Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - go

~1 v past tense went, past participle gone, 3rd person singular present tense goes »TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE SPEAKER« 1 »LEAVE SOMEWHERE« to leave a place to go somewhere else; depart  (I wanted to go, but Anna wanted to stay. | It's late; I must be going. | What time does the last train go? | The doctor hasn't gone yet.) 2 go and do sth to go somewhere in order to do something  (I'll just go and get my coat. | It's time you went and saw the doctor.) 3 »VISIT« past participle also been to visit a place or go to a place and then leave it  (Nancy has gone to Paris. (=she is in Paris now) | Nancy has been to Paris. (=she has visited Paris in the past) | The doctor hasn't been here yet.)  (- see visit1) 4 »MOVE/TRAVEL« to travel or move in a particular way, in a particular direction or a particular distance + by/up/to etc  (We went by bus. | I want to go home. | Where are you going? | They all went away and left me alone.)  be going somewhere (=intend to go somewhere)  (We're going to my parents' for Christmas. | go to hospital/prison etc (=go to hospital in order to get medical treatment, to prison as a punishment etc)) 5 go for sth to go somewhere in order to take part in a particular activity  (Let's go for a swim before lunch.) 6 go shopping/swimming/fishing etc to go somewhere in order to visit the shops, swim etc  (Dinah's gone skiing in Aspen.) 7 go flying/laughing etc spoken to move in a particular way or to do something as you are moving  (The plate went crashing to the floor.) 8 »BE SENT« to be sent or passed on  (Make sure this package goes tonight.) + by/through/to etc  (That letter should go by special delivery. | Complaints must go through the proper channels.) go before a board/committee etc  (Your suggestion will go before the committee next week.) »TO BE IN OR PASS INTO A PARTICULAR STATE« 9 »BECOME« linking verb to become something different and often not so good, either naturally or by changing deliberately  (The company went bankrupt last year. | go bad/sour etc)  (The milk went sour. | go grey/white etc)  (Jessica went bright red with shame. | go mad/deaf/bald etc:)  (I think you're going crazy. | go wild/mad/white etc with sth)  (The crowd was going wild with excitement.)  (- see become) 10 »BE IN A PARTICULAR STATE« linking verb to be or remain in a particular, usually bad, state  (All her complaints went unheard. | After these attacks he went in fear of his life. | go hungry (=have nothing to eat))  (When food is short it's often the mother who goes hungry.) »TO START TO DO SOMETHING OR TO DO SOMETHING« 11 »START STH« to start doing something  (The signal to begin a race is `Ready, get set, go!' | The preparations have been completed and we're ready to go. | get going (on sth))  (You'd better get going on this contract if you want to finish on time.) 12 »OPERATE« if a machine goes it works properly  (My watch isn't going.) 13 go to church/school etc to regularly attend church, school etc  (Joey's too young to go to Cubs. | Iain didn't go to university.)  (- see join1) 14 »HAPPEN« to happen or develop in a particular way  (go well/smoothly/swimmingly etc)  (The party went well. | Everything's going fine at the moment. | how are things going/how's it going/how goes it?)  (How are things going at school, Joanna? | the way things are going (=used before you give your opinion of what is going to happen next))  (The way things are going, we're going to miss the bus.) 15 be going to do sth a) to intend to do something  (Wendi's going to ring us from the station.) b) to be certain or expected to happen in the future  (Do you think it's going to rain?)  (- see also gonna) 16 »MAKE A MOVEMENT« to make a particular movement + like/up/down etc  (While he was describing her, he went like this with his hands.) 17 don't go doing sth spoken used to tell someone not to do something, especially something that is wrong or bad  (It's a secret, so don't go telling everyone.) 18 have gone and done sth spoken used when you are surprised by what someone has done  (Kay's gone and lost the car keys! | have gone and done it (=have really made a big mistake))  (Tom's really gone and done it this time.) 19 go it alone to do something, especially start a business, alone  (Hamish decided to go it alone and set up his own company.) 