. 31, I was two Hours before I came to myself; and just as I got a little up on my Feet, he coming in, I went away again with the Terror.
e. To go freely or with speed.
a1732T. Boston Crook in Lot (1805) 115 Mariners spread out their sails when the wind begins to blow, that they may go away before it.
76. go back. (See simple senses and back adv.)
a. To retrace one's steps; to return; fig. to revert to a former state or mode of action; † also, to lose ground.
1530Palsgr. 571/1, I go backe, I go backwarde, je recule. 1570Satir. Poems Reform. x. 357 He wald not lat the Papists cause ga bak, Gif it wer Just, bot wald be for him frak. 1583Hollyband Campo di Fior 285 Let us goe backe, lest they take awaye our clothes. 1631Widdowes Nat. Philos. 9 Plannets are said to goe backe, when removing themselves, they goe not forward their course, but returne backe the way they came, in some part. 1647Chas. I Let. in Antiquary (1880) I. 97, I will be content that y⊇ come to some convenient Place to dyne, & goe back at night. 1782Cowper Gilpin 199 'Twas for your pleasure you came here, You shall go back for mine. 1811Minutes Evidence, Berkeley Peerage 218, I was going back to Gloucester. 1849Tait's Mag. XVI. 141/1 The attempts of English proprietors in the Highlands to go back to the exploded middle⁓age plan. 1883Stubbs' Mercantile Circular 8 Nov. 982/2 The people in Nagasaki are fast going back to their old practice of spinning this class of fabric for themselves.
b. To carry one's view backward in time.
1662Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. iii. i. §12 The further we go back in history, the fuller the world was of Deities. 1701De Foe True-born Eng. 3 Go back to Elder Times, and Ages past.
c. to go back from (now also colloq. of, on, upon): to withdraw from (an engagement, promise, or undertaking).
1530Palsgr. 571/1, I go backe from my worde that I have sayd, je me desdis. 1704Marlborough Lett. & Disp. (1845) I. 244 Her Majesty can't go back from what she has promised. 1862Mrs. Carlyle Lett. III. 106 He could not well go back upon his implied assent. 1882B. Harte Flip iv, Don't go back on your promise. 1886Miss Tytler Buried Diamonds xxxii, I will never go back from my word. 1888R. A. King Leal Lass II iv. 79 If Gower went back of his promise.
d. to go back on: to prove faithless or disloyal to; to betray. colloq. (orig. U.S.).
1859G. W. Matsell Vocabulum 38 He won't go back on the cove; he is staunch. 1868Putnam's Mag. Jan. 21 Are these Dobbs' Ferry villagers A going back on Dobbs! 'Twould n't be more anom'lous If Rome went back on Rom'lus. 1883L'pool Daily Post 22 Jan., Some member of the secret organisation has gone back on his comrades. 1893Gunter Miss Dividends 122 Godby has gone back on them, and the Walkers are no more to be relied upon for Church dues.
e. to go back of (U.S.): = go behind, 54.
1890E. H. Griffin in Science 14 Feb. 104 The public..ought not to be compelled to go back of academic titles to find out what they mean. 1891N.Y. Tribune 14 Nov. 6/3 (Funk) They cannot go back of the returns. It is their business simply officially to announce the result.
f. To extend backwards (in space or time); to have a history extending back to.
1789A. Young Jrnl. 17 Aug. in Travels (1792) i. 165 The family of Polignac claim an origin of great antiquity; they have pretensions that go back, I forget whether to Hector or Achilles. 1873H. Spencer Stud. Sociol. ix. 227 English Geology goes back to Ray. 1892Eng. Illustr. Mag. X. 45 The cavity goes back some fourteen inches.
†g. Bridge. To redouble. U.S. Obs.
1907R. F. Foster Bridge 16 If either the eldest hand or the pone doubles, it is the privilege of the player who named the trump to double him again, the usual expression being; ‘I go back’. Ibid. 60 When you go over, never forget the possibility of their going back. 1920― Auction made Easy 111 Going back, redoubling.
77. go backward(s.
a. See simple senses and backward, backwards.
†b. To change for the worse, take an unfavourable turn, decline in prosperity.
1483Cath. Angl. 147/1 To Ga bakwarde, retrogradi. 1530Palsgr. 571/1, I go backwarde, I fall in dette or behynde hande. 1607–12Bacon Ess., Ambit. (Arb.) 222 They..looke vpponn Men and matters with an evill Eye, and are best pleased when thinges goe backward. 1691Locke Consid. Lower. Int. (1692) 120 Landed Men..accommodating their Expences to their Income, keep themselves from going backwards in the World.
78. go before. (See simple senses and before.)
a. lit. To go in advance.
b. To precede in time or serial order.
1548Hall Chron., Edw. IV (1550) 18 b, The Erle of warwicke determined..to go before with parte of the nauie. 1585Abp. Sandys Serm. xii. 188 We learne in the text that goeth before in this chapter, that [etc.]. 1590Shakes. Com. Err. i. i. 96 Gather the sequell by that went before. 1616B. Jonson Epigr. xxxiii, Thou art but gone before, Whither the world must follow. 1819S. Rogers Human Life 751 Those that he loved so long and sees no more, Loved and still loves—not dead..but gone before.
79. go by.
a. To go past, pass (see by adv. 3).
1508Dunbar Ball. Kynd Kittok 38 Drink with my Gud⁓dame, as ȝe ga by, Anys for my saik. 1601Shakes. Twel. N. iii. iv. 398 The time goes by: Away. 1634Sir T. Herbert Trav. 66 They tooke no notice of us, but let us goe by without any ceremonie. 1857Buckle Civiliz. I. ix. 586 They see in those good old times which are now gone by, many sources of consolation. 1877C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iii. xxxiv. 359 No Italian could see such a chance..go by without trying to profit by it. 1885W. M. Conway in Mag. Art Sept. 463/2 They..let no day go by without its jest.
†b. To go unregarded, etc. Obs.
1450–70Golagros & Gaw. 1225 Quhan on-fortone quhelmys the quheil, thair gais grace by. 1596Shakes. Tam. Shr. i. ii. 256 Sir, sir, the first's for me, let her go by. 1603― Meas. for M. ii. ii. 41 Mine were the verie Cipher of a Function To fine the faults, whose fine stands in record, And let go by the actor.
80. go down. (See simple senses and down adv.)
a. To proceed, move, or change to a lower place or condition; to descend (from, † of); also transf. (of a road, passage, etc.) to lead downwards. Of a vessel: To go to the bottom, sink. to go down on one's knees (see knee).
a1300[see down adv. 8]. c1340Cursor M. 11612 (Trin.) He went doun of his modir kne. 1388Wyclif Ps. cvi. 23 Thei that gon doun in to the see in schippis. a1400–50Alexander 5050 And he gose doun be grece, a-gayn to his tentis. c1440Gesta Rom. xvii. 328 (Add. MS.) Whan the Emperour vndirstode that, he went downe of his horse. 1548Hall Chron., Hen. VI, 105 b, His father..whiche was gone downe to dinner. 1659D. Pell Impr. Sea 604 Reproof unto those that go down into the Seas, and forget all their mercies. 1700S. L. tr. Fryke's Voy. E. Ind. 75, I went down into the Boat with the other Surgeons. 1768J. Byron Narr. Wager (1778) 90 There ran such a sea, that we expected, every instant, the boat would go down. 1883Cambridge Staircase ii. 21 They would probably go down to posterity with more than an ordinary share of glory. 1890Temple Bar June 156, I do not think he cares a straw whether your temperature goes up or down.
b. To extend, be continued down to a certain point.
1890Sat. Rev. 5 Apr. 422/2 Mr. Thornton's..sketch..goes down to the death of James II.
c. To be overthrown; to fall before a conqueror.
1599Shakes. Hen. V, iii. Chor. 34 The nimble Gunner With Lynstock now the diuellish Cannon touches, And downe goes all before them. 1749in H. T. Waghorn Cricket Scores (1899) 42 They..had two wickets to go down. 1788World 25 Aug. 3/2 Hampshire won, with 5 Wickets to go down. 1857Hughes Tom Brown ii. viii, There are only twenty-four runs to make, and four wickets to go down. 1874Green Short Hist. ii. §4. 71 Horse and man went down before his lance at Val-ès-dunes. 1878Scribner's Mag. XV. 143/1 Fanaticism, though brilliant in its first efforts, went down before discipline. 1892Blackw. Mag. CLI. 98/1 Five of the best bats in England went down before Spofforth's bowling.
d. To be set down in writing.
1887G. Macdonald Home Again v. 32 Down it must go in her book. 1888Farjeon Miser Farebrother II. vii. 84 All this..went down on the account..and was debited against them.
e. Of waves, wind, etc.: To subside.
1670Dryden 1st Pt. Conq. Granada ii. i, My boiling passions settle, and go down. 1840Marryat Poor Jack x, The sea had gone down. 1873Black Pr. Thule iv, The wind had altogether gone down.
f. To be swallowed. (Cf. down adv. 11.)
1579Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 20 The deceitfull Phisition giueth sweete Syrropes to make his poyson goe downe the smoother. 1665Boyle Occas. Refl. (1848) 340 A belief that the toothsome would make the nutritive part go smoothly down. 1747Gentl. Mag. XVII. 24 His hunger makes his bread go down Altho' it be both stale and brown. 1890Illustr. Sport. & Dram. News 31 May 372/1, I..want no extra inducement in the shape of sauce or pickle to make it go down.
g. fig. To find acceptance (with a person).
1608Dekker Lanthorne & Candle-L. H 3, The woorst hors-flesh..does best goe downe with him. 1679Dryden Troil. & Cr. Prol., The fulsome clench, that nauseates the town, Would from a judge or alderman go down. 1690Locke Hum. Und. iv. xx. §10 The grossest absurdities..being but agreeable to such principles, go down glibly, and are easily digested. 1733Fielding Intrig. Chambermaid Epil., English is now below this learned town, None but Italian warblers will go down. 1821Lamb Elia Ser. 1. Mackery End, Nothing goes down with her, that is quaint, irregular, or out of the road of common sympathy. 1822Hazlitt Table-t. II. iv. 64 A poet who would not go down among readers of the present day. 1885W. E. Norris A. Vidal I. vii. 121 In fashion or out of fashion, they [sensational novels] always pay and always go down with the public.
h. To deteriorate; to decline in health or prosperity; to collapse or die. Also, to be subject to or suffer with (a specified illness or disease).
1857[see down adv. 17 a]. 1892M. E. Freeman Jane Field 10 Well, I hope Lois ain't goin' down. I heard she looked dreadful. 1911A. Bennett Hilda Lessways ii. ii. 153 Calder Street's going down—it's getting more and more of a slum. 1934W. Saroyan Daring Young Man (1935) 11 Hope he hasn't gone down; he deserved to live. 1953‘N. Shute’ In Wet 4, I went down with a severe attack of malaria. 1968K. Weatherly Roo Shooter 41 The air remained as dry as ever. On some of the stations the cattle were going down; all the earth tanks were dry.
i. To go away from a university or college; spec. to leave it permanently.
