verb

exercise

I. ex‧er‧cise¹ S2 W2 /ˈeksəsaɪz $ -ər-/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: exercice, from Latin exercitium, from exercere 'to drive on, keep busy']
1. FOR HEALTH [uncountable] physical activities that you do in order to stay healthy and become stronger:
Try to fit some regular exercise into your daily routine.
Working in an office, I don’t get much exercise.
do/take exercise
Most people need to do more exercise.
gentle/light exercise
Gentle exercise can be beneficial for older people.
vigorous/strenuous exercise
After the operation, you should avoid strenuous exercise.
2. MOVEMENT [countable] a movement or set of movements that you do regularly to keep your body healthy:
stretching exercises
You can do exercises to strengthen your stomach muscles.
3. FOR A SKILL [countable usually plural] an activity or process that helps you practise a particular skill:
relaxation exercises
role-play exercises
4. IN A BOOK [countable] a set of questions in a book that test a student’s knowledge or skill:
Do Exercises 3 and 4 on page 51 for homework.
5. FOR A PARTICULAR RESULT [singular] an activity or situation that has a particular quality or result:
closing libraries as part of a cost-cutting exercise
It’s a pointless exercise.
exercise in
Buying a house can be an exercise in frustration.
6. ARMY/NAVY ETC [uncountable and countable] a set of activities for training soldiers etc:
a military exercise
on exercise
Half the unit was away on exercise.
7. the exercise of something formal the use of a power or right:
the exercise of political leadership
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 1)
■ verbs
▪ do some exercise (also take some exercise British English) He ought to do more exercise. | He was advised by the doctor to take more exercise.
▪ get some exercise I don’t get enough exercise.
■ adjectives
▪ good exercise Swimming is very good exercise for your muscles.
▪ regular/daily exercise Taking regular exercise is the best way to improve your overall health.
▪ physical exercise Physical exercise keeps you fit and helps to reduce stress.
▪ hard/strenuous/vigorous exercise (=involving a lot of physical effort) Pregnant women should avoid strenuous exercise.
▪ gentle/light/moderate exercise (=not involving too much physical effort) Try to do some gentle exercise as part of your daily routine.
▪ aerobic exercise (=in which you breathe deeply and your heart beats faster) Aerobic exercise, such as jogging or cycling, is a great way to burn off fat.
■ phrases
▪ a type/form of exercise This type of exercise is excellent for losing weight.
▪ lack of exercise Children are becoming overweight through lack of exercise.
■ exercise + NOUN
▪ an exercise programme/routine/regime British English, an exercise program American English (=a plan that includes different types of exercise) The athletes follow an intensive exercise programme. | I’m finding it quite hard to stick to my exercise routine.
▪ an exercise class I usually go to my exercise class on Wednesdays.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ verbs
▪ do an exercise (also perform an exercise formal) Try to do these exercises at least three days a week.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + exercise
▪ a basic exercise (=simple) He showed me some basic exercises for strengthening leg muscles.
▪ keep-fit exercises I couldn’t get to the gym, so I did a few keep-fit exercises in my bedroom.
▪ a warm-up exercise Do some warm-up exercises before lifting heavy weights.
▪ a yoga exercise Yoga exercises keep you supple.
▪ a breathing exercise We do breathing exercises in my yoga class.
II. exercise² S3 W2 BrE AmE verb
1. USE SOMETHING [transitive] formal to use a power, right, or quality that you have:
There are plans to encourage people to exercise their right to vote.
People who can exercise some control over their surroundings feel less anxious.
2. DO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY [intransitive] to do sports or physical activities in order to stay healthy and become stronger:
It’s important to exercise regularly.
3. USE PART OF YOUR BODY [transitive] to make a particular part of your body move in order to make it stronger:
Swimming exercises all the major muscle groups.
4. ANIMAL [transitive] to make an animal walk or run in order to keep it healthy and strong:
people exercising their dogs in the park
5. MAKE SOMEBODY THINK [transitive] formal
a) to make someone think about a subject or problem and consider how to deal with it:
It’s an issue that’s exercised the minds of scientists for a long time.
b) British English if something exercises someone, they think about it all the time and are very anxious or worried – often used humorously:
It was clear that Flavia had been exercised by this thought.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ exercise to walk, do sports etc in order to stay healthy and become stronger: To lose weight, exercise regularly and eat less.
▪ do some exercise/a lot of exercise etc this phrase is much more common than the verb exercise, and means the same thing: Her doctor said that she needed to do more exercise. | My son does very little exercise – I don’t know how he stays so slim. | Dogs need lots of exercise.
▪ stay/keep/get in shape to stay or to become physically healthy and strong – used especially when you consider exercise as a way to keep a nice-looking body: Try jogging with a friend who also wants to get in shape.
▪ keep fit British English to exercise regularly in order to stay healthy and strong: The class encourages older people to keep fit.
▪ work out to do exercise in order to be healthy and strong, especially to exercise regularly in a gym or exercise class: He works out three times a week.
▪ tone up (also firm up) to exercise in order to make your body or part of your body firmer: I need to tone up my stomach and legs.
▪ warm up to do gentle exercises to prepare your body for more active exercise: It’s important to warm up before you begin to play.
▪ stretch to reach your arms, legs, or body out to full length, in order to make your muscles as long as possible, so that you do not injure them when you exercise: Jog for five minutes, then stretch before starting on your run.
▪ limber up (also loosen up) to do gentle exercises so that your muscles are warm and not tight before you begin a more active exercise: The footballers were limbering up before a training session.
▪ train especially British English to prepare for a sporting event by exercising in a particular way: She’s training to do the London Marathon.
▪ practise British English, practice American English to do a sports activity regularly, in order to get better and prepare for competition: The team practices on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

