follow

verb

UK /ˈfɒləʊ/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	follow
he/she/it	follows
present participle	following
past tense	followed
past participle	followed

1
intransitive/transitive to walk, drive etc behind someone, when you are going in the same direction as them
Ralph set off down the hill, and I followed.
follow someone up/down/to/through/into etc:
Jim opened the door and followed me down the corridor.
Synonyms and related words
To walk, or to walk in a particular way
walk
wander
stroll
1. 1a
  transitive to walk, drive etc closely behind someone in order to watch them
  I felt sure that someone was following me.
  I think we’re being followed.
  Synonyms and related words
  To follow someone
  follow
  shadow
  track
2
intransitive/transitive to happen or come after something else
The six o’clock news follows shortly.
the days/weeks/years etc that followed:
In the weeks that followed the situation was very tense.
be followed by something:
The wedding will be followed by a reception.
We had soup followed by roast lamb with spring vegetables.
to follow (=available to be eaten next):
There’s apple pie and cream to follow.
there follows something:
There followed seven months of hard negotiations.
Synonyms and related words
To happen after something else
follow
ensue
alternate
1. 2a
  to happen as a direct result of something else
  Wild celebrations followed the announcement.
  They were warned that if the rebels did not surrender, severe reprisals would follow.
  Synonyms and related words
  To involve, or to be the result of something
  result
  follow
  come out of
2. 2b
  transitive if you follow one thing with another, you do the second after you have done the first
  She followed the success of her first book with another remarkable novel.
  Synonyms and related words
  To start doing something
  start on
  begin
  set about
3
transitive to watch where someone or something is going
His eyes followed the car to the end of the drive.
Synonyms and related words
To watch someone or something
surveille
watch
observe
1. 3a
  to listen carefully to what someone is saying
  He followed every word of the trial.
  Synonyms and related words
  To listen
  hear out
  listen
  hear from
4
transitive to obey an order, or to do what someone has advised you to do
You must follow a few simple guidelines.
follow someone’s advice/suggestion:
She refused to follow our advice.
follow directions/instructions/orders/rules:
The manufacturer’s instructions should always be followed carefully.
Synonyms and related words
To obey a law or rule, or to accept someone’s authority
obey
observe
comply
1. 4a
  transitive to go where signs and directions tell you to go
  We followed Joe’s directions and found the house easily.
  Follow the signs for Lancaster.
  Synonyms and related words
  To go somewhere, or to move in a particular direction
  head
  go
  progress
5
transitive to go along a road, river etc in the same direction as it does
Follow the road down the hill into the village.
Synonyms and related words
To go somewhere, or to move in a particular direction
head
go
progress
1. 5a
  to go along a path parallel to something
  The road follows the old stream bed.
  Synonyms and related words
  To go somewhere, or to move in a particular direction
  head
  go
  progress
6
transitive to be interested in the progress or development of someone or something
My father’s followed the same football team for 40 years.
Have you been following the election campaign?
Synonyms and related words
To pay attention
concentrate
focus
listen
7
transitive often in negatives or questionsto understand something, especially something long or complicated
I couldn’t follow what Professor Hope was saying.
I’m sorry, I don’t quite follow you.
easy/difficult to follow:
Their system is pretty easy to follow.
Synonyms and related words
To understand something
understand
know
work out
8
intransitive/transitive to do the same thing that someone else has done
What one child does, others will often follow.
follow someone into something (=decide to do the same job as someone else):
She decided not to follow her mother into banking.
follow someone’s example/lead:
Canada may follow the EU’s example by banning these products.
Other students followed her lead and boycotted lectures.
follow suit (=do what someone else has done):
They began to offer takeaway food, and other restaurants followed suit.
Synonyms and related words
To copy someone or something
imitate
copy
mimic
9
transitive if you follow a profession or way of life, you do that job or spend your life in that way
Synonyms and related words
To live in a particular way
be/live in each other’s pockets
drop out
end your days
10
transitive to believe what a religion or system of ideas teaches and to do the things that it tells you to do
I follow the teachings of the Buddha.
those who follow Christianity
Synonyms and related words
To have religious beliefs
believe
follow
practise
11
transitive to happen according to a particular pattern or course
All the murders have followed the same grisly pattern.
Up to now, ozone losses have tended to follow a two-year cycle.
Synonyms and related words
General words meaning to happen
happen
come about
occur
12
intransitive if something follows, it must be true because of something else that is true
follow from:
Two important implications follow from this.
it follows (that):
It does not necessarily follow that all criminals come from deprived backgrounds.
Synonyms and related words
To involve, or to be the result of something
result
follow
come out of
13
transitive to deal with the progress or development of someone or something in a book, film, or television programme
The film follows the adventures of an ant called Flick.
Synonyms and related words
Processes in fiction
allegory
anthropomorphic
bathos
14
transitive if you follow someone on the online social networking service Twitter, you receive the Tweets that they send
Take a look at our list of the 40 people you should follow on Twitter.
Synonyms and related words
To use social media
at-sign
check into
defollow
15
to follow
in the future; after a particular time or event
The waltz first became fashionable in Vienna around the 1780s, spreading to many other countries in the years to follow.
Submitted by:
Ismail from Russian Federation on 29/06/2017
Open Dictionary - June2017

phrases

as follows

follow the crowd/herd

follow your nose

follow (hard) on the heels of something

phrasal verbs

follow around

follow on from

follow through

follow up

follow

verb

US /ˈfɑloʊ/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	follow
he/she/it	follows
present participle	following
past tense	followed
past participle	followed