1861J. A. Symonds Let. 4 Mar. (1967) I. 279 Another plan..is that I should go down myself next Term—take a Grace Term. 1883[see down adv. 2]. 1914C. Mackenzie Sinister St. II. iii. xii. 738 Guy Hazlewood had gone down and was away in Macedonia, trying to fulfil a Balliol precept to mix yourself up in the affairs of other nations or your own as much as possible. 1955Times 12 May 14/3 From the time he went down from Cambridge until war broke out in 1914. 1965J. Fleming Nothing is Number ii. iii. 67 ‘I haven't seen him since the summer term. He's gone down.’ ‘Gone down?’ ‘Left Oxford.’
j. To be sent to prison. slang.
1906Russell & Rigby Making of Criminal vi. 76 ‘Going down’, as it is termed, for seven or fourteen days. Ibid., The same youth will ‘go down’ time after time, and become more reckless and indifferent with every repetition. 1920E. Wallace Daffodil Mystery iii. 29 Twice Sam had gone down for a short term, and once for a long term of imprisonment. 1945M. Allingham Coroner's Pidgin xvii. 142 He went down for eighteen months and is now in Italy pulling his weight, I believe. He's a crook, but not a traitor.
k. Bridge. To fail to fulfil one's contract.
1918E. Bergholt Royal Auction Bridge (ed. 2) 57 If he calls Four Hearts, as is probable, Z. and A. pass, but Y. doubles; and AB. are bound to go down. 1933A. G. Macdonell England, their England vi. 78 [He] had gone down 650 points above the line whereas he ought to have made two no-trumps. 1964N. Squire Bidding at Bridge ii. 24 You may go down quite often in game contracts.
l. In a card-game: to put one's cards on the table; to reveal one's cards.
1934Neuphilologische Mitteilungen XXXV. 131 To go down ‘to put one's hand down (as dummy)’. 1964A. Wykes Gambling vii. 176 A player may declare his hand (‘go down’) when the unmatched cards in his hand count 10 or less.
m. To happen. slang (orig. U.S.).
1946Mezzrow & Wolfe Really Blues 374 Go down, happen. 1956‘B. Holiday’ Lady sings Blues (1958) xxi. 171 If they'd known about that they might never have let him off. Or they might have. In view of what went down later, who can say? 1970It 12–25 Feb. 4/4 If everyone was aware of what went down in these organisations perhaps there would be enough response to keep them from petrifying and dying.
n. Usu. with on: to perform fellatio or cunnilingus on (a person). slang (orig. U.S.).
1916H. N. Cary Slang of Venery I. 112 Going down, to tongue a woman, or suck a man. 1941G. Legman in G. W. Henry Sex Variants II. 1167 Go down (on), to fellate or cunnilingue. The object of this verb phrase is the person and not his or her genitalia. 1959N. Mailer Advts. for Myself (1961) 96 They're still in love... He goes down on her and everything, and she loves him. 1974K. Millett Flying (1975) i. 53, I do not want her body. Do not want to see it, caress it, go down on it. 1978K. J. Dover Gr. Homosexuality ii. 101 Against the absence of scenes of human homosexual fellation, we must set scenes in which a youth is cramming his penis into a woman's mouth..or a man threatening a woman with a stick and forcing her to ‘go down on’ him.
81. go forth. (Now arch. or rhetorical.)
a. See simple senses and forth. (Cf. forthgo.)
c1200[see A 3 a pl.]. c1300Cursor M. 28725 (Cott. Galba) Go now furth and sin nomare. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. i. 4 Ich wente forth in þe worlde, wonders to hure. 1549Latimer Ploughers (Arb.) 17 The ploughman went furth to sowe his seede. 1607Shakes. Cor. iv. vi. 35 If he had gone forth Consull. 1610― Temp. i. ii. 448 O, if a Virgin, And your affection not gone forth, Ile make you The Queene of Naples. 1845S. Austin Ranke's Hist. Ref. vi. ix. 603 As soon as the king should go forth with his mighty banner. 1886A. Sergeant No Saint II. xvii. 336 He wanted to go forth like the Apostles.
†b. To continue. Const. in, to with inf. Obs.
1513More in Grafton Chron. (1568) II. 777 That where he had repented the way that he had entred, yet would he go forth in the same. 1535Coverdale Job xxix. 1 So Iob proceaded and wente forth in his communicacion. 1542Becon Pathw. Prayer xxxix. P v, Let vs also desyre hym that he wyll go forth to be a beneficial father vnto vs.
c. Of a decree, etc.: To be issued.
1535Coverdale Hab. i. 4 For the lawe is torne in peces, and there can no right iudgment go forth. 1593Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, v. iii. 26 Let vs pursue him ere the Writs go forth. 1611Bible Isa. ii. 3 For out of Zion shall goe forth the lawe. 1834J. H. Newman Par. Serm. (1837) I. xvii. 257 The decree goes forth to build or destroy. 1888B. W. Richardson Son of a Star II. iii. 30 The order goes forth that all the encampment is to pass before Caesar.
go forward: see forward adv.
82. go in.
a. See simple senses and in .
to go in and out: in quasi-Biblical lang., to conduct oneself, ‘to do the business of life’ (J.). The Heb. phrase on which this is founded appears in the Eng. Bible as to go out and to come in; but cf. John x. 9.
c975Rushw. Gosp. Matt. vii. 13 Gaþ inn þurh naarwe ᵹeate. c1000,a1225[see in adv. 1]. c1340Cursor M. 13789 (Trin.), I ne may to þat watir wynne For oþere goon bifore me Inne. c1440Promp. Parv. 202/2 Goon yn to a place, introio, ingredior. 1598Shakes. Merry W. iii. iii. 142 He 's too big to go in there: what shall I do? a1631Donne Lett. (1651) 61 In that life one is ever in the porch or postern, going in or out, never within his house himself. 1878Scribner's Mag. XVI. 149/1 The men allowed the matter to go in at one ear and out at the other. 1889M. Caird Wing Azrael II. xix. 72 You are cold..Would you like to go in? 1890Lippincott's Mag. Apr. 477 This tunnel goes in a hundred and fifty feet.
b. To enter as a competitor in a contest or game. Phr. go in and win. In Poker (see quot.).
1837Dickens Pickw. ii, This advice was very like that which bystanders..give to the smallest boy in a street fight; namely ‘Go in and win’. 1882Poker: how to play it 49 After the cards have been dealt..each player..determines whether he will go in or not. And the player who decides to go in, that is, to play for the pool, must put into the pool double the amount of the ante, except [etc.]. 1889Philips & Wills Fatal Phryne II. iii. 78 Sit down well in your saddle, and go in and win.
c. Cricket. To take the batting. Also, to go in to bat. Said either of an individual player or of the whole ‘side’.
1718Weekly-Jrnl. 6 Sept. 543/1 Three of their Men made an Elopement, and got off the Ground without going in. 1770J. Love Cricket 16 Equal in Numbers, bravely they begin The dire Dispute.—The Foes of Kent go in. 1849in ‘Bat’ Cricket Man. (1850) 57 If the striker be hurt, some other person may stand out for him, but not go in. 1890Field 31 May 790/2 Lancashire went in to bat at five minutes to six.
d. Of the sun, etc.: To be obscured by a cloud.
1884R. Buchanan Foxglove Manor III. xxxiv. 132 The sun had gone in, and the air was full of a heavy lowering sadness. 1889M. E. Carter Mrs. Severn III. iii. ix. 221 The moon had gone in, and it was too dark to see him.
e. to go in to or go unto: used in all Eng. versions of the Old Testament (after the Heb.) for: To have carnal knowledge of (a woman).
f. to go in at: to assail vigorously. colloq.
1812Sporting Mag. XXXIX. 138 Dogherty went in at his antagonist's head. 1849Dickens Dav. Copp. xviii, Sometimes I go in at the butcher madly and cut my knuckles open against his face. 1887Pall Mall G. 19 Feb. 2/2 Napoleon's pet soldiers were far more eager to go in at their fellow-citizens than at the German enemy.
83. go in for. (Recent and colloq.; see 82 b.)
a. To make one's avowed object; to select as one's speciality or ‘line of things’, or as one's usual style or fashion; to commit oneself to the advocacy of (a principle or measure); to venture on acquiring or wearing (something); to indulge in, permit oneself (some action).
1849N.Y. Tribune 25 Dec. (Bartlett), We go in for all the postage reduction President Taylor recommends. 1862Temple Bar V. 331, I do not ‘go in’ with great heart for the education of the masses. 1863Kingsley Water-Bab. 316 My mamma says that my intellect is not adapted for methodic science, and says that I must go in for general information. 1872Earl Pembroke & G. H. Kingsley S. Sea Bubbles x. 293 He had run through seven helps-meet for him, and was about to go in for the eighth. 1873Mrs. Oliphant Innocent III. x. 167 Not elegant—the judge had never gone in for elegance—but forcible and clear. 1875M. Pattison Casaubon 94 Lect..had gone in for council business. 1876Tinsley's Mag. XVIII. 149 Why has no interesting heretic gone in for Polydiabolism? 1885Manch. Exam. 28 Sept. 5/1 An overwhelming majority of the Liberal candidates have gone in for Disestablishment. 1889Sat. Rev. 30 Mar. 388/1 Thomas [Becket] deliberately ‘went in’ for saintship and martyrdom. 1891A. J. Foster Ouse 136 Cyclists who go in for road-racing. 1897M. Corelli Ziska xii, Why in Cairo should not a lady go in for a Theban dance without being considered improper? 1897M. Kingsley W. Africa 223 They do not go in for hats.
b. To offer oneself for examination in; to enter one's name as a candidate for. (Cf. to be in for.)
1845Punch 6 Sept. 108/2 Having heard that there was a better thing than the Newfoundland Judgeship to be had in the neighbourhood, he determined to ‘go in for it’. 1879Lubbock Addr. Pol. & Educ. iii. 56, 1061 candidates went in for mathematics. 1889Eng. Illustr. Mag. Dec. 178 Our girls like to test the thoroughness of their mental achievements by going in for examinations. 1894Wilkins & Vivian Green Bay Tree I. 127 You are going in for the History Tripos, like myself, I suppose.
84. go in with.
†a. To agree with; to concur with.
b. To join.
1725Wodrow Corr. (1843) III. 232, I heartily go in with your Lordship's observations upon the subject, which are very just. 1886McCarthy & Mrs. C. Praed Right Honourable II. xxiv. 214 Do you want to get up a republican party? And are you going in with that unfortunate Masterton and men like that? 1889Boldrewood Robb. under Arms iii, If you like to go in with me, we'll go share and share.
85. go off. (See simple senses and off.)
a. To depart (often implying suddenness or haste); to start, set out. Of an actor: To leave the stage. At cards: to lead. to go off at score (see score). to go off at a tangent (see tangent).