eat

eat S1 W1 /iːt/ BrE AmE verb (past tense ate /et, eɪt $ eɪt/, past participle eaten /ˈiːtn/)
[Language: Old English; Origin: etan]
1. FOOD [intransitive and transitive] to put food in your mouth and chew and swallow it:
Felix chatted cheerfully as he ate.
A small girl was eating an ice cream.
We had plenty to eat and drink.
It’s important to eat healthily when you are pregnant.
I exercise and eat right and get plenty of sleep.
Would you like something to eat?
She can eat like a horse and never put on weight.
We stopped at McDonalds to get a bite to eat.
Good eating habits are the best way of preventing infection.
ready-to-eat foods such as deli meats and cheeses
‘More cake?’ ‘No thanks, I couldn’t eat another thing.’
No chicken for me. I don’t eat meat (=I never eat meat).
Does Rob eat fish?
2. MEAL [intransitive and transitive] to have a meal:
Let’s eat first and then go to a movie.
They’re eating breakfast.
eat at
We could not afford to eat at Walker’s very often.
3. eat your words to admit that what you said was wrong:
I’m going to make you eat your words.
4. eat your heart out
a) used to say, especially humorously, that something is very good:
That’s a great drawing. Pablo Picasso eat your heart out!
b) British English to be unhappy about something or to want someone or something very much:
If you had any sense you’d forget him, but eat your heart out if you want to.
5. eat somebody alive/eat somebody for breakfast to be very angry with someone or to defeat them completely:
You can’t tell him that – he’ll eat you alive!
6. USE [transitive] to use a very large amount of something:
This car eats petrol.
7. eat humble pie (also eat crow American English) to admit that you were wrong and say that you are sorry
8. I’ll eat my hat used to emphasize that you think something is not true or will not happen:
If the Democrats win the election, I’ll eat my hat!
9. have somebody eating out of your hand to have made someone very willing to believe you or do what you want:
He soon had the client eating out of his hand.
10. eat somebody out of house and home to eat a lot of someone’s supply of food, so that they have to buy more – used humorously
11. what’s eating somebody? spoken used to ask why someone seems annoyed or upset:
What’s eating Sally today?
12. I could eat a horse spoken used to say you are very hungry
13. I/we won’t eat you spoken used to tell someone that you are not angry with them and they need not be frightened
14. you are what you eat used to say that you will be healthy if the food you eat is healthy
⇨ ↑eats, ⇨ have your cake and eat it at ↑cake¹(6)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ nouns
▪ eat breakfast/lunch/dinner etc What time do you usually eat lunch?
■ adverbs
▪ eat well (=have enough food, or have good food) The people work hard, but they eat well.
▪ eat healthily/sensibly (=eat food that will keep you healthy) If you eat healthily and exercise regularly, you’ll look and feel a lot better.
▪ eat properly British English, eat right American English (=eat food that will keep you healthy) He hadn’t been eating properly and was drinking far too much.
▪ eat hungrily (=eat a lot quickly, because you are very hungry) The children ate hungrily, devouring everything on their plate.
▪ eat sparingly (=eat very little) Carter joined us for lunch, but ate sparingly, as he always did.
■ phrases
▪ have something/nothing to eat (=eat something/nothing) We’ll leave after we’ve had something to eat.
▪ have enough/plenty etc to eat Have you had enough to eat?
▪ have little to eat (=not have enough food) The refugees had very little to eat and no clean water.
▪ find something to eat I got dressed and went downstairs to find something to eat.
▪ get something to eat (=prepare or buy some food) I’m sure you can get something to eat on the train.
▪ sb’s eating habits (=the kinds of things they eat or drink regularly) The doctor asked me about my eating habits and how much I smoked.
▪ an eating disorder (=a mental illness which causes you to eat too much or too little) She described her battle with the eating disorder bulimia.
▪ a bite to eat (=a small meal) We should have time for a bite to eat before we set out.
▪ eat like a horse (=eat a lot) She eats like a horse but never puts on any weight!
▪ eat like a bird (=eat very little) Ever since she was a child, Jan had always eaten like a bird.
▪ I couldn’t eat another thing spoken (=used to say that you are completely full) Thanks, that was lovely, but I couldn’t eat another thing.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ eat to put food in your mouth and chew and swallow it: Experts recommend eating plenty of fruit and vegetables.
▪ have to eat a particular food: ‘What do you usually have for breakfast?’ ‘I usually just have coffee and toast.’ | We had the set meal.
▪ feed on something to eat a particular kind of food – used when talking about animals: Foxes feed on a wide range of foods including mice, birds, insects, and fruit.
▪ consume written to eat or drink something – used especially in scientific or technical contexts: Babies consume large amounts relative to their body weight.
▪ munch (on) something to eat something with big continuous movements of your mouth, especially when you are enjoying your food: He was munching on an apple. | They were sitting on a bench munching their sandwiches.
▪ nibble (on) something to eat something by biting off very small pieces: If you want a healthy snack, why not just nibble on a carrot?
▪ pick at something to eat only a small amount of your food because you are not hungry or do not like the food: Lisa was so upset that she could only pick at her food.
▪ stuff/gorge yourself to eat so much food that you cannot eat anything else: He’s always stuffing himself with cakes. | We gorged ourselves on my mother’s delicious apple tart.
▪ slurp to eat soup, ↑noodles etc with a noisy sucking sound: In England it’s considered rude to slurp your soup, but in some countries it’s seen as a sign of enjoyment.
■ to eat something quickly
▪ gobble something up/down informal to eat something very quickly, especially because you like it very much or you are greedy: You’ve gobbled up all the ice-cream! | The children gobbled it down in no time.
▪ wolf something down informal to eat food quickly, especially because you are very hungry or in a hurry: The boy wolfed down everything on his plate and asked for more.
▪ bolt something down British English to eat food very quickly, especially because you are in a hurry: He bolted down his breakfast and was out of the door within 5 minutes. | You shouldn’t bolt your food down like that.
▪ devour /dɪˈvaʊə $ -ˈvaʊr/ especially written to eat all of something quickly because you are very hungry: In a very short time, the snake had devoured the whole animal.
■ to eat less food or stop eating
▪ be on a diet to be eating less or different food than normal in order to become thinner: No cake thanks – I’m on a diet.
▪ fast to not eat for a period of time, often for religious reasons: Muslim people fast during the month of Ramadan.
eat something ↔ away phrasal verb
to gradually remove or destroy something SYN erode:
The stones are being eaten away by pollution.
eat away at something/somebody phrasal verb
1. to gradually remove or reduce the amount of something:
His gambling was eating away at their income.
2. to make someone feel very worried over a long period of time:
The thought of mother alone like that was eating away at her.
eat in phrasal verb
to eat at home instead of in a restaurant
eat into something phrasal verb
1. to gradually reduce the amount of time, money etc that is available:
John’s university fees have been eating into our savings.
2. to gradually damage or destroy something:
Acid eats into the metal, damaging its surface.
eat out phrasal verb
to eat in a restaurant instead of at home:
Do you eat out a lot?
eat up phrasal verb
1. to eat all of something:
Come on, eat up, there’s a good girl.
eat something ↔ up
She’s made a cake and wants us to help eat it up.
2. eat something ↔ up informal to use a lot of something, especially until there is none left:
Big cars just eat up money.
3. be eaten up with/by jealousy/anger/curiosity etc to be very jealous, angry etc, so that you cannot think about anything else