20 go one better to do something better than someone else had done it, or get something better than they have  (We went one better and got a colour printer.) 21 go far to succeed in whatever you choose to do  (Ginny's a smart girl, and I'm sure she'll go far.) 22 go too far to go beyond the limits of what is reasonable or acceptable  (I think he went too far when he called you a fat idiot!) 23 go do sth spoken used to tell someone to go away when you are angry  (Go jump in the lake!) 24 here goes/here we go spoken used just before you do something that is exciting, dangerous etc  (Well, here goes. Wish me luck!) »POSITION« 25 »BE PLACED« I always + adv/prep, not in progressive) if something goes somewhere, that is its usual position + in/under/on etc  (Where do these plates go? | The sofa can go against the wall.) 26 »FIT« I not in progressive to fit or be contained in something  (All that food won't go in this little cupboard.) 27 »COLOUR« if two colours go, they look good together  (Pink and orange don't go.) 28 »DIVIDE« I not in progressive to divide a number, especially so as to get a whole number in the answer  (Three into two won't go. | go into)  (Two goes into ten five times.) SOUND 29 »SONG/STORY« I always + adv/prep, T, not in progressive) to be said or sung in a particular way  (How does the story go? | The tune goes something like this. | go that)  (The story goes that he was poisoned by his wife.) 30 »MAKE A SOUND« to make a particular sound  (Ducks go `Quack'. | The cannon suddenly went boom.) 31 »WHISTLE/BELL« to make a noise as a warning or signal  (A bell goes to mark the end of each class.) 32 »SAY« spoken to say something  (She goes to me)  ("I hope you've got a licence for that thing!") 33 here/there sb goes again spoken used when someone has annoyed you by continuing to do something they know you do not like  (There she goes again - complaining about the way things are run around here.) »TO FINISH OR STOP« 34 »DISAPPEAR« to no longer exist; disappear  (Has your headache gone yet? | My pen's gone; who's taken it?) 35 have to/must/can go if someone or something has to go, you have to get rid of them  (That secretary will have to go; she can't even type.) 36 »GET WORSE« to get worse or be lost altogether  (Dad's sight is starting to go.) 37 »DIE« used to mean to die when you do not want to say this directly  (Now that his wife's gone, he's all on his own. | dead and gone (=dead)) 38 »BECOME DAMAGED« to become weak, damaged etc or stop working properly  (My old sweater had started to go at the elbows. | The bulb's gone in the bathroom.) 39 »BE SPENT« to be spent or used up  (I don't know where all my money goes!) + on  (Half her salary goes on the rent.) not go far  ($20 doesn't go far these days.) 40 »BE SOLD« to be sold  (go for sth)  (That lovely house went for -30,000. | go to sb)  (Each lot will go to the highest bidder. | Going, going, gone (=used to say something has been sold))  ("Any more bids?" said the auctioneer; "Going ... going ... gone - to the man in the grey hat." | be going cheap (=not cost very much))  (I bought some mugs because they were going cheap.) 41 »TIME« to pass + slowly/quickly etc  (The summer is going fast.) 42 there goes sth spoken used to show your disappointment when something stops you doing what you wanted to do  (Well, there goes my chance of stardom!) »OTHER MEANINGS« 43 »REACH« I always + adv/prep, not in progressive) to reach as far as is stated + to/from/down etc  (Does this road go to the station? | The valley goes from east to west. | This belt won't go around my waist.) 44 what sb says goes informal someone is in authority and other people must do as they say  (You might not like it, but Phil's in charge, and what he says goes.) 45 anything goes used to say that anything someone says or does is acceptable  (With this season's fashions, anything goes.) 46 »HELP« to help to make, prove, or show something  (Which qualities go to make a good teacher? | go to show)  (It just goes to show, you never know what's going to happen next.) 47 be going informal to be available to be used  (Are there any jobs going in your firm? | be going spare)  (I'll have that cupcake if it's going spare.) 