1606Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iv. xiii. 6 The Soule and Body riue not more in parting, Then greatnesse going off. 1660Pepys Diary 20 May, Commissioner Pett..caused the boats to go off. 1665Sir T. Herbert Trav. (1677) 121 The Mahometans..on their thumb commonly wear a ring of horn, which makes the Arrow go off both strongly and easily. 1711Steele Spect. No. 51 ⁋5 His Turkish Majesty went off with a good Air. 1749Fielding Tom Jones xv. viii, His daughter had taken the opportunity of almost the first moment of his absence, and gone off with a neighbouring young clergyman. 1861Temple Bar I. 406 Ethelind went off to bed. 1879‘Cavendish’ Card Ess. etc. 165 If he had only gone off with that suit the game was over. 1889Repent. P. Wentworth I. xv. 302 My last proofs went off to the publisher's to day.
b. To be taken off (esp. quickly or suddenly).
c1440Anc. Cookery in Househ. Ord. (1790) 425 Take clene qwete and bray hit wele in a morter that the holles gone alle of. 1594Shakes. Rich. III, iv. v. 4 If I reuolt, off goes yong Georges head. 1601― All's Well v. iii. 279 This womans an easie gloue my Lord, she goes off and on at pleasure. 1662J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 397 Protesting that if he had him, his head should go off for it. 1792A. Wilson Watty & Meg, Aff gaed bonnet, aff gaed shoon.
c. Of firearms, explosives: To be discharged, explode.
1579Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 21 When they haue sounded Allarme, off go the peeces to encounter a shadow. 1670Clarke Nat. Hist. Nitre 30 Gun-powder..with greater force and noise going off. 1815Scott Guy M. xxx, The piece went off in the awkward hands of the poor parson. 1890Boldrewood Col. Reformer (1891) 298 A pocket Derringer, which..had a trick of going off unexpectedly.
d. To pass away, die.
1605Shakes. Macb. v. viii. 36 Mal. I would the Friends we misse, were safe arriu'd. Sey. Some must go off. 1709Tatler No. 86 ⁋7 In this manner..he [Cæsar] went off, not like a Man that departed out of Life, but a Deity that returned to his Abode. 1779Phil. Trans. LXIX. 56 She..was better a few hours before her death, and went off pretty easy. 1888Rider Haggard Col. Quaritch xxv. (1889) 188 The doctors told me that he might go off any day.
e. Of a sensation: To pass away, cease to be felt.
1825New Monthly Mag. XVI. 591 This feeling..gradually goes off.
f. To deteriorate; to lose brightness, quality, or vigour.
1695Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth (1702) 211 The Sun being now gone off, and ceasing any longer to operate upon it, the Vapour stagnates. 1731Swift Let. to Pope 12 June, Women who live by their beauty, and men by their wit, are seldom provident enough to consider that both wit and beauty will go off with years. 1768Sterne Sent. Journ. (1778) II. 130 (Fragment) [A manuscript] so faded and gone off by damps and length of time. 1832F. A. Kemble in Rec. Girlhood (1878) III. 216, I never played this part well, and am now gone off in it, and play it worse than not well. 1842Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. III. ii. 298 My wheat-crops..went off in the spring so as to be very bad at harvest. 1851Macaulay Life & Lett. (1883) II. 299 His style had then gone off. 1881Whitehead Hops ii. 14 It is necessary to pick Jones hops just as soon as they are ripe..as they soon ‘go off’. 1888Miss Tytler Blackhall Ghosts II. xvii. 72 Her good looks..were unmistakably going off.
g. To start into sudden action; to break into a fit of laughter, extravagance of language, irrelevant or unintelligible discourse, etc.
1825New Monthly Mag. XVI. 342 The patriarch and fifty monks..go off into praises of her beauty. 1844Fraser's Mag. XXX. 467/1 In the intervals of the most lugubrious chants..the organ went off with some extremely cheerful..air. 1879J. C. Shairp Burns v. 115 The rest of the letter goes off in a wild rollicking strain.
h. To pass into unconsciousness; more explicitly, to go off to sleep, in or into a faint, a fit, etc.
1844Fraser's Mag. XXX. 65/2 She went off in a fit. 1887Mohammed Benani xxii. 225 She will go off in hysterics. 1887G. M. Fenn Devon Boys xxxi. 266 His regular breathing told that he had gone off. 1891F. W. Robinson Her Love & His Life III. vii. v. 281 Satisfied with this surmise, he went off to sleep. 1896Daily News 2 Oct. 5/2 He..began inhaling, and soon ‘went off’ to his entire satisfaction.
i. To fail to be carried out, fall through.
1749Gray Let. 8 Aug. (1935) I. 324, I know not how, it has gone off again, & we have heard no more lately about it. 1813Jane Austen Pride & Prej. II. ii. 18 It seems likely to have been a desirable match... I am sorry it went off. 1884Ld. Selborne in Law Rep. 25 Ch. Div. 493 The marriage may go off. 1890Sat. Rev. 20 Dec. 714/1 If he died the bargain must go off.
j. To be disposed of by sale. Also, of daughters, to be married. colloq.
1641Best Farm. Bks. (Surtees) 112 Fatte horses, and especially geldinges, goe allsoe well of. 1687Burnet Reply to Varillas 5 In this the Printer did wisely: for he was sure his Book would go off the better. 1691Locke Consid. Lower. Int. Ess. (1883) 596 So trade flourishes, and his commodities go off well, he will be able to pay his rent on. 1749Fielding Tom Jones xiv. vii, Her reputation might have been otherwise safe..and the girl might have gone off never the worse. 1819Metropolis I. 74 Such second-hand furniture as a Perlet or a Fusil..would go off no where else but with the fanciful of London. 1884Mrs. Houstoun Caught in Snare I. xii. 131 Plain girls..did sometimes ‘go off’ when pretty ones hung on hand. 1890Temple Bar Nov. 437 The tickets will go off at the end with a rush.
k. Of a performance, etc.: To be (more or less) successful.
1775E. A Linley Let. 9 Mar. in T. Moore Life of R. B. Sheridan (1825) 102 In my life, I never saw any thing go off with such uncommon applause. 1804M. Edgeworth Pop. Tales, Lame Jervas 18 The whole thing, as the carpenter said, went off pretty well. 1878Scribner's Mag. XV. 868/2 We tried to sing and have games, but they wouldn't go off.
†l. To become bankrupt.
1688Miege Gt. Fr. Dict. s.v., He is gone off, he is broke, il a fait banqueroute. 1703Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) V. 328 Mr. C―, a great exchange broker, who dealt mostly in stocks, went off, as said, for about 100,000{pstlg}.
m. To experience a sexual orgasm. slang.
1928D. H. Lawrence Lady Chatterley v. 62 You couldn't go off at the same time as a man, could you? Ibid. xiv. 244 They always make you go off when you're not in the only place you should be, when you go off. 1949H. Miller Sexus (1969) ii. 59 Bango! I went off like a whale.
n. to go off at (a person): to reprimand angrily; to abuse. colloq.
1941Baker Dict. Austral. Slang 31 Go off at, to reprove, express anger towards someone. 1948D. W. Ballantyne Cunninghams (1963) ii. xi. 175 He had to get away home else his father would go off at him.
86. go on. (See simple senses and on.)
a. To continue a journey.
c1440Generydes 6484 Goth on in Goddis name. 1610Shakes. Temp. ii. i. 327 Goe safely on to seeke thy Son. 1817W. Selwyn Law Nisi Prius (ed. 4) II. 953 The ship having touched at C. for orders and gone on to S. 1888W. Rogers Remin. 119 We were told that we should have to go on next day in a caboose.
b. To continue, advance, persevere, persist, in a course of action, in making, dealing with or using something; to continue in speech. Const. in, with, † to with inf.; also simply. Also with pr. pple. as complement. to be going on with: to start with; for the present; usu. in phr. enough to be going on with.
1583Hollyband Campo di Fior 235 Marke how well shee singeth..And goeth on alwayes continuing her songe. a1586Sidney Arcadia ii. (1590) 148 Therefore now (said she) Dorus go on. 1634Sir T. Herbert Trav. 156, I..will here goe on with the description. 1662Pepys Diary 31 Dec., The Bishops..go on without any diffidence in pressing uniformity. 1725N. Robinson Th. Physick 306 Let him go on with the following Prescription. 1737Whiston Josephus' Hist. iv. v. §2 They esteemed it needless to go on with killing them. 1739Chesterfield Lett. (1792) I. xxv. 92 If you go on to learn at this rate, you will soon puzzle me, in Greek especially. a1822Lamb Elia Ser. i. Dream Childr., They looked up, and prayed me not to go on about their uncle, but to tell them some stories about their pretty dead mother. 1871Earle Philol. Eng. Tongue 65 This fashion, like all fashions, went on spreading. 1873H. Spencer Stud. Sociol. xv. 362 They go on perversely in bad habits. 1884R. Buchanan Foxglove Manor III. xxxii 81 Go on with your preparations. 1890Jrnl. Educ. 1 Sept. 478/2 We begin work at 12 and go on till half-past one. 1967Listener 19 Jan. 105/2 There are other semi⁓concealed social problems.., but to be going on with Cathy is quite enough to prove [etc.]. 1968Ibid. 29 Aug. 260/3 Milton seems to have thought the English climate was a punishment for sin. In which case we have surely been punished enough to be going on with.
c. To proceed to (do something) as the next step.
1666Marvell Corr. lv. Wks. 1872–5 II. 192 However, I shall go on to continue from my last Letter. 1687Burnet Contin. Reply to Varillas 39 He goes on to make a Parallel between the late Protector and King Henry's Minister. 1824R. Stuart Hist. Steam Engine 186 They then go on to name a number of individuals on whom ‘the eternal gratitude of all Spaniards is invoked’. 1891Sat. Rev. 11 July 61/2 He goes on to quote two passages from Seneca.
d. To fare; to carry on or get on; to ‘manage’.
1719De Foe Crusoe i. iii. (1840) 40 We went on very sociable together. 1803Med. Jrnl. X. 356 For the first two days he went on very well. 1820Southey Life Wesley II. 164 Still it [the school] went on badly. 1820Examiner No. 631. 314/1 Affairs in Spain go on swimmingly. 1879M. J. Guest Lect. Hist. Eng. xlvii. 475 The king now determined to go on without parliament at all.
e. Of an action, work, process, state of things: To proceed, continue further; also, to be in progress; to happen, occur. Of time: To pass, proceed.
1711Swift Jrnl. Stella 18 Nov., [The business] had it gone on, would have cost three times as much. 1735J. Price Stone-Br. Thames 6 Two Piers..at proper Distances,..both to go on at the same time. 1844Fraser's Mag. XXX. 119/1 This state of things cannot possibly go on. 1851Ruskin Stones Ven. (1874) I. xvii. 188 The idle and curious, who care only about what is going on upon the earth. 1861M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 38 As time went on, the English court grew impatient. 1864Lowell Biglow P. Poet. Wks. (1879) 247 A thunderstorm was going on. 1873C. M. Yonge Pillars of House I. iii. 55 How long has this been going on? 1879M. J. Guest Lect. Hist. Eng. lvi. 574 The struggle is still going on. 1886F. R. Stockton Hundredth Man v, People would stop to look into Vatoldi's to see what was going on. 1955Times 30 June 8/3 The governing council has in a sense admitted that it did not know all that went on.
f. To conduct oneself, act, behave (in some reprehensible manner).