drink

I. drink¹ S1 W2 /drɪŋk/ BrE AmE verb (past tense drank /dræŋk/, past participle drunk /drʌŋk/)
[Word Family: noun: ↑drink, ↑drinker, ↑drinking, ↑drunk, ↑drunkenness; adjective: ↑drunk, ↑drunken; verb: ↑drink; adverb: ↑drunkenly]
[Language: Old English; Origin: drincan]

1. [intransitive and transitive] to take liquid into your mouth and swallow it:
You should drink plenty of water.
What would you like to drink?
Take a seat while I get you something to drink.
She filled the glass and drank.
2. [intransitive] to drink alcohol, especially regularly or too much:
He’s been drinking heavily since his wife died.
I don’t drink.
Don’t drink and drive.
My flatmate Cherry drinks like a fish (=regularly drinks a lot of alcohol).
3. drink yourself silly/into a stupor/to death etc to drink so much alcohol that you become very drunk or unconscious, or die:
If he goes on this way he’ll drink himself to death.
4. drink somebody under the table to drink more alcohol than someone but not feel as ill as them:
He could drink nearly anyone under the table.
5. What are you drinking? spoken used to offer to buy someone a drink, especially in a ↑pub
6. drink sb’s health British English to wish someone good health before having an alcoholic drink
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ sip (also take a sip) to drink something very slowly
▪ slurp informal to drink something in a noisy way
▪ gulp something down (also down something) to drink all of something very quickly
▪ knock something back informal to drink all of an alcoholic drink very quickly
▪ swig (also take/have a swig) informal to drink something quickly with large mouthfuls, especially from a bottle
▪ swallow to make food or drink go down your throat and towards your stomach: She swallowed the bitter medicine instead of spitting it out.
drink something ↔ in phrasal verb
to look at, listen to, feel, or smell something in order to enjoy it:
She just sat there, drinking in the atmosphere.
drink to something phrasal verb
1. to wish someone success, good luck, good health etc before having an alcoholic drink:
Let’s drink to your success in your new job.
2. I’ll drink to that! spoken used to agree with what someone has said
drink up phrasal verb
to drink all of something
drink something ↔ up
Drink up your milk.
II. drink² S1 W2 BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: noun: ↑drink, ↑drinker, ↑drinking, ↑drunk, ↑drunkenness; adjective: ↑drunk, ↑drunken; verb: ↑drink; adverb: ↑drunkenly]
1. [countable] an amount of liquid that you drink, or the act of drinking something
drink of
Have a drink of water.
He took a drink of his coffee.
2. [uncountable and countable] liquid that you can drink:
What’s your favourite drink?
food and drink companies
3. [uncountable and countable] an alcoholic drink:
He’d obviously had a few drinks.
Let’s go for a drink.
4. [uncountable] the habit of drinking too much alcohol, in a way that is very bad for your health:
The marriage ended because of her husband’s drink problem (=he drank too much alcohol).
They had driven him to drink (=made him start drinking too much alcohol regularly).
After her retirement from the stage she took to drink (=started drinking too much alcohol).
5. drinks [plural] British English a social occasion when you have alcoholic drinks and sometimes food
for drinks
Don’t forget we’re invited to the Jones’ for drinks on Sunday.
6. the drink old-fashioned the sea, a lake, or another large area of water
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1, 2, & 3)
■ verbs
▪ have a drink (=drink something, especially an alcoholic drink) Let’s go and have a drink.
▪ take a drink He took another long drink of water.
▪ go for a drink (=go to a pub or bar) Why don’t we go for a drink after work?
▪ buy/get somebody a drink (=in a pub or a bar) It’s my turn to buy you a drink.
▪ pour (somebody) a drink She got out two glasses and poured us a drink.
▪ make (somebody) a drink (=make tea or coffee) Shall I make you a hot drink?
▪ sip your drink (=drink it in very small amounts) Connie was sitting at the table, sipping her drink slowly.
▪ down your drink (=drink it very quickly) He downed his drink and stood up.
■ adjectives
▪ a soft drink (=which does not contain alcohol) Would you like some wine, or a soft drink?
▪ an alcoholic drink (=containing alcohol) Beer, wine, and other alcoholic drinks will be available.
▪ a fizzy drink British English, a carbonated drink American English (=with bubbles of gas) Dentists have warned that sweet fizzy drinks are bad for children’s teeth.
▪ a hot/warm drink Come inside and I’ll make you a hot drink.
▪ a cool/cold drink They were all out in the garden, sipping cool drinks.
▪ a refreshing drink (=making you feel less tired or hot) Enjoy a refreshing drink in our lakeside café.
▪ a stiff/strong drink (=a drink with a lot of strong alcohol) He was in need of a stiff drink to calm himself down.
▪ a relaxing/leisurely drink (=that you drink in a slow relaxed way) The hotel terrace is an ideal place to enjoy a relaxing drink.
▪ a diet drink/a low-calorie drink (=containing less sugar than ordinary ones) People are buying more and more diet drinks.
▪ a celebratory drink (=in order to celebrate something) After winning the game, they went out for a celebratory drink.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ drink something that you drink: ‘Would you like a drink?’ ‘Yes, I’ll have a lemonade.’ | They had a few drinks in a local bar.
▪ something to drink especially spoken a drink: Can I get you something to drink?
▪ soft drink a cold drink that does not contain alcohol, especially one that is sweet and has bubbles in it: Coca-Cola and other soft drinks
▪ toast a drink, usually of wine, that a group of people have on a special occasion, for example to celebrate something or wish someone luck in the future: At midnight they all drank a toast to the New Year.
▪ beverage /ˈbevərɪdʒ/ formal especially written a drink – often used on ↑menus and signs: Beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage. | the list of beverages
 