48 to go a) still remaining before something happens  (Only ten days to go to Christmas!) b) still to be dealt with before you have finished what you are doing  (Laura's sat six exams and has two more to go.) c) still to travel before you reach the place you are going to  (Only another five miles left to go.) d) AmE if you buy food from a restaurant to go, you buy it to take away and eat at home or somewhere else  (Two chicken dinners with corn to go.)  (- compare take­out (1)) 49 as someone/something goes compared with the average person or thing of that type  (He's not bad, as politicians go. | as things go)  (-100,000 for a four-bedroomed house isn't bad as things go these days.) 50 there you go spoken used to say that something that has happened cannot be changed or was what you expected  (Well, there you go, better luck next time.) 51 churchgoer/theatregoer etc someone who regularly goes to church, the theatre etc 52 theatregoing/churchgoing etc the act of regularly going to the theatre, to church etc 53 go it BrE old-fashioned a) to go very fast b) to behave very excitedly or carelessly  (- see also going1, going2, gone2, gone3, as far as it goes far1 (18), go as far as to far1 (26), go halves on (sth) half2 (12)) go about phr v 1 T go about something) also set about to begin working at something; tackle1 (1)  (I don't know what is the best way to go about it. | go about doing sth)  (I wouldn't have the faintest idea how to go about writing a novel.) 2 T go about something) to do something that you usually do  (The townspeople were going about their business as usual.) 3 BrE if a ship goes about, it turns to go in the opposite direction 4 go about with sb to go around with someone go after sth/sb phr v T not in passive to try to get or catch something or someone  (I've decided to go after that job in Ohio.) go against sb/sth phr v T not in passive 1 if you go against someone's wishes or ideas, you do the opposite of what they want  (She went against her counsel's advice.) 2 if a decision, judgment etc goes against you, it is unfavourable to you and you lose  (Josй's lawyer intimated the case might go against him. | The vote went against the government.) 3 to not be in agreement with something  (Such ideas went against his Calvinist upbringing. | go against the grain (=be hard for someone to do because it does not agree with their beliefs, ideas etc until then))  (It just went against the grain for men to salute a woman officer.) go ahead phr v 1 to begin  (Go ahead, we're all listening. | "Do you mind if I smoke?" "No, go right ahead." | go ahead with (doing) sth)  (Their solicitor is asking if you want to go ahead with the deal? | go ahead and do sth)  (The newspaper decided to go ahead and publish the story.) 2 also go on ahead to go somewhere before the other people in your group  (You go ahead and we'll catch you up later. | go ahead of sb)  (Kemp went ahead of the convoy to take a look.) 3 to take place  (The sale went ahead as planned.)  (- see also go­ahead1) go along phr v to continue with a plan, activity etc  (I'm sure she was making her speech up as she went along.) go along with sb/sth phr v 1 to agree with or support someone or something  (They were happy to go along with our suggestions. | not go along with sth informal (=disapprove of particular behaviour or ideas)) 2 go along with you! BrE informal used to say that you do not believe what someone is saying to you go around also go round phr v 1 go around doing sth if you go around doing something, especially something people do not approve of, you often do it  (You can't go around accusing people like that.) 2 T go around something) to usually dress or behave in a particular way  (She often goes around the house naked. | go around with your eyes shut (=not notice what is happening around you)) 3 T, usually in progressive) if an illness, some news etc is going around it is being passed from one person to another  (There's a rumor going around that Eddie's broke. | go around the school/office etc)  (A new flu bug's going around the office.) 4 go around with sb/go around together also go about to often go out with someone  (I used to go around with a really bad crowd.) 5 to be enough for everyone to have some  (Is there enough ice-cream to go around? | There were never enough textbooks to go around.) 