1777Sheridan Sch. Scand. i. i, Sad comfort whenever he returns, to hear how your brother has gone on! 1819Byron Juan i. cxlvi, How dare you think your lady would go on so? 1890F. Barrett Betw. Life & Death II. xvii. 12 She is playing the fool to go on in this style.
g. colloq. To talk volubly; to rail, storm at. Also, to talk excessively or tiresomely about (a subject); to discuss ad nauseam.
1863Mrs. C. Clarke Shaks. Char. vi. 162 Her first scene with Fenton is inimitable, where she goes on about a wart on his face. 1873Argosy XVI. 361 He would go on at Fred for making himself common. 1878Scribner's Mag. XVI. 415/2 He went on dreadful because he couldn't get at his ladder. 1884G. Allen Philistia II. xii. 9, I wish you could only see the way father goes on at me about chapel. 1921M. Arlen Romantic Lady 235 For God's sake don't go on about it, Iris, else I won't be able to bear it at all. 1921H. Crane Let. 21 Nov. (1965) 70, I don't need to go on about it, as you have probably seen it. 1960L. Cooper Certain Compass 61 She doesn't go on about things, one of the many reasons why I like her. 1969Listener 24 July 114/2 How much of what I have been so tediously going on about here is reflected in the programme itself?
h. Of an article of dress: To admit of being put on.
1847in Craig. 1861Temple Bar I. 270 Shoes that wouldn't go on, and muskets that wouldn't go off.
i. Cricket. To take up the bowling, begin to bowl. Theatr. To appear in a part.
1769S. Barry Let. 27 Oct. in Corr. Garrick (1831) I. 370 The managers..expected she would continue to go on in the pageant as long as she was able. 1839Dickens Nich. Nick. xiv. 123 The daughter of a theatrical fireman, who ‘went on’ in the pantomime. 1861Times 25 May 9/4 A change of bowling was tried, Atkinson going on at Hodgson's end. 1883Daily Tel. 15 May 2/7 Bates went on. 1888F. Warden Witch of Hills I. vii. 157, I only got small parts, and it's dreadful to have to go on with nothing to say. 1890Field 24 May 752/1 A double change of bowling was tried, Sharpe and Abel going on.
j. imp. Expressing impatience or derision: = Go your ways; go along with you. Also expressing surprise or incredulity. colloq.
In representations of cockney speech often written garn.
1886F. T. Elworthy W. Somerset Word-Bk. 295 In a quarrel either of the parties themselves, or a third, who wishes to stop it, says ‘go on’! and means ‘be quiet’. 1894Somerville & ‘Ross’ Real Charlotte II. xix. 67 Ah, go on, Mr. Dysart Why, I see the white water, and the black rocks, and all! 1940L. A. G. Strong Sun on Water 59 ‘Ah, go on.’ ‘Well, we added it up and..it came out incontrovertibly..two years, one month, and five days.’ ‘Eighteen months, if it's a day.’ 1960[see get v. 61 b].
k. going on for: approaching (a certain age or period). Also in absolute use, = ‘nearly’ (so long ago).
1848J. H. Newman Loss & Gain 195, I was very uncomfortable about the Articles, going on for two years since. 1887Mrs. H. Martin Amor Vincit II. xiii. 265, I shall be twenty-three, going on for twenty-four. 1891M. M. Dowie Girl in Karp. xiii. 174 It was going on for eight o'clock.
†l. To make an attack. Obs.
1611B. Jonson Catiline i. i, Bold Cethegus, Whose valour I haue..prais'd so into daring, as he would Goe on vpon the gods. 1617F. Moryson Itin. ii. 165 They attempted another Trench..the Serjeant in going on was shot through the body. 1802James Milit. Dict., To go on, to make an attack.
m. To go on to another engagement.
1903Mrs. H. Ward Lady Rose's Daughter i. 17 ‘Now, you are going on,’ said Lady Henry... ‘Freddie says I must,’ said the other. 1934P. Bottome Private Worlds iii. 29 Charles noticed that Myra was elaborately dressed... She must be going on somewhere else afterwards. 1961F. & R. Lockridge Murder has Points (1962) ix. 98 Faith Constable had had to ‘go on’ from the party and had, presumably, gone on. 1969D. Rutherford Gilt-Edged Cockpit v. 79 ‘Would you like to go on somewhere else?’ Patrick had asked when coffee and a Calvados had been disposed of.
87. go out.
a. lit. To go from within (a place, a house, anything which contains); esp. to go from one's house. (See simple senses and out.)
a1225Ancr. R. 54 A meiden..Jacobes douhter..eode vt uor to biholden uncuðe wummen. c1250Meid Maregrete xxxiv, Al þet blod..out it ede þo. c1340Cursor M. 10951 (Laud) He bad the folk go out echone While he praide in the chirch allone. 1388Wyclif Matt. viii. 32 Thei ȝeden out, and wenten into the swyne. 1480Caxton Chron. Eng. iii, That Coryn priuely sholde gone oute and bussh hym in a wode til amorne. 1711Steele Spect. No. 137 ⁋3 She calls for her Coach, then commands it in again, and then she will not go out at all. 1727De Foe Hist. Appar. iv. (1840) 31 He can appear though the doors be shut; and go out, though bolted and barred in. 1863Kingsley Water-Bab. 10 Instead of going out to dinner at half-past eight.
†b. With adj. complement: To turn out, prove.
a1240Lofsong in Cott. Hom. 213 For to schewen hu þis hope to þin ones help schal gon me betere ut þen dude er þe oðres.
c. To march as a soldier; to take the field (now chiefly Hist. with reference to the Jacobite risings of 1715 and 1745); also to take part, as principal, in a duel. Also in full. to go out to fight. Also, to leave one's country for the battle front.
1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 251 Þey [the proletarii] were i-constreyned for to goo out [orig. exire] of skarsnesse of knyȝtes. 1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, iii. ii. 126 There are other men fitter to goe out than I. 1802James Milit. Dict. s.v., He went out with a brother officer, and was slightly wounded. 1841Fraser's Mag. XXIII. 15 The quarrelsome man goes out to fight. 1870Ramsay Remin. vi. (ed. 18) 228 One of the lairds..proposed to go out, on the occasion of one of the risings for the Stuarts. 1890Cornh. Mag. Dec. 626 He must go out or be under a social ban. Out they go accordingly, and the trained pistol-shot kills his civilian opponent. 1917S. McKenna Sonia viii, ‘Is David going out?.. What's he in?’ ‘The Midland Fusiliers.’ 1928Blunden Undertones of War i. 1, I read the notice that I was under orders for France... Berry, a subaltern of my set,..might pipe to me, ‘Hi, Blunden, we're going out: have a drink;’ I could not dance. 1936S. Sassoon Sherston's Progress ii. i. 98 She had hoped and prayed that I might get a home-service job; but now she just accepted the fact that I'd got to go out again.
d. Of a fire, light, a luminary, etc.: To be extinguished. Also transf. and fig.
c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) viii. 31 His lawmpe gase oute. 1599Shakes. Hen. V, iv. i. 270 Thinks thou the fierie Feuer will goe out With Titles blowne from Adulation? 1683Apol. Prot. France v. 59 The Sun goes not out when it is Eclipsed. 1742Pope Dunc. iv. 640 And at her felt approach and secret might, Art after art goes out, and all is night. 1819Byron Juan i. clxxxiv, Out went the light. 1843Mrs. Carlyle Lett. I. 189, I heard Helen lighting the fire, which had gone out. 1879Morley Burke ix. 206 A life went out which..had made great tides in human destiny very luminous. 1889Eng. Illustr. Mag. Dec. 259 My cigar went out.
e. In University use. † (a) With complement: To take the degree of (doctor, master, bachelor) (obs.). (b) At Cambridge: To take the degree of B.A. in a specified subject or in honours.
1646Fanshawe tr. Guarini's Faithf. Sheph. iv. ix. 157 Thy bow Th' hast pli'd so well about these words, that now Th' art gone out thy Arts-master. 1688Miege Gt. Fr. Dict. ii. s.v., To go out Doctor, or to take the Degree of a Doctor. 1705Hearne Collect. 7 Dec. (O.H.S.) I. 119 Who went out A.M. June 27, 1684, and B.D. Feb. 4, 1695. 1880Trollope Duke's Children I. iii. 33 He had gone out in honours, having been a second class man. 1890Guardian 18 June 1000/1 She went out in natural science, but her place in the class is not recorded.
transf.1690W. Walker Idiomat. Anglo-Lat. 209 That I should so suddenly go out poet.
f. To die. In early use, to go out of the world.
1697Collier Ess. Mor. Subj. ii. (1703) 31 There are some Opportunities of going out of the World, which are very well worth ones while to come in for. 1703Prior Ode to G. Villiers 38 The ancient sage, who did so long maintain, That bodies die, but souls return again, With all the births and deaths he had in store, Went out Pythagoras, and came no more. 1891S. C. Scrivener Our Fields & Cities 10 [Said of a dying man] He will go out with the tide, may be.
g. Of the tide: To recede.
1869W. Longman Hist. Edw. III, I. xiv. 252 Waiting for the tide to go out.
h. To retire from office.
1820Examiner No. 664. 846/2 The burthen of all our speeches should be, Ministers must go out. 1881Mrs. C. Praed Policy & Passion I. ix. 186 It is an absolute certainty that the Government will go out. 1890T. F. Tout Hist. Eng. 173 Stanley..went out for fear of the Appropriation Clause.
i. ellipt. for to go out of date, fashion, use, etc.
1840Carlyle Heroes i, Hero-worship, professes to have gone out, and finally ceased. 1841Punch I. 113/1 To use the flippant idiom of the day, they [pockets] are going out! 1879McCarthy Own Times II. xxv. 217 The practice of the duel in England had utterly gone out. 1890Harper's Mag. Jan. 315/1 Has tolerance gone out with astrology? 1895Westm. Gaz. 22 Apr. 1/2 Very little yellow is worn—it seems to have quite gone out.
j. Of a year: To terminate.
1877C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iii. xv. 134 The year 1470 went out with Henry on the throne. 1896Daily News 7 Dec. 3/7 The year will go out upon a much better state of things all round in the manufacturing industries.
k. Thieves' slang. (See quot. 1812.)
1812J. H. Vaux Flash Dict., Go out, to follow the profession of thieving; two or more persons who usually rob in company, are said to go out together. 1819― Mem. I. xii. 141 We continued to go out with one or other of the gentlemen frequenting the Swan.
l. To go to another country as a colonist, ambassador, missionary, agent, etc.
1850Tait's Mag. XVII. 466/1 An offer being made to him to go out to Australia.
m. Chiefly of girls or women: To leave home, to find employment away from home. Const. to.
1816Jane Austen Emma III. ix. 154 He had long made up his mind to Jane Fairfax's going out as a governess. 1837Dickens Pickw. xxxiii, Betsy Martin..Goes out charing and washing, by the day. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. ii. I. 330 His boys followed the plough; and his girls went out to service. 1871Mrs. Stowe Oldtown Fireside Stor. 80 When she went out to tailorin', she was allers be⁓spoke six months ahead. 1886A. Sergeant No Saint II. ii. 46 You may go out and earn your own living. 1889Mrs. H. L. Cameron Lost Wife II. v. 61 ‘Something to do’ meant in my case going out as a governess, or as a companion.
n. To mix in general society.