soft drink

ˈsoft drink BrE AmE noun [countable]
a cold drink that does not contain alcohol
 

Cook

I. Cook, Captain James BrE AmE
(1728–79) a British sailor and ↑explorer who sailed to Australia and New Zealand, and claimed the eastern coast of Australia for Britain. He also discovered several islands in the Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii, where he was killed.
II. Cook, Peter BrE AmE
(1937–95) a British ↑comedian, who had a great influence on British ↑comedy and who is known especially for making humorous television programmes with Dudley Moore, with whom he first appeared in Beyond the Fringe when they were both at university. He also owned the humorous magazine Private Eye.
III. Cook, Robin BrE AmE
(1946–2005) a British politician in the Labour Party, who was Foreign Secretary (=the minister in charge of the UK's relations with other countries) from 1997 to 2001. He was leader of the House of Commons from 2001 to 2003 until he ↑resigned because he did not support the government's decision to go to war with Iraq.
 

cook

I. cook¹ S1 W3 /kʊk/ BrE AmE verb
[Word Family: noun: ↑cook, ↑cooker, ↑cookery, ↑cooking; adjective: cooked ≠ ↑uncooked, overcooked ≠ UNDERCOOKED, ↑cooking; verb: ↑cook, ↑overcook ≠ UNDERCOOK]
1. [intransitive and transitive] to prepare food for eating by using heat:
Where did you learn to cook?
Cook the sauce over a low heat for ten minutes.
cook a meal/dinner/breakfast etc
I’m usually too tired to cook an evening meal.
cook something for supper/lunch/dinner etc
He was cooking rice for supper.
cook somebody something
She cooked them all a good dinner every night.
cook (something) for somebody
I promised I’d cook for them.
slices of cooked ham
a cooked breakfast
2. [intransitive] to be prepared for eating by using heat:
He could smell something delicious cooking.
Hamburgers were cooking in the kitchen.
3. cook the books to dishonestly change official records and figures in order to steal money or give people false information:
The Government was cooking the books and misleading the public.
4. be cooking informal to be being planned in a secret way:
They’ve got something cooking, and I don’t think I like it.
5. be cooking (with gas) spoken used to say that someone is doing something very well:
The band’s really cooking tonight.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ nouns
▪ cook a meal Shall I cook the meal tonight?
▪ cook breakfast/lunch/dinner Kate was in the kitchen cooking dinner.
▪ cook food The book also gives advice on healthy ways of cooking food.
▪ cook rice/pasta/sausages etc Cook the pasta for about 8 minutes.
■ adverbs
▪ cook something gently/slowly (=on a low heat) Reduce the heat and cook gently for 20 minutes.
▪ cook something well/thoroughly (=until it has definitely cooked for a long enough time) Beans should always be cooked well.
▪ be cooked through (=in the middle as well as on the outside) Fry the fish until golden and cooked through.
▪ cook something evenly (=until all of it is equally well cooked ) Turn the pie several times to cook it evenly.
■ phrases
▪ be cooked to perfection (=be cooked exactly the right amount, so it is perfect) All the dishes were cooked to perfection by the French chef.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ to cook something
▪ cook to prepare a meal or food for eating by using heat: I offered to cook a meal for her. | Cook in a hot oven for 25 minutes.
▪ make to make a meal or a particular dish by cooking it or getting all the parts ready: John was making dinner. | I think I’ll make a salad for lunch.
▪ prepare to make a meal or a particular dish by getting all the parts ready. Prepare is more formal than make: The children helped to prepare the evening meal. | The dish takes a long time to prepare.
▪ rustle up /ˈrʌsəl/ informal to cook a meal or dish quickly using whatever is available: She soon rustled up a tasty soup.
▪ fix especially American English to cook or prepare a meal – used about meals you make quickly: Why don’t you take a nap while I fix dinner?
▪ do British English informal to make a particular type of food: I could do you an omelette. | I was thinking of doing a fish pie when Michael comes.
■ ways of cooking something
▪ bake to cook things such as bread or cakes in an oven: Tom baked a cake for my birthday.
▪ roast to cook meat or vegetables in an oven: Roast the potatoes for an hour.
▪ fry to cook food in hot oil: She was frying some mushrooms.
▪ stir-fry to fry small pieces of food while moving them around continuously: stir-fried tofu and bean sprouts
▪ sauté /ˈsəʊteɪ $ soʊˈteɪ/ to fry vegetables for a short time in a small amount of butter or oil: Sauté the potatoes in butter.
▪ grill to cook food over or under strong heat: grilled fish
▪ broil American English to cook food under heat: broiled fish
▪ boil to cook something in very hot water: He doesn’t even know how to boil an egg. | English people seem to love boiled vegetables.
▪ steam to cook vegetables over hot water: Steam the rice for 15 minutes.
▪ poach to cook food, especially fish or eggs, slowly in hot water: poached salmon
▪ toast to cook the outside surfaces of bread: toasted muffins
▪ barbecue to cook food on a metal frame over a fire outdoors: I thought we could barbecue some mackerel.
▪ microwave to cook food in a microwave oven: The beans can be microwaved.
cook something ↔ up phrasal verb
1. to prepare food, especially quickly:
Every night he cooked up a big casserole.
2. informal to invent an excuse, reason, plan etc, especially one that is slightly dishonest or unlikely to work:
the plan that Graham and Dempster had cooked up
II. cook² BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Word Family: noun: ↑cook, ↑cooker, ↑cookery, ↑cooking; adjective: cooked ≠ ↑uncooked, overcooked ≠ UNDERCOOKED, ↑cooking; verb: ↑cook, ↑overcook ≠ UNDERCOOK]
[Language: Old English; Origin: coc, from Latin coquus, from coquere 'to cook']
1. someone who prepares and cooks food as their job SYN chef:
He works as a cook in a local restaurant.
2. be a good/wonderful/terrible etc cook to be good or bad at preparing and cooking food
3. too many cooks (spoil the broth) used when you think there are too many people trying to do the same job at the same time, so that the job is not done well
⇨ chief cook and bottle-washer at ↑chief¹(3)