6 to move in a circular way  (The wheels went around faster and faster. | go around and around (=go round in a circular way many times))  (- see also go around in circles circle1 (6)) 7 what goes around comes around an expression meaning that your chance will come again if you are patient go at sth/sb phr v T not in passive informal 1 to start to do something with a lot of energy; tackle1 (1)  (Harry went at the problem like a bull at a barn door.) 2 to attack someone or start to fight  (The two girls went at each other like animals. | go at it)  (The boxers went at it until officials pulled them apart.) go away phr v 1 to leave a place or person  (Go away! Leave me alone!) 2 to spend some time somewhere else, especially on holiday  (Are you going away this year?) 3 if a problem, unpleasant feeling etc goes away, it disappears  (His stutter went away once his mother was home.) go back phr v 1 to return to a place you have been to before or to something you were doing before  (I think we ought to go back now. | Once you've made the decision I'm afraid there's no going back. | go back for sth (=go back to get something))  (I had to go back for my passport. | go back to (doing) sth)  (Melissa's decided to go back to teaching now Timmy's at school. | go back out/inside/downstairs etc)  (It's cold out here - let's go back into the kitchen.) 2 always + adv/prep to have been made, built, or started at some time in the past  (The old dairy goes back to Tudor times.) go back on sth phr v to break or not succeed in keeping to an agreement or promise  (go back on your word/promise etc)  (You can rely on Sarah; she won't go back on her word.) go by phr v 1 to pass  (Two years went by. | Never let a good opportunity go by.) 2 T not in passive go by something) to use the information or advice you get from a person, a book, a set of rules etc  (Don't go by that old map; it's out of date. | go by the book (=obey rules very strictly)) 3 T not in passive go by something) to form an opinion or judgment of someone or something from something else  (You can't always go by appearances.) go down phr v 1 »GO DOWNSTAIRS« to go to a lower floor of a building  (We went down for dinner at nine o'clock. | The elevator was going down.) 2 »BECOME LOWER« to not be so expensive, high etc  (Your temperature seems to be going down. | Tomatoes have gone down. (=they cost less than before)) 3 »STANDARD« if something goes down, its quality or standard gets worse  (This neighbourhood has really gone down in the last few years. (=more poor people have moved there) | go down in sb's opinion/estimation (=respect someone less))  (Fiona's gone down in my estimation since I found out her political views.) 4 go down well/badly etc to get a particular sort of reaction from someone  (Matt's joke went down like a lead balloon.) 5 »SINK« to disappear from sight or below a surface  (Ten men died when the ship went down. | The sun was going down behind the mountains.) 6 »BECOME FLATTER« to become less swollen or lose air  (The swelling will go down if you rest your foot.) 7 »FOOD/DRINK« to pass down your throat  (I couldn't get the pill to go down. | That meringue went down very nicely.) 8 »BE REMEMBERED« always + adv/prep to be recorded or remembered in a particular way + as/in  (The talks went down as a landmark in the peace process. | go down in history (=be remembered for many years))  (Her work will go down in history.) 9 »REACH« always + adv/prep to reach as far as a particular place  (Some steps went down to the beach.) 10 »GO SOUTH« to go further south in a country or go from a city to somewhere less important  (We're going down to the country for the weekend.) 11 »SPORT« a) to lose a match or competition  (Chang went down to Sampras in the third set.) b) to move down to a lower position in an official list of teams or players  (United went down to the second division.) 12 »COMPUTER« to stop working for a short time  (Overloading caused all the computers to go down.) 13 go down on your knees to bend your body so that your knees are on the ground, supporting your weight  (Nick went down on one knee to ask her to marry him.) 14 go down on all fours to bend your body so that your knees and your hands are on the ground, supporting your weight 15 »LIGHTS« literary if lights go down, they become less bright  (The lights went down and the curtain rose on an empty stage.) 