1768Foote Devil on two Sticks iii. (1778) 67 My father, Sir, as we seldom went out, established a domestic kind of drama. 1886McCarthy & Mrs. C. Praed Right Honourable I. iii. 46 Betty liked society, and was made for it. She went out incessantly. 1890Temple Bar Jan. 24 We do not intend to go out at all in Florence—I mean into society.
o. To be issued, published; to be broadcast.
1892Sir N. Lindley in Law Times Rep. LXVII. 143/1 They allowed this prospectus to go out with statements in it which were false. 1968Listener 26 Sept. 420/1 Yorkshire's Gazette, a drama series about the lives and hard times on a weekly paper, goes out in London at 11 p.m. and cannot therefore hope for an audience. 1969Ibid. 20 Feb. 241/2 In the discussion of abortion that went out on 13 January..Philippa Foot raised the essential question: when does a human being begin? 1971R. Busby Deadlock xiv. 210 ‘Cut—for Christ's sake, cut. This is all bloody going out.’.. The screens went blank.
p. To abandon work. In full, to go out on strike. (Cf. come v. 67 c.)
1889Sat. Rev. 14 Dec. 672/1 The gas-workers who had gone out on strike have found their places filled. 1892Nation (N.Y.) 25 Aug. 135/1 The New York Central switchmen ‘went out’..because the others went out.
q. Cricket, etc. Of a batsman: To retire from batting, end one's innings; of a side: to be dismissed from batting.
1735in H. T. Waghorn Cricket Scores (1899) 10 London headed the county 42 notches before they went out. 1854J. Pycroft Cricket Field (ed. 2) xi. 247 Had not an easy catch been missed, The Eleven of All England would have gone out for a run apiece. 1888Steel & Lyttleton Cricket (Badm.) v. 232 Nothing would induce the injured batsman to remain..he had been given out and was going out. 1891Strand Mag. II. 518/2 [In Tipcat] If either of the cats fall to the ground, both batters go out and the feeders get their turn.
r. To be drawn or impelled to (a person) by affection or sympathy. Esp. in phr. my heart goes out. Also of the feeling itself: To go forth to.
[1779F. Burney Diary Feb. (1842) I. 184 [Johnson loq.] I love Burney: my heart goes out to meet him! ]1842E. B. Browning Eliz. Barrett to Miss Mitford 22 Aug. (1854) 130 My heart goes out to you in full devotion. 1860Geo. Eliot Let. 27 Aug. in J. W. Cross Life (1886) II. 228 My heart goes out with venerating gratitude to that mild face. 1881Atlantic Monthly May 594/2 His own sympathy went out fully to cases of individual suffering. 1884Edna Lyall We Two i, His heart went out more and more to the beautiful girl. 1887Mrs. J. H. Perks Fr. Heather Hills I. x. 162 Her whole heart went out in greeting. 1890Review of Rev. Nov. 428/1 His whole soul goes out in sympathy to Edmund Burke. 1891Pictorial World 19 Dec. 239/1 The love of a nation goes out to its great men.
†s. imp. in contracted form gout = go about your business. (Cf. go on, 86 j).
1600Look About You xviii. E 3, Gout I haue curtall'd what I could not borrow. Ibid. xix. E 3 b, Glo. Gods mother doe you scorne me? Io. Gout, what then?
t. To go hunting.
1877Trollope Amer. Senator I. i. 7 He..is not much thought of..except by those who go out with the hounds. 1932R. Lehmann Invitation to Waltz iii. v. 209 ‘Were you out today?’ ‘Oh yes.’.. ‘Um. Going out on Saturday—?’.. ‘Oh, I thought you meant... I misunderstood. I don't—as a matter of fact, I don't really hunt.’ 1967R. Rendell New Lease of Death ii. 24 He's very conscious of his status..since he bought Forby Hall. Goes out with the Pomfret hounds and all that.
u. To faint, lose consciousness, collapse; esp. in phr. to go out like a light. U.S. colloq.
1934J. M. Cain Postman always rings Twice ix. 81 A doctor was working on my arm. I went out again as soon as I saw it. It was running blood. 1934R. Chandler in Black Mask Oct. 15/1 Something swished and I went out like a light.
88. go out of.
a. See simple senses and out. to go out of the stable: (of a horse) to be entered for a race. to go out of hand (see hand 33 b).
c975Rushw. Gosp. John iv. 30 And ut eodun of ðær byric. c1200[see A 2 b]. a1300Cursor M. 17704 (Gött.) Ga noght vte of þi hus a step. 1483Cath. Angl. 149/1 To Ga owte of way, deuiare, exhorbitare. 1583Hollyband Campo di Fior 29 Before thou goest out of thy chamber. 1665Pepys Diary 21 June, I find all the town almost going out of town [on account of the plague]. 1711Addison Spect. No. 112 ⁋5 No body presumes to stir till Sir Roger is gone out of the Church. 1882Daily Tel. 30 Jan., Mr. Linde allowed Seaman, Lord Chancellor, and Woodbrook to go out of the stable one after the other. 1884M. Mackenzie Dis. Throat & Nose II. 311 If..a patient is obliged to go out of doors he should plug his nostrils with cotton wool. 1888McCarthy & Mrs. C. Praed Ladies' Gallery II. v. 86 It has quite gone out of my head. 1892Chamb. Jrnl. 3 Sept. 563/2 The estates went out of the family.
b. to go out of cultivation, fashion, use, etc.: to cease to be cultivated, fashionable, or used. to go out of print: said of a book, etc., when all the printed copies are sold off. to go out of gear or order: to become disarranged. to go out of one's mind or senses: to become deranged.
1483Cath. Angl. 149/1 To Ga owte of mynde, dementare. 1818Hallam Mid. Ages (1872) I. 277 Much land had gone out of cultivation in Gaul. 1825New Monthly Mag. XIV. 558 The May-pole is almost gone out of fashion. 1883Black Yolande I. xviii. 344 He will go out of his senses. 1886Walsingham & Payne-Gallwey Shooting (1895) 93 Hammerless guns..are..very apt to go out of order. 1890Murray's Mag. VII. 60 The first edition went out of print. 1890Blackw. Mag. CXLVIII. 855/2 Our military machinery had rusted and gone out of gear. 1892Monthly Packet Oct. 430 The name..had in some way gone out of use.
89. go over.
a. See simple senses and over; often, to cross a piece of water, a hill, etc. spec. To go ‘over the top’ (see top n.1 3 d).
1481Caxton Reynard (Arb.) 12 Ther bysyde was an hie montayne..and there muste brune in the myddel goon ouer for to goo to maleperduys. 1605Shakes. Macb. iii. iv. 138, I am in blood Stept in so farre, that should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go ore. 1648Hamilton Papers (Camden) 202 He will goe over wheather and when you aduisse. 1737Swift Let. to Pope 23 July, It will be time enough when his lordship goes over [i.e. crosses from Ireland to England]. 1919Galsworthy Saint's Progress ii. i. §3 Calculating exactly where he meant to put foot and hand for the going over. 1931W. V. Tilsley Other Ranks 49 His only comment on ‘going over’ had been: ‘Well, Dick, Brettle's going to have his chance.’
b. To pay a visit to a place at some distance.
1847Marryat Childr. N. Forest xxi, I fear that you cannot go over to the cottage.
c. To pass, be transferred to another owner.
1818Cruise Digest (ed. 2) II. 19 The estate must go over to the next in remainder.
d. To change one's party; to secede from one side to another. to go over (to Rome): to become Roman Catholic. to go over to the majority (= L. abire ad plures): to die (see majority).
1687Burnet Contin. Reply to Varillas 123 Some went over to the Queen with flying Colours. 1704Addison Italy (1705) 516 In the Change of Religion, Men..don't so much consider the Principles as the Practice of those to whom they go over. 1823New Monthly Mag. IX. 341/1 Morillo..has gone over to the French with a part of his force. 1860–1Thackeray Lovel ii, Pye of Maudlin, just before he ‘went over’, was perpetually in Mrs. Prior's back parlour with little books, pictures [etc.]. 1878M. E. Braddon Open Verd. I. vi. 103 After this, I shouldn't be at all surprised at his going over to Rome. 1885Mrs. E. Lynn Linton Chr. Kirkland II. v. 154 You will at once adopt [his views] and go over to his side. 1892Standard 26 Apr. 4/7 When a large section, headed by the old Leader, had gone over, it was hopeless to prolong the struggle.
e. Of a vehicle: To be overturned or upset. Said also of the driver or passengers.
1890Boldrewood Col. Reformer (1891) 127 It took all..Ned could do..to keep from going over in some of the waggon tracks.
f. Of a bill, motion, etc.: to be postponed for consideration. U.S.
1894‘Mark Twain’ in Century Mag. Feb. 556 According to the by-laws it must go over to the next regular meeting for action. 1900Congress. Rec. 3 Jan. 632/2, I ask that it may go over until to-morrow, so that we can have an opportunity to see it. Ibid., The resolution goes over under the rule.
†g. Bridge. To double. U.S. Obs.
1902J. B. Elwell Bridge 111 Going over...The effect of ‘over’, ‘over’, etc., is that the value of each trick point is doubled, quadrupled, etc. 1907R. F. Foster Bridge 60 If you are reasonably certain of the odd trick, you should go over in order to make it more valuable. 1907[see 76 g]. 1920― Auction made Easy 111 Going over, obsolete for doubling.
h. Of a play, speech, etc.: to be successful in its appeal to the audience; to ‘get across’, ‘get over’. Also gen. to have a vogue or success; to be well received; esp. in phr. to go over big (cf. 19 b). orig. U.S. slang.
1923H. C. Witwer Fighting Blood ix. 281 These synthetic actors..are going over big with their parents. 1923H. Crane Let. 18 Feb. (1965) 126 One of my campaigns that not only ‘went over big’ but is theoretically a good piece of work. 1924Ibid. 3 Feb. 174 My copy on the cheese book went over without any changes. 1927Daily Express 29 Aug. 5 ‘Little Bits of Love’ went over with its accustomed success. Ibid. 23 Nov. 13 ‘Escape’ has gone over with a great bang. 1930New Statesman 1 Nov. 115/2 Experienced novelists know that a good trial always goes over big. 1936D. Powell Turn, Magic Wheel i. 39 As this went over big he forgave Dennis. 1961J. B. Priestley Saturn over Water xiv. 193 Dr Magorious had rated a whole column report, and clearly was going over big in Melbourne.
90. go round.
a. To revolve, rotate. Of the head: To ‘swim’.
1606Shakes. Ant. & Cl. ii. vii. 124 Cup vs till the world go round. 1611― Cymb. v. v. 232. 1782 Cowper Gilpin 41 Smack went the whip, round went the wheels. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) III. 579 The earth goes round. 1897Fl. Marryat Blood Vampire x, Better now, Mamma, thank you! only my head keeps going round.
b. To complete a revolution.