1
intransitive/transitive to walk, drive, etc. behind someone, when you are going in the same direction as them
Ralph set off down the hill, and I followed.
follow someone up/down/to/through/into etc.:
Jim opened the door and followed me down the hall.
Synonyms and related words
To walk, or to walk in a particular way
walk
wander
stroll
1. 1a
  transitive to walk, drive, etc. closely behind someone in order to watch them
  I felt sure that someone was following me.
  I think we’re being followed.
  Synonyms and related words
  To follow someone
  follow
  shadow
  track
2
intransitive/transitive to happen or come after something else
The six o’clock news follows our show.
the days/weeks/years etc. that followed:
In the weeks that followed the situation was very tense.
be followed by something:
The wedding will be followed by a reception.
We had soup followed by lasagna and salad.
to follow (=available to be eaten next):
There’s apple pie and ice cream to follow.
there follows something:
There followed seven months of hard negotiations.
Synonyms and related words
To happen after something else
follow
ensue
alternate
1. 2a
  to happen as a direct result of something else
  Wild celebrations followed the announcement.
  They were warned that if the rebels did not surrender, severe reprisals would follow.
  Synonyms and related words
  To involve, or to be the result of something
  result
  follow
  come out of
2. 2b
  transitive if you follow one thing with another, you do the second after you have done the first
  She followed the success of her first book with another remarkable novel.
  Synonyms and related words
  To start doing something
  begin
  start on
  set about
3
transitive to watch where someone or something is going
His eyes followed the car to the end of the driveway.
Synonyms and related words
To watch someone or something
surveille
watch
observe
1. 3a
  to listen carefully to what someone is saying
  He followed every word of the trial.
  Synonyms and related words
  To listen
  listen
  hear out
  hear from
4
transitive to obey an order, or to do what someone has advised you to do
You must follow a few simple guidelines.
follow someone’s advice/suggestion:
She refused to follow our advice.
follow directions/instructions/orders/rules:
The manufacturer’s instructions should always be followed carefully.
Synonyms and related words
To obey a law or rule, or to accept someone’s authority
obey
observe
comply
1. 4a
  transitive to go where signs and directions tell you to go
  We followed Joe’s directions and found the house easily.
  Follow the signs for Lancaster.
  Synonyms and related words
  To go somewhere, or to move in a particular direction
  head
  go
  progress
5
transitive to go along a road, river, etc. in the same direction as it does
Follow the road down the hill into an intersection.
Synonyms and related words
To go somewhere, or to move in a particular direction
head
go
progress
1. 5a
  to go along a path parallel to something
  The road follows the old stream bed.
  Synonyms and related words
  To go somewhere, or to move in a particular direction
  head
  go
  progress
6
transitive to be interested in the progress or development of someone or something
My father followed the Yankees for 40 years.
Have you been following the election campaign?
Synonyms and related words
To pay attention
concentrate
focus
listen
7
transitive often in negatives or questionsto understand something, especially something long or complicated
I couldn’t follow what Professor Hope was saying.
I’m sorry, I don’t quite follow you.
easy/difficult to follow:
Their system is pretty easy to follow.
Synonyms and related words
To understand something
understand
know
work out
8
intransitive/transitive to do the same thing that someone else has done
follow someone into something (=decide to do the same job as someone else):
She decided not to follow her mother into banking.
follow someone’s example/lead:
The U.S. may follow Canada’s example by banning these products.
Other students followed her lead and boycotted classes.
follow suit (=do what someone else has done):
They began to offer takeout food, and other restaurants followed suit.
Synonyms and related words
To copy someone or something
imitate
copy
mimic
9
transitive if you follow a profession or way of life, you do that job or spend your life in that way
Synonyms and related words
To live in a particular way
be/live in each other’s pockets
drop out
end your days
10
transitive to believe what a religion or system of ideas teaches and to do the things that it tells you to do
I follow the teachings of the Buddha.
those who follow Christianity
Synonyms and related words
To have religious beliefs
believe
follow
practice
11
transitive to happen according to a particular pattern or course
All the murders have followed the same grisly pattern.
Up to now, ozone losses have tended to follow a two-year cycle.
Synonyms and related words
General words meaning to happen
happen
come about
occur
12
intransitive if something follows, it must be true because of something else that is true
follow from:
Two important implications follow from this.
it follows (that):
It does not necessarily follow that all criminals come from deprived backgrounds.
Synonyms and related words
To involve, or to be the result of something
result
follow
come out of
13
transitive to deal with the progress or development of someone or something in a book, movie, or television program
The cartoon follows the adventures of an ant named Flick.
Synonyms and related words
Processes in fiction
allegory
anthropomorphic
bathos
14
transitive if you follow someone on the online social networking service Twitter, you receive the Tweets that they send
Take a look at our list of the 40 people you should follow on Twitter.
Synonyms and related words
To use social media
at-sign
check into
defollow
15
to follow
in the future; after a particular time or event
The waltz first became fashionable in Vienna around the 1780s, spreading to many other countries in the years to follow.
Submitted by:
Ismail from Russian Federation on 29/06/2017
Open Dictionary - June2017

follow ​‌‌‌

to follow

follow ​‌‌‌

to follow

follow

follow