16 »FROM UNIVERSITY« BrE to leave a university after doing a degree or at the end of each term1 (9) + from  (Emily went down from Oxford with a first class degree.) 17 »TO PRISON« slang to be sent to prison  (Bert went down for five years.) go down with sth phr v T not in passive informal to become ill, especially with an infectious disease  (The children have gone down with mumps.) go for sb/sth phr v T not in passive 1 to attack someone physically or with words  (Lorna really went for me when I disagreed.) 2 to try to get or win something  (Oona's going for that job in sales. | Jackson is going for his second gold medal here. | go for it informal (=do everything you can to get something))  (If you really want the job, go for it!)  (- see also go for broke broke2 (3)) 3 to choose or take something  (In a small garden, go for dwarf varieties to maximize space.) 4 informal to like something or find something or someone attractive  (Annie tends to go for older men.) 5 spoken to also be true about someone or something else  (I told him to work harder, and that goes for you, too. (=you have to work harder, too)) 6 to be sold for a particular price  (How much did that Alpha Romeo go for?) 7 go for nothing to be wasted  (All that hard work went for nothing when the project was dropped.)  (- see also have a lot going for you/not have much going for you going2 (4)) go in phr v 1 to enter a building  (Dad wants me to go in before it gets dark.) 2 when the sun or the moon goes in, it becomes covered with cloud 3 to join someone in order to start a business etc  (They want me to go in with them on the new venture.) go in for sth phr v 1 to do an exam or take part in a competition  (Are you going in for the Proficiency exam?) 2 to like something or do something often because you enjoy it  (I don't go in for garden gnomes. | go in for doing sth)  (Maggie goes in for improving her mind.) 3 to choose something as your job  (Have you thought of going in for nursing?) go into sth phr v 1 »JOB« (not in passive) to enter a particular profession or business  (Sophie wants to go into the army. | go into partnership)  (Frank's going into partnership with a friend.) 2 »TIME/MONEY/EFFORT« (not in passive) to be spent or used to get, make, or do something  (Years of research have gone into this book.) 3 »EXPLAIN/DESCRIBE« to explain or describe something in detail  (I don't want to go into the matter now. | go into details)  (Clare wouldn't go into details about her problems.) 4 »CONSIDER« to examine something thoroughly  (My broker is going into the question of long-term cover.) 5 »HIT« (not in passive) if a vehicle goes into a tree, wall, or another vehicle, it hits it  (His car went into a lamppost in the high street.) 6 »DIVIDE« (not in passive) informal if a number goes into another number, the second number can be divided by the first  (12 goes into 60 five times.) 7 »BEGIN A MOVEMENT« (not in passive) if a vehicle or its driver goes into a particular movement, it starts to do it  (The plane had gone into a nosedive and crashed.) 8 »SPEECH« (not in passive) to begin a long speech, often when it is not necessary  (Norman went into a long monologue about crime.) go off phr v 1 »EXPLODE« to explode  (The bomb went off at 6.30 this morning.) 2 »MAKE A NOISE« to make a loud noise  (Our neighbor's car alarm is always going off in the middle of the night.) 3 »STOP WORKING« if a machine goes off, it stops working  (The central heating goes off at 9 o'clock. | Suddenly, all the lights went off.) 4 go off well/badly etc to happen in a particular way  (The party went off swimmingly.) 5 »FOOD« BrE if food goes off, it goes bad  (The milk's gone off.) 6 »STOP« BrE if a pain goes off, you stop feeling it 7 »STOP LIKING SB/STH« T go off someone/something) BrE informal to stop liking something or someone  (Val went off coffee when she was pregnant. | go off doing sth)  (I've gone off cooking lately.) 8 »SLEEP« informal to go to sleep  (go off to sleep)  (Has the baby gone off to sleep yet?) 9 »GET WORSE« BrE informal to get worse  (The service in this restaurant has really gone off.) go off with sth/sb phr v informal 1 to leave your husband, wife, partner etc in order to have a relationship with someone else  (She's gone off with her husband's best friend.) 