1603Shakes. Meas. for M. i. ii. 172 So long, that ninteene Zodiacks haue gone round.
c. To make a circuit or tour; to visit various places in succession.
1849Tait's Mag. XVI. 80/2 They went round into the markets, and bought up all the corn. 1861Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. i, I spent a day or two in..going round and seeing the other colleges.
d. To circulate, pass from one person to another in a company.
1500–20Dunbar Poems lvi. 14 Lat anis the cop ga round about, And wyn the covanis banesoun. 1613Shakes. Hen. VIII, i. iv. 97 A health Gentlemen, Let it goe round. 1779Cowper Yearly Distress xii, The punch goes round, and they are dull And lumpish still as ever. 1801Miss Aikin Begg. Man, Poetr. Childr. (1826) 1 Jokes went round and careless chat. 1890Cornh. Mag. July 11 The frequent laugh goes round.
e. To make a detour. Also colloq. to pay a visit in an incidental or informal way. (Cf. come 71 a.)
1664Pepys Diary 5 Nov., The coach being forced to go round by London Wall home, because of the bonfires. 1873Black Pr. Thule xvi. 264 Her husband was going round for an hour to a ball that Mrs. Kavanagh was giving. 1885G. Allen Babylon viii, He went round to see Cicolari.
f. To be long enough to encompass.
g. Of food, or anything to be distributed or apportioned: To be sufficient in number or quantity to supply every member of the party. Also, in Card-playing, said of a suit led, when all the players are able to follow.
1869P. T. Barnum Struggles & Triumphs xvi. 259 When it [sc. a turkey] was carved, there was not enough of it to ‘go round’. 1878Scribner's Mag. XV. 334/2 We have barely enough to go round. 1879‘Cavendish’ Card Ess. etc. 230 Its policy lies chiefly in the hope that spades may go round three times. 1889A. Sergeant E. Denison I. i. iii. 28 To see..that the cups and saucers would go round. 1891Sat. Rev. 18 July 84/1 The haunch of venison was in such demand that Jacob Tonson learnt with horror that it would never ‘go round’.
h. Theatr. Of a member of an audience: to go behind the scenes at a theatre; esp. to visit an actor, etc., backstage after a performance; (in quot. 1866, to go into the audience from backstage).
1866‘Old Stager’ Stage Reminisc. i. 7 The scene⁓shifters..had thought it would be worth while seeing Kean's reception from the front, and had gone round for that purpose. 1900T. E. Pemberton Kendals xi. 326 After the piece was over, I went ‘round’ to offer her my congratulations. 1952A. Christie Mrs. McGinty's Dead xvii. 128 The play itself she had enjoyed, but the ordeal of ‘going round afterwards’ was fraught with..terrors. 1966D. Blakelock Eleanor iii. 29 I'm not fond of ‘going round’ to see people.
91. go through.
a. See simple senses and through.
†b. To complete what is entered upon or undertaken. Obs.
1513More in Grafton Chron. (1568) 777 And sithence he had once begonne, he would stoutly go thorowe. 1631Shirley Traitor iv. i, You chang'd Your purpose, why did you not goe through, And murder him? a1715Burnet Own Time (1823) II. 300 They promised these witnesses a large share of the confiscated estates, if they went through in the business. 1716Jer. Collier tr. G. Nazianzen's Paneg. 9, I have seen you all go nobly through, and come off with Conquest about you.
c. Of a proposition: To be carried. Of a deal: to be completed.
1889Kansas Times & Star 8 Apr., Kump intimates the deal won't go through. 1895Boston (Mass.) Jrnl. 14 Jan. 7/7 Confirmation of Secretary Francis considered, but does not go through.
d. To desert, decamp, abscond; also, to desist, give up. Austral. slang.
1943Baker Dict. Austral. Slang 35 Go through, to desert from a northern base to the south. War slang. 1944J. Devanny By Tropic Sea & Jungle xi. 89 ‘Cutting cane's not living: it's death in life... You're going through,’ I told myself. ‘You're going through!’ 1949J. Cleary You can't see round Corners i. viii. 63 The corporal looked up and there was a faint stirring in the ranks... ‘He's gone through. Went last night.’
92. go through with.
a. To complete, carry to completion, perform thoroughly, get to the end of.
1568Grafton Chron. II. 32 He seazed upon his goods..whereby he became the stronger, and better able to go thorowe with this enterprise. a1586Sidney Arcadia ii. (1633) 123 Finding Pyrocles able euery way to goe thorow with that kinde of life. 1677Temple Ess. Gout Wks. 1731 I. 145 The Gout is commonly the Disease of aged Men, who cannot go through with these strong Remedies. 1748Anson's Voy. iii. iii. 323 They were prepared for going through with this undertaking. 1787Cowper Let. 27 Aug., It is the only one [romance], indeed, of an old date that I ever had the patience to go through with. 1820Examiner No. 629. 287/1 He would have gone through with it to the very bottom, or else have perished in the attempt. 1890New Review Jan. 85 He is only going through with it as a duty.
†b. To complete an enumeration or description of. Obs.
1726Leoni Alberti's Archit. II. 73/2, I think I have now gone thro' with all the ornaments that relate to public Edifices.
93. go to, † go till.
†a. To go about one's work, to get to work. Chiefly in imp. as an exhortation = Come on! L. age. Obs.
c1200Ormin 9199 Gaþ till, & ȝarrkeþþ Godess weȝȝe. Ibid. 14038 Ant teȝȝ ȝedenn till, & didenn þatt he seȝȝde. a1250Owl & Night. 836 Thu gest al to mid swikelede. c1420Pallad. on Husb. iii. 668 In ver let sowe, in October go to And transplaunte hit. c1460Towneley Myst. iii. 236 Here shal no man tary the, I pray the go to! 1513Douglas æneis ix. ii. 12 Hay, hay, go to! than cry thai with ane schout. 1573Satir. Poems Reform. xxxix. 112 Our Cronall als, quha is ane freik bot feir, With all his Capitanes reddie to ga to. 1583Hollyband Campo di Fior 9 Go to now bring me a doublet. 1611Bible Gen. xi. 3 And they sayd one to another; Goe to, let vs make bricke. 1645Ussher Body Div. (1647) 56 Go to then, shew first how many ways sinne is to be considered. 1690W. Walker Idiomat. Anglo-Lat. 208 Go to! let it be done.
b. Used in imp. to express disapprobation, remonstrance, protest, or derisive incredulity; = Come, come! † Also used to introduce a contemptuous concession.
1513More in Grafton Chron. (1568) II. 769 But go to, suppose that she feareth (as who may let her to feare her awne shadowe). 1589R. Harvey Pl. Perc. (1860) 4 Go to, Martin, go to: I know a man is a man though he haue but a hose on his head. 1602Marston Ant. & Mel. iii. Wks. 1856 I. 31 Goe to, goe to; thou liest, Philosophy. 1741Richardson Pamela I. 190 Go to, go to, naughty mistrustful Mrs. Pamela. 1798T. Twining Recr. & Studies (1882) 232 Go to with your doubts and your wisdom. 1822Byron Werner ii. i. 429 Go to! you are a wag. 1861Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. i, Go to, why should we not make the public pay for the great benefits we confer upon them? 1886J. Payne Decameron I. 50 ‘Go to, son’, rejoined the friar; ‘what is this thou sayest?’
†c. Sc. Of the sun: To go down, set. Obs.
1588A. King tr. Canisius' Catech. 152 Thou sall pay him the price of his labour befoir the sunne ga to. 1622[see going vbl. n. 5 b].
d. To shut, close.
1481Caxton Reynard (Arb.) 92 The grynne wente to.
94. go together.
a. See simple senses and together. to go together by the ears (see ear n.1 I. i. d).
b. To be mutually concomitant or compatible.
1606Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iv. xv. 47, Ant. Of Cæsar seeke your Honour, with your safety. Cleo. They do not go together. 1620Examiner No. 651. 631/1 Vixenishness and virtue go together. 1889Philips & Wills Fatal Phryne I. v. 104 Baldness, science, and snuff-taking go together.
†c. To collapse. Obs.
1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 7 Þat tyme was so greet tempest..þat it semede þat al þe worlde schulde goo to giders.
d. To keep company as lovers; to ‘go steady’; to be courting or engaged.
1899M. E. Wilkins Jamesons iii. 77 People began to say that Harry Liscom and the eldest Jameson girl were going together. 1958E. Dundy Dud Avocado i. ix. 154 Now that Jim and I were seen around..in public, it became obvious..that we were ‘going together’.
95. go under. Of persons: To fail; to succumb in the struggle for life; to go to ruin; to disappear from society; in U.S. slang, to die. Of a literary work: To drop out of sight.
1849G. F. Ruxton Life Far West 13 Five of our boys got rubbed out that time..How s'ever, five of us went under. 1879J. Payn Finding His Level, High Spirits I. 234 Poor John Weybridge, Esq., became as friendless as penniless, and eventually ‘went under’, and was heard of no more. 1885B. Harte Maruja vii, What with old Doc. West going under so suddent. 1890Sat. Rev. 15 Mar. 330/2 Intended for publication a considerable time ago..they ‘went under’..and only recently turned up again. 1891H. C. Halliday Someone must suffer III. xvi. 264 He had ‘gone under’ in the struggle, as the terribly expressive phrase runs.
96. go up.
a. To go, pass, or change to a place or position which is, or is viewed as, higher; to ascend, rise. † Of a sword: To be put up (into the sheath), to be sheathed. spec. To go to a university or college; also, to enter for an examination.
c1386Chaucer Shipman's T. 212 Vp to hir housbonde is this wyf ygon. c1400Destr. Troy 4978 Goand vp by degres þurgh mony gay Alys. 1535Coverdale Gen. xlvi. 29 Ioseph bended his charett fast, and went vp to mete Israel his father. 1601Shakes. Jul. C. v. i. 52, I draw a Sword against Conspirators, When thinke you that the Sword goes vp againe? 1719De Foe Crusoe ii. xi. (1840) 233 The great..gulf which goes up to Siam. 1793Smeaton Edystone L. §289 The moveable shears, that had gone up with us, from the top of the first room. 1820Examiner No. 615. 57/2 Pope..resolved to go up to London. 1844Fraser's Mag. XXX. 504 The writ went up to the Lords. 1861Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. Introd., He..did not go up to reside at Oxford till the end of the following January. 1861Temple Bar III. 515 A certain number..go up for examination to be ruthlessly plucked. 1875L. Troubridge in Life amongst Troubridges (1966) 23 ‘Ernest has passed first of all!’... Fancy, first of all the sixty-eight boys who went up. 1879C. M. Yonge Magnum Bonum I. xxi. 426, I mean to go up for a scholarship next year. 1885A. Edwardes Girton Girl III. xiii. 230 Very likely I may go up to Girton as a bye-term man in January. 1890Gd. Words Aug. 520/2 The barometer..is going up at a tremendous rate. 1895E. R. Suffling Land of Broads 70 There is no such thing as a level street in the city: those which do not go up, go down. 1955Times 9 May 13/1 He was educated at Sywell House School, Llandudno, whence he went up to Oxford.
b. Chiefly U.S. To go to ruin; to be destroyed; to become bankrupt. Also, to be killed (or † hanged); to die; to be done for; esp. in phr. to be gone up. colloq.