go

I. go¹ S1 W1 /ɡəʊ $ ɡoʊ/ BrE AmE verb (past tense went /went/, past participle gone /ɡɒn $ ɡɒːn/, third person singular goes /ɡəʊz $ ɡoʊz/)
[Language: Old English; Origin: gan]
1. MOVE/TRAVEL
a) [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] (also been) to travel or move to a place that is away from where you are or where you live ⇨ come:
There’s nothing more we can do here. Let’s go home.
Have you ever been to (=have you ever travelled to) Japan?
I have been to (=have travelled to) Germany several times.
Where are you going?
We’re going to Canada in the summer.
Dinah went into the kitchen.
She went over and put her arm around him.
I’m going round to her house to find out what’s wrong.
I’ll just go up (=go upstairs) and ask him what he wants.
b) [intransitive and transitive] to move or travel in a particular way or for a particular distance:
It took us over an hour to go ten miles.
The car was going much too fast.
We went a different way from usual that day.
go by bus/train/car etc
It’ll be quicker to go by train.
c) go and do something (also go do something American English) [not in past tenses] to move to a particular place in order to do something:
Go wash your hands.
I went and spoke to the manager.
2. go flying/laughing/rushing etc to move in a particular way, or to do something as you are moving:
The plate went crashing to the floor.
The bullet went flying over my head.
John went rushing off down the corridor.
3. ATTEND
a) [intransitive] to be at a concert, party, meeting etc
go to
Are you going to Manuela’s party?
I first went to a rock concert when I was 15.
b) go to school/church/work etc to regularly attend school, a church etc:
He doesn’t go to the synagogue these days.
4. LEAVE [intransitive] to leave a place:
What time does the last train go?
Right, let’s go!
She turned to go.
be/get going
It’s late! I must get going.
5. DO A PARTICULAR ACTIVITY [intransitive and transitive] to leave the place where you are, in order to do something
go for a walk/swim etc
Let’s go for a walk.
go shopping/swimming/skiing etc
I need to go shopping this afternoon.
go on a trip/tour/cruise etc
My parents are going on a cruise.
6. be going to do something
a) to intend to do something:
I’m going to tell Dad what you said.
b) used to talk about what will happen in the future:
He looked as if he was going to cry.
It’s going to rain later. ⇨ gonna
7. REACH [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, not in progressive] to reach as far as a particular place or to lead to a particular place:
The road goes through the middle of the forest.
The belt won’t go around my waist.
8. CHANGE [linking verb] to change in some way, especially by becoming worse than before:
The company went bankrupt last year.
go bad/sour etc
The bread’s gone mouldy.
go grey/white etc
Her hair is starting to go grey.
go mad/deaf/bald etc
He went crazy and tried to kill her.
go wild/mad/white etc with something
The crowd was going wild with excitement.
9. HAPPEN [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to happen or develop in a particular way:
How did your French test go?
go well/smoothly/fine etc
The party went well.
Everything’s going fine at the moment.
I feel very encouraged by the way things are going.
Many industries have been forced to cut jobs and it looks like the electronics industry is going the same way.
10. how are things going?/how’s it going?/how goes it? spoken used to ask someone what is happening in their life, especially used as a greeting:
‘Hi Jane. How’s it going?’ ‘Fine, thanks.’
11. USUAL POSITION [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, not in progressive] if something goes somewhere, that is its usual position:
Where do the plates go?
The book goes on the top shelf.
12. FIT [intransitive not in progressive] to be the right size, shape, or amount for a particular space
go in/under/inside etc
I don’t think all that will go in the suitcase.
13. BE SENT [intransitive] to be sent or passed on
go by/through/to etc
The email went to everyone in the company.
That letter should go by special delivery.
Complaints must go through the proper channels.
14. BE IN A PARTICULAR STATE/CONDITION [linking verb] to be in a particular state or condition, especially a bad one:
Many families are forced to go hungry.
15. go unanswered/unnoticed/unrewarded etc to not be answered, noticed etc:
All my letters went unanswered.
He hoped that his nervousness would go unnoticed.
16. START [intransitive] to start doing something:
The preparations have been completed and we’re ready to go.
Generally the action doesn’t get going (=start) until after midnight.
I’m going to get going on (=start doing) the decorating next week.
17. WORK WELL [intransitive] if a clock, watch, or machine goes, it moves and works as it should do:
My watch isn’t going.
I couldn’t get the pump going (=make it work).
18. MAKE MOVEMENT [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] used when you are telling someone about what movement someone or something made:
She went like this with her hand.
19. SAY [transitive] spoken informal to say something:
I asked her what she meant and she just went, ‘Don’t ask!’
20. MAKE A SOUND [transitive] to make a particular sound:
The balloon suddenly went bang.
21. don’t go doing something 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.
22. have gone and done something spoken used when you are surprised or annoyed by what someone has done:
Kay’s gone and lost the car keys!
23. to go
a) still remaining before something happens:
Only ten days to go to Christmas!
b) still having to be done or dealt with before you have finished:
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) used for saying that you want to take food away from a restaurant and eat it somewhere else:
Two chicken dinners with corn to go.
24. don’t go there spoken informal used to say that you do not want to think or talk about something:
‘John and Clare having children?’ ‘Don’t go there!’
‘What if the two of them ...?’ ‘Don’t even go there!’
25. STORY/DISCUSSION/SONG ETC [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive not in progressive] used to talk about what something such as a story or song consists of:
The argument goes like this.
We need to ‘spread a little happiness’, as the song goes.
The story goes that my grandfather saved his captain’s life in battle.
26. WHISTLE/BELL ETC [intransitive] to make a noise as a warning or signal:
A bell goes to mark the end of each class.
27. here/there somebody goes again spoken used when someone has annoyed you by doing something they know you do not like:
There you go again, jumping to conclusions.
28. DISAPPEAR [intransitive] to no longer exist or no longer be in the same place SYN disappear:
Has your headache gone yet?
The door was open and all his things had gone.
29. GET INTO WORSE CONDITION [intransitive] if one of your senses such as sight, hearing etc is going, it is getting worse:
Dad’s eyesight is starting to go.
I’d forgotten that. My mind must be going.
30. TO BE OBEYED [intransitive] if what someone says goes, that person is in authority and what they say should be obeyed:
Phil’s in charge, and what he says goes.
31. BE DAMAGED [intransitive] to become weak, damaged etc, or stop working properly:
The bulb’s gone in the bathroom.
My jeans are starting to go at the knee.
32. DIE [intransitive] to die – use this when you want to avoid saying the word ‘die’:
Now that his wife’s gone, he’s all on his own.
When I go, I’d like to have my ashes scattered at sea. ⇨ dead and gone at dead¹(1)
33. BE SPENT [intransitive] to be spent:
I don’t know where all my money goes!
go on
Half her salary goes on the rent.
34. BE SOLD [intransitive] to be sold
go for/at
A house like this would go for £250,000.
go to
The jewels will go to the highest bidder.
He bought me some CDs which were going cheap (=were being sold at a low price).
35. PAY MONEY [intransitive] to offer a particular amount of money for something:
I’ll give you $500 for it but I can’t go any higher than that.
go to
I think we could probably go to £15,000.
36. going, going, gone! spoken used to say that something has been sold at an ↑auction
37. TIME [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] used to say how quickly or slowly time passes:
The day seemed to go so slowly.
38. there/bang goes something spoken used to say that you are disappointed because something has stopped you doing or getting what you wanted:
Well, there goes my chance of fame!
39. go to show/prove/indicate etc something to help to prove something:
It just goes to show how much people judge each other by appearances.
40. be going informal to be available:
Are there any jobs going at the café?
I’ll take that if it’s going spare.
41. COLOURS/STYLES/TASTES [intransitive] if colours, tastes, styles etc go, they look, taste etc good together:
I don’t think pink and yellow really go.
go with
Do you think this shirt will go with the skirt I bought?
go together
Pork and apple go especially well together.
42. as somebody/something goes used for comparing someone or something with the average person or thing of that type:
As marriages go, it certainly wasn’t dull.
43. go all out to try very hard to do or get something
go all out for
We’re going all out for victory in this afternoon’s game.
go all out to do something
The company will be going all out to improve on last year’s sales.
44. have nothing/not much/a lot etc going for somebody/something used to talk about how many advantages and good qualities someone or something has:
It’s a town that’s got a lot going for it.
45. where does somebody/something go from here? spoken used to ask what should be done next, especially when there is a problem:
So where do you think we should go from here?
46. going forward in the future – used especially in business:
Going forward, we will increase our focus on customer service.
47. LEAVE A JOB [intransitive] to leave your job, especially because you are forced to:
He was becoming an embarrassment to the government and had to go.
If Jill goes, who will take her place?
48. GET RID OF SOMETHING [intransitive] if something goes, someone gets rid of it:
The policies will have to go if the party is to win the next election.
A hundred jobs are expected to go following the merger.
49. TOILET [intransitive] informal to make waste come out of your body
go about phrasal verb
1. go about something to start to do something:
I want to learn German but I don’t know the best way to go about it.
go about doing something
The leaflet tells you how to go about making a will.
2. go about something to do something in the way that you usually do:
The villagers were going about their business as usual.
She went about her preparations in a quiet businesslike way.
3. British English if a ship goes about, it turns to go in the opposite direction
go after something/somebody phrasal verb
1. to follow or chase someone or something because you want to catch them:
Joe went after her to make sure she was unhurt.
2. to try to get something:
I can’t decide whether to go after the job or not.
go against somebody/something phrasal verb
1. if something goes against your beliefs, principles etc, it is opposite to them:
This goes against everything I’ve been brought up to believe in.
I often have to make decisions that go against the grain (=are not what I would normally choose to do).
2. to do the opposite of what someone wants or advises you to do:
She was scared to go against her father’s wishes.