2 to take something away from a place without having permission  (Who's gone off with my pen?) go on phr v 1 »CONTINUE AN ACTION« to continue without stopping or changing  (We can't go on like this; I want a divorce! | go on with sth)  (Go on with your work until I come back. | go on doing sth)  (You can't go on drinking so much - you're not doing yourself any good. | go on and on (=continue for a long time))  (The noise seemed to go on and on.) 2 »DO STH NEXT« to do something after you have finished doing something else  (go on to sth)  (Let's go on to the next item on the agenda. | go on to do sth)  (She went on to become a successful surgeon.) 3 »HAPPEN« to take place or happen  (What's going on in the kitchen? | There's something fishy going on here.)  (- see also goings­on) 4 »USE AS PROOF« T not in passive go on something) to base an opinion or judgment on something  (Police haven't much to go on in their hunt for the killer.) 5 »BEGIN TO WORK« if a machine goes on, it begins to operate  (The heat goes on automatically at 6 o'clock.) 6 »TIME« to pass  (As time went on, I grew very fond of him.) 7 »CONTINUE WITH A STORY/EXPLANATION ETC« to continue talking, especially after stopping or changing to a different subject  (Go on, I'm listening.)  (After a short pause Maria went on with her story.) go on to do sth  (The councillor went on to explain where the new supermarket would be.) 8 »BEHAVE IN THE SAME WAY« to often behave in a particular way  (The way she's going on she'll have a nervous breakdown.) 9 »COMPLAIN« BrE to continue to complain or ask someone to do something  (go on at sb about sth)  (I wish you'd stop going on at me about my weight! | go on at sb to do sth)  (Mum kept going on at him to tidy his room.) 10 be going on (for) to be nearly a time, age, number etc  (Nancy must be going on for 60, you know. | Jenny's one of those wise teenagers who's 16 going on 70. (=she seems older than she is, or thinks she is)) 11 »MEDICINE« T not in passive go on something) to begin to take a type of medicine  (go on the pill)  (Dani's too young to go on the pill.) 12 »GO IN FRONT OF« to go somewhere before the other people you are with  (Bill went on in the car and I followed on foot.) 13 »TALK TOO MUCH« informal to talk too much  (You don't half go on! | go on and on)  (They went on and on about the importance of safety belts.) 14 »DEVELOP« BrE informal to develop or make progress  (How's the work going on?) 15 go on a) used to encourage someone to do something  (Go on, have another cookie.) b) also go on with you BrE spoken used to tell someone that you do not believe them  (I told her she had the most beautiful eyes I'd ever seen. "Oh, go on with you!" she said, blushing with pleasure.) 16 to be going on with/to go on with informal, BrE if you have enough of something to be going on with, you have enough to use at present until the situation improves  (Have you got enough money to be going on with?) 17 go on the dole BrE informal to begin to claim money from the government because you are not working go out phr v 1 »FOR ENTERTAINMENT« to leave your house, especially in order to enjoy yourself  (Are you going out tonight? | Let's go out for a walk. | go out doing sth)  (Liam goes out drinking every Friday. | go out to do sth)  (Can I go out to play now? | go out and do sth)  (You should go out and get some fresh air.) 2 »WITH BOY/GIRL« to spend a lot of time with someone and have a romantic relationship with them  (go out with sb)  (Jean used to go out with my brother. | go out together)  (How long have you been going out together?) 3 »FIRE/LIGHT« to stop burning or shining  (The candle spluttered and went out.)  (- see fire1) 4 »ON TV/RADIO« to be broadcast on television or radio  (The program goes out live at 5 o'clock on Mondays.) 5 »MOVE ABROAD« to travel to a place far away, often in order to live there  (They've gone out to Australia.) 6 »STRIKE« BrE also go out on strike to stop working because of a disagreement 7 go out like a light informal to go to sleep very quickly  (As soon as his head touched the pillow, he went out like a light.) 