1825J. Neal Bro. Jonathan III. 233 Whose narrow escape, when his brother spy ‘went up’, he said, was quite a ‘muricle’. 1864Index June (Farmer), Soon after the blockade, many thought we should go up on the salt question. 1867W. H. Dixon New America I. xi. 132 Gone up, in the slang of Denver, means gone up a tree—that is to say, a cotton tree... In plain English, the man is said to have been hung. 1878Scribner's Mag. XVI. 864/2 Oh, they are all going to pieces..I should not be surprised to hear of their going up at any moment. 1888P. H. Sheridan Mem. I. 86 He remarked, ‘Well, I fear that they are gone up,’ a phrase used..to mean that they had been killed. 1892Stevenson & L. Osbourne Wrecker xvi. 248 We've rather bad news for you..your firm's gone up. 1907J. Masefield Tarpaulin Muster 101 To your prayers, boys. We're gone up. Ibid. 209 You're gone up, my son.
c. Of a cry, etc. = ascend I c.
1535Coverdale 1 Sam. v. 12 The noyse of the cite wente up into heauen. 1611Bible ibid. 1869Hughes Alfred the Gt. i. 8 This cry..has been going up from all sections of English society. 1890Murray's Mag. Oct. 556 A shriek has gone up as to the wickedness of carrying cattle upon deck.
d. To be put or lifted up; to be raised or reared.
1882Daily Tel. 19 May, After some slow play, the 50 went up. 1887Mrs. J. H. Perks Fr. Heather Hills I. vi. 114 Eliza's hands went up in horror. 1892Harper's Mag. May 959/2 Already barricades were going up in the larger streets.
e. To increase in number, price, or value.
1883Mrs. C. Praed Moloch I. i. iv. 79 Wool would go up a penny a pound. 1890T. F. Tout Hist. Eng. 95 Norwich..went up from 30,000 to 60,000 inhabitants. 1892Standard 9 Feb. 5/3 Beef and mutton will ‘go up’ for a time.
f. to go up and down (see up).
g. To ‘ascend’ (see ascend v. 9) in ancestry.
1872A. de Vere Leg. St. Patrick p. xiii, Her genealogies went up to the first parent. 1930J. L. Myres Who were the Greeks? 308 Hecataeus' genealogy went back sixteen generations, and then ‘went up to a god’.
h. To explode, burn, be consumed. Also fig.
1932A. J. Worrall Eng. Idioms 77 A bomb is dropped on a model house which goes up in flames. 1933Punch 3 May 498/1 Civilisation Would probably go up in smoke If unsophisticated folk like you and me..Employed companionation. 1940‘N. Blake’ Malice in Wonderland i. vii. 96 He fairly went up in smoke about the camp. 1950A. P. Herbert Independent Member 167 The shattered ‘skid’ astern of a mine-sweeper that meant a mine gone up. 1971Daily Tel. (Colour Suppl.) 5 Nov. 29/2 He left the sea, having had what amounted to a nervous breakdown, ‘always thinking of the other ships that went up, the bombings and suchlike’.
VIII. The vb.-stem occas. forms phraseological combs. (chiefly colloq. or techn.) having the function either of n. or adj.; as go-about (see quot.); † go-alone plough, ? one that requires little guidance from the ploughman; go-anywhere a., that can go anywhere; go-ashore, (a) adj., characteristic of a sailor when ashore; also, designating clothes worn or articles used by sailors when ashore; (b) n. pl., clothes worn by a sailor when ashore, ‘the seaman's best dress’ (Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. 1867); (c) New Zealand, an iron cauldron with three feet, and attachments for hanging it over a fire [said to be a corruption of Maori kohua] (see Morris Austral Eng.); go-as-you-please a., (of a race, hence gen. of proceedings likened to this) unfettered by regulations; go-as-you-please(ness n., want of regularity or order; freedom; go-at-it a., full of dash; go-back, a going back, a return; also attrib. in go-back game (see quot.); † go-before, a harbinger, an usher; † go-by-(the)-ground, (a) adj., cringing, low; (b) n., something that creeps along the ground; a dwarf; a low carriage; go-fever, a feverish restlessness or longing for movement; † go-free (see quot.); go-no-further, a variety of apple; go-out (see quot.; cf. gout n.2); go-stop a., designating an economic system or situation characterized by alternating periods of inflation and deflation; cf. stop-go a.; gae-through-land Sc. a vagabond; go-to-bed, one who is ready to go to bed, sleepy; go-to-bed-at-noon, a dial. name for goat's-beard 2; go-up-able a., that may be ascended; † go-well, a prosperous journey outward; go-within-each-other a., of boxes, when each will go into the next larger. Also go-between, go-by, go-cart, go-down.
1611Cotgr., Entourure, a compasse..any thing that compasseth, and incloseth another; a *goe-about.
1806–7A. Young Agric. Essex (1813) I. 143 Mr. Newman uses the skim coulter constantly... I saw it working well on his farm, attached to his *Go-alone plough.
1963Bird & Hutton-Stott Veteran Motor Car 27 The sturdy, no-nonsense, *go-anywhere machine. 1966G. N. Leech Eng. in Advertising xv. 139 The go-anywhere Electrolux 16 refrigerator.
1862Marsh Eng. Lang. xi. 164 A sailor will not be likely to interlard his *go-ashore talk with clew-lines [etc.].
[1834E. Markham N.Z. or Recollections of It 39 The Natives now begin to use Iron pots, known to them by the name of ‘Go on Shores’ from the circumstance of Boats going up and down the Rivers, coming to an Anchor and going on Shore to Cook.] 1839J. D. Lang N.Z. in 1839 ii. 34 Bought a large tract of eligible land..for two check shirts and an iron-pot, or *go-ashore, as it is called by the natives. 1840R. H. Dana Bef. Mast xvi. 140 Go-ashore jackets and trousers [were] got out and brushed. 1849W. T. Power Sketches in N.Z. xviii. 160 Engaged in the superintendence of a Maori oven, or a huge gipsy-looking cauldron, called a ‘go-ashore’. 1879C. L. Innes Canterbury Sketches iii. 23 There was another pot used, called by the euphonious name of a ‘Go ashore’, which used to hang by a chain over the fire, this was used for boiling. 1885J. Runciman Skippers & Sh. 98 Burnage looked very well in his go-ashores. 1933J. Masefield Bird of Dawning 246 All his go-ashore things were there, laid up with camphor in tissue paper, including his tall hat. 1953Landfall Sept. 173 Edwards had a whare,..A Brown Bess, a go-ashore.
1885Pall Mall G. 13 Jan. 1/2 Governments entering into a *go-as-you-please competition in annexation. 1889Judge 20 Apr. 21/2 A Western Go-As-You-Please. 1890Century Mag. June 207/1 Most of these long distance matches are now of the go-as-you-please class. 1920H. G. Wells Mr. Britling i. iv. §6. 117 Explaining..to this American..how excellent was the backwardness of Essex and English go-as-you-please. 1935B. Russell In Praise of Idleness 120 An element of free growth, of go-as-you-please and untrained natural living, is essential if men are not to become misshapen monsters. 1971R. Roberts Classic Slum viii. 117 In later years, after cinema had begun to outstrip live entertainment..our theatre, like many others, tried ‘go as you please’ competitions on Friday evenings when local amateurs..trod the boards.
1927Observer 1 May 15/3 The impromptu quality of the entertainment—its untidy *go-as-you-please-ness.
1904Daily Chron. 27 June 7/2 They are a versatile, well-balanced, *go-at-it side, and they field as if they like it.
1873‘Cavendish’ & Bennett Billiards 11 He played the best amateurs the *go-back game, fifty-up.. It seems only to have been played by screwing back and by crossing; and not by returning from the slow list cushion. 1896Mrs. Caffyn Quaker Grandmother 320 It's a sort of go-back into the old life.
1625Massinger New Way i. ii, You thinke you haue spoke wisely goodman Amble, My ladie's *go-before.
1659Gauden Tears Ch. Eng. iv. xvii. 521 Would any thing..be more..despicable in the eyes of the people..than..such *Go-by-ground Governours. 1581J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 384 b, Creeping yet lyke a seely goebyground. 1595Copley Wits, Fits, & Fancies 202 Indeed sir..I had need haue two eyes, to discerne so pettie a goe by ground as you. 1797M. Robinson Walsingham III. 176 A go-by-the-ground, with two wheels, just for all the world like a cart. 1809Malkin Gil Blas iv. ix, He was a little go-by-the-ground, scarcely up to my shoulders.
1891Kipling Light that Failed 125 He's as restless as a swallow in autumn... He has the beginnings of the *go-fever upon him. 1900J. Buchan Half-hearted vi. 78 There comes a thing called the go-fever, which is not amenable to reason. 1907N. Munro Daft Days xxiv, I'd not been twenty minutes in her society before I found out she had the go-fever pretty bad. 1966Word Study Dec. 2/1 ‘Everyone I think sort of gets go-fever,’ Colonel Glenn was heard to remark at his news conference.
1885Edwards in Encycl. Brit. XIX. 585/1 Stamped wrappers for newspapers were made experimentally in London by Mr. Charles Whiting under the name of ‘*go-frees’, in 1830.
1664Evelyn Kal. Hort. 80 Apples. Rousetting,..the *Go-no-further, or Cats-head. 1855A. Manning Old Chelsea Bun-House xiv. 228 The large Cat's-head Apples that some call ‘Go-no-farther’.
1875Knight Dict. Mech., *Go out (Hydraulic engineering), a sluice in an embankment for allowing water to escape from tidal lands when the tide is out.
1964Punch 21 Oct. 591/2 The damage done by ‘*go-stop’ economics. 1965New Statesman 5 Nov. 680/2 The natural ‘go-stop’ cycle of the capitalist economy.
17..Clerk Tamas xiii. in Child Ballads viii. cclx. (1892) 428 Woud I forsake my ain gude lord And follow you, a *gae-through-land?
1759Compl. Let.-writer (ed. 6) 221 The crowd of *Go-to-beds had taken themselves away.
1578Lyte Dodoens i. xvii. 167 This hearbe is now called..in English Goates bearde..and *Go to bedde at Noone. 1597Gerarde Herbal ii. cclii. 73 It shutteth it selfe at twelve of the clocke..wherefore it was called Go to bed at noon.
1852Smedley L. Arundel xxxiii. 249 Starting for the Rhine, which..it was their intention to go up as far as it was *go-up-able.
1641Brome Joviall Crew ii. Wks. 1873 III. 388 Now bowse a round health to the *Go-well and Com-well Of Cisley Bumtrincket that lies in the Strummel.
1889Anthony's Photogr. Bull. II. 2 The *go-within-each-other boxes, my camera.
☛Phrase-key.
Go! imper. 21 d, 22; from the word go, 22; as far as it goes, 43 b; as men, things (etc.) go, 15; as you go, as she goes (Naut.), 4 b; if you go to that, 35; (as) the story goes, 13; he goes for my money, 24 b; here goes, there goes, 22; that goes without saying, 20; touch and go, 22; what has gone of, is gone with ― ? 18 d; who goes (there)? 8 a; ― will or won't go, 38 a; going, 47; gone, 48; going! gone! 24; (see also going, gone); g a-begging, a-hunting, etc., 32 e; g about (prep.) 49, (adv.) 70; g abroad, 71; g according to, 5; g after, 50; g against, 51, 18 b; g ahead, 72; g along, 73; g and―, 32 c; g apprentice, 32 f; g at, 52; g at a price, etc., 12, 24; g away, 75; g back, 76; g back from, 76 c; g back upon, 76 c, d; g backward(s, 77; g bail, 32 f; g bang, etc., 10; g before, (prep.) 53, (adv.) 78; g before a jury, 33; g behind, 54; g beside, 55; g better, 36; g between, 56; g by, (prep.) 57, (adv.) 79; g by (= be guided or determined by), 5; g by default, 18 c; g by a name, 14; g cheap, 24; g current, 12; g down, 80; g far, 35, 43; g for, 58, 18 b; g for a price, 24; g for current, 12; g for to do, 34 c; g forth, 81; g free, 23; g from one's word, 21 c; g halves (with), 35 c; g hard, 18; g high, 8 b; g ill (with), 18; g in, 82; g in (= be spent in), 25; g in and out, 82 a; g in at, 82 f; g in for, 83; g in to or unto, 82 e; g in with, 84; g in favour of, 18 b; g in or into holes, 29 a; g into, 59, 38; g it, 46; g (great) lengths, 35; g less, 35 b, 44; g near, nigh, 35; g off, (prep.) 60, (adv.) 85; g on, (prep.) 61, (adv.) 86; g on (= act or depend on), 5; g on (= be reported concerning), 13; g on the highway, road, streets, 31 c; g on one's side, 18 b; g out, 87; g out of, 88; g out of (= be paid out of), 25 b; g over, (prep.) 62, (adv.) 88; g the pace, 2 c; g quit, 23; g round, 90 l; g shares (with), 35 c; g short, 6; g through, (prep.) 63, (adv.) 91; g through with, 92; g to (adv.), 93; g to the bad, 43 b; g to the bar, 31 c; g to Bath, Jericho, etc., 30 b; g to blows, cuffs, etc., 34; g to the bull, etc. (= copulate with), 31 b; g to do (= attempt or venture to do), 34 b, c; g to expense, trouble, etc., 35 d; g to one's heart, 37 b; g to law, 34; g to pieces, to rack and ruin, 44 c; g to sea, 31 d; g to sleep, 30 d; g to war, 32; g to work, 34; g together, 94; g under, (prep.) 64, (adv.) 95; g under a name, 14; g unpunished, unrewarded, etc., 23; g up, (prep.) 65, (adv.) 96; g upon, 67; g upon (= act or proceed upon, 5; g upon (= be reported concerning), 13; g (a great, long, some) way (towards), 35, 43 c, d; g one's way, 21 b; g well (with), 18, 19; g with, 68; g with (= act in harmony with), 5 a; g with child, 7; g without, 69.
Add:[I.] [10.] b. Hence, to utter (the noise indicated); with direct speech: to say, utter in speech. Now often in the historic present. colloq.
1836Dickens Pickw. (1837) ix. 85 He was roused by a loud shouting of the post-boy on the leader. ‘Yo-yo-yo-yo-yoe,’ went the first boy. ‘Yo-yo-yo-yoe!’ went the second. 1895T. W. Connor in Waites & Hunter Illustr. Victorian Songbk. (1984) 144 She was a dear little dickey bird, ‘Chip, chip, chip,’ she went. 1939L. Brown Beer Barrel Polka (song) 3 They want to throw their cares away They all go lah-de-ah-de-ay. 1957[see boing int.]. 1968L. Deighton Only when I Larf xii. 160 Shouting idiotic things and going, ‘Whoop’, ‘Zap’, and ‘Yap’, all the time. 1975in C. Allen Plain Tales from Raj xix. 201 ‘What's the trouble? Why did you hit him?’ ‘Oh,’ he says, ‘I was walking down the platform and he twirled his little moustache and went, ‘Hmm, hmm!’’ 1988J. McInerney Story of my Life vii. 127 Alison? he goes. Are you all right?
▸ to go out. To have a romantic engagement or go on a date (with). Hence (esp. among young people): to have a romantic or sexual relationship (with). Cf. senses to go with—— 1 at Phrasal verbs 1, to go out 1 at Phrasal verbs 2, to go out 14 at Phrasal verbs 2.
1918Dial. Notes 5 28 To step (out), to go out with a jane. 1961A. Vinton Doctor Di at Crossroads i. 10 I'm bad-tempered and broody and going out with brash blondes. 1974E. Bowen Henry & Other Heroes iii. 46 From time to time she had been going out with a doctor named Thomas McKean Downs. Then one day she told me she was going to marry him. 1989Viz Dec. 31, I don't go out with chicks who have colds all the time. 1991D. Purcell Place of Stones (1992) viii. 292 The habit had driven Una bonkers while they had been going out together. 2000P. Beatty Tuff xii. 168 Come on now, we been going out for two years, married for one. The attraction piece there, but hey, it ain't easy.
▸ orig. and chiefly U.S.to go: (of food or drink purchased in a restaurant, etc.) to be consumed off the premises, to take away.
1940Black Mask Nov. 47/1, I want a couple of hamburgers to go. They're not for me. 1964Wall St. Jrnl. 23 Sept. 1/5 Food sold ‘to go’ at drive-ins in Rhode Island..was ruled not subject to the state sales tax. 1980A. Beattie Falling in Place (1981) vi. 60 Can I have a bagel and a coffee to go? 1982B. Andersson & B. Ulvaeus Day before you Came (song) in Abba Lyrical Coll. I must have opened My frontdoor At eight O'clock or so And stopped along the way To buy some chinese Food-to-go. 2000Times 7 Aug. ii. 5/4 If dry, they frequent juice bars and Starbucks (tall skinny latte to go).
▸ colloq. (orig. U.S.). what goes around, comes around and variants: a person will eventually suffer the consequences, or reap the rewards, of his or her actions; events are cyclical.
1967‘Iceberg Slim’ Pimp (1998) ii. 22, I took a bootlegging rap for a pal. ‘What goes around comes around’ old hustlers had said. 1978Washington Post 9 July d5/2, I know people say. ‘What goes around, comes around.’ They say swallowing your pride is just part of life. But I still hate it. 1996F. Popcorn Clicking ii. 143 And all those we've talked to, in the last few years, seem to define their karma and ground themselves by following one Golden Rule: What Goes Around, Comes Around. 2002New Republic 29 Apr. 28/1 Roy notes ‘that what goes around, eventually comes around.’ How could the..New World ever match such ancient understanding?
▸ colloq. (orig. U.S.). to go for it: to make every effort to achieve something, to set about a task with verve (freq. in imperative, expressing support and encouragement).
1975in C. Allen Plain Tales from Raj ii. 37 He threw me a civil service book and said, ‘take your choice’. I saw the Indian Police and I saw the subjects for examination and I decided that I would go for it, although I had no leanings towards India or even the police for that matter. 1987Poetry Rev. Apr. 66/1 ‘Keep writing, keep submitting, keep a positive attitude.’ In a word, Go for it! 2000You & your Wedding Mar.–Apr. 118/1 If you..now want to have the big wedding you never had, go for it!
▸ colloq. (orig. and chiefly U.S.). go figure: try to work it out, consider that puzzle; try to figure out why, how, etc. (used esp. as an invitation to consider something the speaker or writer considers bewildering, inexplicable, or ridiculous).
1980N.Y. Times (Nexis) 19 Oct. xi. 18/5 The success rate drops right through to the 1973 graduates, although transfers from the late 70's seem to be taking an upward turn again. Funny. Go figure. 1986Times (Nexis) 7 Sept. He points out that the divorce cost him..over four times the cost of his illness. What does that tell us about American values? Go figure. 1988F. Bright Singular Women 166 Go figure Hank Sayre would develop into a dashing journalist. 1994Minnesota Monthly Sept. 100/2 Also on hand will be the Bavarian Musikmeisters, the Minneapolis Accordion Club, horse-drawn carriages, Romanian dancers, and (go figure) an Elvis impersonator. 1999Massive (City Univ. Students' Union) Mar. 11/2 In the last election, the Tories got 18% of the votes in Scotland and have no MPs there at all, while the Lib Dems got 13% and have 10 MPs. Go figure.
▸ slang (orig. U.S.). don't (even) go there: (as a warning, often aggressively) don't talk about that, stay off that subject.
1994Entertainm. Weekly (Electronic ed.) 4 Feb. We started using the expressions ‘You go, girl!’ and ‘Don't go there!’ and no one in television was doing that. 1997‘Q’ Deadmeat 311 You better back off. Don't go there. Don't go there. 2001Guardian (Electronic ed.) 3 Apr. One day Prescott told me that he was bloody fed up with the song because he'd sung it so many times. And I said: ‘John, don't even go there.’ I was the really fed up one.
▪ IV. go, a. colloq. (orig. U.S.).|gəʊ|
[f. the vb.]
1. Functioning properly; ready and prepared; esp. of devices in space-craft. So go-no-go a. (see quot. 1959).
A ‘go’ gauge (quot. 1951) is one which must pass through (or be passed through by) the piece, a ‘no(t)-go’ gauge one which must not, thus ensuring that the dimensions are within acceptable limits.
1910Engineering 22 July 118/2 There are ‘go’ and ‘no go’ gauges in use for holes, diameters, screw-threads, slots, [etc.]. 1959W. A. Heflin Aerospace Gloss. 43/2 Go-no-go a., of a rocket missile launch: so controlled at the end of the countdown as to permit an instantaneous change in decision on whether to launch or not to launch. 1961Words of Space Age (Newsweek) 12 The fuel system is go. 1962Guardian 22 Feb. 8/6 Colonel Glenn reported..‘I am Go; all systems are Go.’ 1962Flight International LXXXII. 164/2 One of the biggest single contributions which could be made on jet aircraft is a Go-No Go indicator. 1962A. Shepard in Into Orbit 102 Inside the Mercury Control Centre itself, all the lights were green. All conditions were ‘Go’. 1962Sunday Times 4 Mar. 31/8 A..better University..creatively responding to the new challenges, and good luck indeed to them, their system too is no doubt Go. 1963[see abort v. 1 c]. 1969J. Gardner Founder Member ii. 26 Fuel is go... Oxygen is go.
2. Fashionable, modern, progressive, ‘go-ahead’, ‘with it’. Cf. go-go a.
1962in Amer. Speech XXXVII. 286 What is a Junior?.. A size, of course, not a matter of age! It stands for ‘Go’ in the fashion world. 1963Time 4 Jan. 36/3 Beatniks, whose heavy black turtleneck sweaters had never looked particularly go with white tennis socks. 1964Punch 8 July 43/1, I am not a go person. |