8 »NOT BE FASHIONABLE/USED« to stop being fashionable or used  (Flared trousers are going out again.)  (- opposite come in come1) 9 »SEA« to go back to its lower level  (The tide's going out.)  (- opposite come in come1) 10 »MAKE PUBLIC« to let everyone know about something  (Word went out that the President was dead.) 11 heart/thoughts go out to sb to have a lot of sympathy for someone  (Our hearts go out to the victim's family.) 12 »TIME« always + adv/prep literary to end  (March went out with high winds and rain.) go over phr v 1 »GO NEAR SB/STH« to go nearer to someone or something  (Blake went over and sat on the bed.)  (Chiara went over to the bar.) go over to do sth  (He had gone over to say goodbye.) 2 »EXAMINE« (T, go over something) to look at something or think about something carefully  (I had gone over and over what happened in my mind.) 3 »SEARCH« (T, go over something) to search something very carefully  (The police have been over the apartment with a fine-tooth comb.) 4 »VISIT« (T, go over something) to visit a building etc to decide whether to buy or rent it  (We'd been over several houses before finding this one.) 5 »REPEAT« (T, go over something) to repeat something in order to learn it or understand it  (Maybe if I went over it all again I would see what she meant.) 6 go over well/badly etc if a speech, performance etc goes over well, the people listening like it  (His speech went over well with the Left of the party.) 7 »CHANGE« to change your beliefs, religion, habits etc  (go over from sth to sth)  (Lloyd George went over to Labour in 1951. | go over to doing sth)  (I've gone over to drinking black coffee.) 8 »TV/RADIO« to change to a broadcast from another place  (We're going over to the White House for an important announcement.) 9 »CLEAN« to clean something  (Liz went over the carpet with the hoover.) go round also go around phr v 1 »BE ENOUGH« to be enough for everyone  (Are there enough chairs to go around?) 2 »ILLNESS/NEWS ETC« if an illness, news etc goes around, it is passed from one person to another  (There's a lot of flu going around at the moment.) 3 go round in your head if words, sounds etc go round in your head, you continue to hear them for a long time  (That stupid song kept going around in my head.) 4 »DRESS/BEHAVE« to usually dress or behave in a particular way  (These shoplifters go round in pairs. | go around doing sth)  (You can't go around telling people what to do all the time!) 5 go around with sb/go round together to often go out with someone  (- see also go round in circles circle1 (6)) go slow phr v BrE to put as little effort as possible into your work, as a form of strike2 (1)  (- see also go­slow) go through phr v 1 (T, go through something) to suffer or experience something bad  (How does she keep smiling after all she's been through?) 2 T go through something, get through) to use something and have none left; get  (Austria was so expensive - we went through all our money in one week.) 3 T go through something) if a law goes through, or goes through Parliament, it is officially accepted  (The Bill went through Parliament without a vote.) 4 if a deal or agreement goes through, it is officially accepted  (Your application for a loan has gone through.) 5 (T, go through something) BrE to slowly make a hole in something  (My toe has gone through my sock.) 6 (T, go through something) to practise something, for example a performance  (Let's go through the whole thing again, from the beginning.) 7 (T, go through something) to look at or for something carefully  (Dave went through his pockets looking for the keys.) 8 T go through something) to read a document from beginning to end  (Could you just go through this file and mark anything that's relevant?) go through with sth phr v to do something you had promised or planned to do, even though it causes problems or you are no longer sure you want to do it  (Jenny felt she couldn't go through with the abortion.) go to sth phr v (T, not in passive) 1 go to great lengths/go to a lot of trouble to take a lot of trouble to do something  (They went to great lengths to make sure I felt at home.) 2 go to great expense to spend a lot of money to do something 3 to begin to experience or do something  (Shh! Daddy's trying to go to sleep. | Britain and Germany went to war in 1939.) 4 to be given to someone  (All the money raised will go to local charities.) go together phr v 1 if two things go together, they look, taste etc good together  (Pork and apple go well together)  (- see fit1) 2 if two people are going together, they are having a romantic relationship  (I didn't know Sharon and Les were going together.) go under phr v 1 if a business goes under, it has serious problems and fails  (Many restaurants go under in the first year.) 2 if a ship or something that is floating goes under, it sinks beneath the surface  (The Titanic finally went under, watched by those survivors who had found a place in the lifeboats.) go up phr v 1 »INCREASE« spoken to increase in number or amount  (I see cigarettes are going up again. (=are getting more expensive)) 2 »BE BUILT« spoken to be built  (New houses are going up all around the town.) 3 »EXPLODE/BURN« spoken to explode or be destroyed in a fire  (The whole building went up in flames.)  (- see also go up in smoke smoke1 (5)) 4 »SHOUT« if a shout or a cheer goes up, people start to shout or cheer 5 »THEATRE« if the curtain goes up at a theatre, it opens for the performance to start  (The curtain went up on an empty stage.) 6 »REACH« to reach as far as a particular place  (The trees go right up to the beach.) 7 »TO UNIVERSITY« BrE to go to a university to begin a course of study  (She went up to Oxford in 1975.) 8 »TO TOWN« BrE to go to a town or city from a smaller place  (I like to go up to town for Christmas shopping.) go with phr v T not in passive 1 »MATCH/SUIT« if one thing goes with another, they look, taste etc good together  (That shade of blue goes with your eyes.)  (- see fit1) 2 »BE PART OF STH« to be included as part of something  (The house goes with the job. | go with doing sth)  (Responsibility goes with becoming a father.) 3 »EXIST TOGETHER« to often exist with something else  (Ill-health often goes with poverty.) 4 »BOY/GIRL« informal to have someone as your boyfriend or girlfriend or to have a sexual relationship with someone  (Is Martin still going with Jane?) 5 »AGREE« to accept someone's idea or plan  (Let's go with John's original proposal.) go without phr v 1 to be able to live without something or without doing something  (We can't afford a holiday, so we'll just have to go without. | go without sth)  (She had gone without food to feed the children.) 2 it goes without saying used to say that something is so obvious that it does not need to be said  (It goes without saying that young doctors should work fewer hours.) ~2 n plural goes 1 »TRY« an attempt to do something  (have a go)  ("I can't open this jar." "Let me have a go." | have a go at (doing) sth)  (Daisy had six goes at her driving-test before she passed. | at one go)  (Ruby blew out all her candles at one go. | give sth a go (=try to do sth even though you do not think you will succeed))  (I don't think I can make him change his mind, but I'll give it a go.) 2 »IN A GAME« someone's turn in a game etc  (Whose go is it? | If you throw a two you miss a go. | have a go on sth)  (Can I have a go on your computer? | 3p/5p/10p a go)  (Guess the weight of the cake,10 pence a go.) 3 make a go of sth informal to make a business, marriage etc succeed  (make a go of it)  (Do you think they'll make a go of it with this restaurant?) 4 on the go informal very busy or working all the time  (I'm on the go all day and then collapse into bed at about 10 o'clock.) 5 it's no go spoken used to say that something has not happened or that it will not happen  (I went and asked for a rise but it was no go, I'm afraid.)  (- see also no­go area (2)) 6 all the go old-fashioned very fashionable 7 it's all go BrE spoken it is very busy  (It's all go in the toy department in December.) 8 have a go at sb spoken, especially BrE to complain  (Mark's bound to have a go at me for spending all this money.) 9 have a go spoken, especially BrE a) to attack someone physically  (A whole gang of yobs were standing around, just waiting to have a go.) b) to try to catch someone who you see doing something wrong, rather than waiting for the police  (The public should not be encouraged to have a go.) 10 »ENERGY« BrE liveliness and energy  (The children are full of go this morning.)  (- see also get­up­and­go)