3. if a decision, judgment etc goes against you, you do not get the result you want:
His lawyer hinted that the case might go against him.
The vote went against the government.
go ahead phrasal verb
1. to start to do something, especially after planning it or asking permission to do it
go ahead with
They’ve decided to go ahead with plans to build 50 new houses on the site.
go ahead and do something
I went ahead and arranged the trip anyway.
2. if an event or process goes ahead, it happens:
A judge has ruled that the music festival can go ahead.
3. spoken used to give someone permission to do something, or let them speak before you:
‘Do you mind if I open the window?’ ‘No, go ahead.’
If you want to leave, go right ahead.
4. (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
He stood back to let Sue go ahead of him.
5. to start to be winning a game or competition:
Dulwich went ahead after 22 minutes.
⇨ go-ahead¹
go along phrasal verb
1. if you do something as you go along, you do it without planning or preparing it:
He was making the story up as he went along.
I never had formal training, I just learned the job as I went along.
2. to go to an event or a place where something is happening
go along to
I might go along to the meeting tonight.
3. to happen or develop in a particular way:
Things seem to be going along nicely.
go along with somebody/something phrasal verb
1. to agree with or support someone or something:
I would be happy to go along with the idea.
Often it was easier to go along with her rather than risk an argument.
2. go along with you! British English spoken old-fashioned used to tell someone that you do not believe what they are saying
go around (also go round British English) phrasal verb
1. DRESS/BEHAVE (also go about British English) to behave or dress in a particular way
go around doing something
You can’t go around accusing people like that.
He goes around in a T-shirt even in winter.
2. ILLNESS go around (something) (also go about (something) British English) if an illness is going around, a lot of people get it:
He had a bad dose of the flu virus that was going around.
There are a lot of nasty bugs going around the school.
3. NEWS/STORY go around (something) (also go about (something) British English) if news, a story, a joke etc is going around, a lot of people hear it and are talking about it:
A rumour was going around that I was having an affair with my boss.
There was a lot of gossip going around the village.
4. go around with somebody/go around together (also go about with somebody British English) to meet someone often and spend a lot of time with them:
I used to go around with a bad crowd.
5. enough/plenty to go around enough for each person:
Is there enough ice cream to go around?
There were never enough textbooks to go around.
6. what goes around comes around used to say that if someone does bad things now, bad things will happen to them in the future
7. go around in your head if words, sounds etc go around in your head, you keep remembering them for a long time:
That stupid song kept going around in my head.
⇨ go around/round in circles at ↑circle¹(5)
go at something/somebody phrasal verb [not in passive] informal
1. to attack someone or argue with someone in a noisy way:
The two dogs went at each other.
2. to do something, or start to do something, with a lot of energy:
Mary went at the task with great enthusiasm.
go away phrasal verb
1. to leave a place or person:
Go away and leave me alone!
I went away wondering if I’d said the wrong thing.
2. to travel to a place and spend some time there, for example for a holiday:
Are you going away this year?
go away for
We’re going away for the weekend.
go away to
He’s going away to college next year.
go away on
I’m going away on a business trip next week.
3. if a problem, unpleasant feeling etc goes away, it disappears:
Ignoring the crime problem won’t make it go away.
go back phrasal verb
1. to return to a place that you have just come from:
I think we ought to go back now.
go back to/into/inside etc
I felt so sick I just wanted to go back to bed.
go back for
I had to go back for my passport (=to get my passport).
2. there’s no going back spoken used to say that you cannot make a situation the same as it was before:
I realized that once the baby was born there would be no going back.
3. [always + adverb/preposition] to have been made, built, or started at some time in the past:
It’s a tradition that goes back at least 100 years.
go back to
The building goes back to Roman times.
4. if people go back a particular length of time, they have known each other for that length of time:
Peter and I go back 25 years.
We go back a long way (=we have been friends for a long time).
5. to think about a particular time in the past or something that someone said before:
If you go back 20 years, most people didn’t own a computer.
go back to
I’d like to go back to the point that was made earlier.
go back on something phrasal verb
to not do something that you promised or agreed to do
go back on your word/promise/decision
Delors claimed that the President had gone back on his word.
go back to something phrasal verb
to start doing something again after you have stopped for a period of time:
He went back to sleep.
go back to doing something
She went back to watching TV.
go before phrasal verb
1. to happen or exist before something else:
In some ways this program improves on what has gone before.
2. go before somebody/something if something goes before a judge, group of people in authority etc, they consider it before making a decision:
The case will go before the court.
The proposal is likely to go before the committee.
go beyond something phrasal verb
to be much better, worse, more serious etc than something else:
Their relationship had gone beyond friendship.
This goes beyond all limits of acceptable behaviour.
go by phrasal verb
1. if time goes by, it passes:
Things will get easier as time goes by.
as the days/weeks/years go by
As the weeks went by, I became more and more worried.
hardly a day/week/month etc goes by
Hardly a week goes by without some food scare being reported in the media.
in days/times/years etc gone by (=in the past)
These herbs would have been grown for medicinal purposes in days gone by.
2. go by something to form an opinion about someone or something from the information or experience that you have:
You can’t always go by appearances.
If his past plays are anything to go by, this should be a play worth watching.
3. go by something to do things according to a set of rules or laws:
Only a fool goes by the rules all the time.
There was no doubt that the referee had gone by the book (=had obeyed all the rules). ⇨ go by the board at board¹(8), ⇨ go by the name of something at name¹(1)
go down phrasal verb
1. GET LOWER to become lower in level, amount etc:
His income went down last year.
Computers have gone down in price.
go down by 10%/250/$900 etc
Spending has gone down by 2%.
2. STANDARD if something goes down, its quality or standard gets worse:
This neighbourhood has really gone down in the last few years.
3. go down well/badly/a treat etc
a) to get a particular reaction from someone:
His suggestion did not go down very well.
The movie went down very well in America.
The speech went down a treat with members (=members liked it very much).
The idea went down like a lead balloon (=was not popular or successful).
b) if food or drink goes down well, you enjoy it:
I’m not that hungry so a salad would go down nicely.
4. GO FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER to go from one place to another, especially to a place that is further south
go down to
We’re going down to Bournemouth for the weekend.
He’s gone down to the store to get some milk.
5. go down the shops/club/park etc British English spoken informal to go to the shops, a club etc:
Does anyone want to go down the pub tonight?
6. SHIP if a ship goes down, it sinks:
Ten men died when the ship went down.
7. PLANE if a plane goes down, it suddenly falls to the ground:
An emergency call was received shortly before the plane went down.
8. BECOME LESS SWOLLEN to become less swollen:
The swelling will go down if you rest your foot.
9. LOSE AIR if something that is filled with air goes down, air comes out and it becomes smaller and softer:
Your tyre’s gone down.
10. BE REMEMBERED [always + adverb/preposition] to be recorded or remembered in a particular way
go down as
The talks went down as a landmark in the peace process.
The carnival will go down in history (=be remembered for many years) as one of the best ever.
11. COMPETITION/SPORT
a) to lose a game, competition, or election:
The Hawkers went down 5–9.
go down by
The government went down by 71 votes.
go down to
Liverpool went down to Juventus.
b) to move down to a lower position in an official list of teams or players
go down to
United went down to the second division.
12. COMPUTER if a computer goes down, it stops working for a short time:
If one of the file servers goes down, you lose the whole network.
13. LIGHTS if lights go down, they become less bright:
The lights went down and the curtain rose on an empty stage.
14. SUN when the sun goes down, it appears to move down until you cannot see it any more
15. WIND if the wind goes down, it becomes less strong:
The wind had gone down but the night had turned chilly.
16. PRISON informal to be sent to prison:
He went down for five years.
17. HAPPEN spoken informal to happen:
the type of guy who knows what’s going down
What’s going down?
18. LEAVE UNIVERSITY British English formal old-fashioned to leave Oxford or Cambridge University at the end of a period of study
go down on somebody phrasal verb
to touch someone’s sexual organs with the lips and tongue in order to give them sexual pleasure
go down with something phrasal verb British English informal
to become ill, especially with an infectious disease:
Half the team had gone down with flu.
go for somebody/something phrasal verb
1. ATTACK British English to attack or criticize someone:
The dog suddenly went for me.
2. TRY TO GET SOMETHING to try to get or win something:
Jackson is going for his second gold medal here.
go for it spoken (=used to encourage someone to try to achieve something)
If you really want the job, go for it! ⇨ go for broke at ↑broke²(3)
3. CHOOSE British English to choose something:
I think I’ll go for the chocolate cake.
4. I could/would go for something spoken used to say that you would like to do or have something:
A full meal for less than five bucks! I could go for that!
5. LIKE informal to like a particular type of person or thing:
Annie tends to go for older men.
6. the same goes for somebody/something (also that goes for somebody/something too) spoken used to say that a statement you have just made is true about someone or something else too:
Close all doors and lock them when you go out. The same goes for windows.
go in phrasal verb
when the sun or the moon goes in, cloud moves in front of it so that it cannot be seen
go in for something phrasal verb
1. to do an examination or take part in a competition:
I go in for all the competitions.
2. to do or use something often because you enjoy it or like it:
I never really went in for sports.
3. to choose something as your job:
I suppose I could go in for advertising.
go in with somebody phrasal verb
to join with someone else to start a business or organization:
Ellie’s going in with a friend who’s just started a café.
go into something phrasal verb
1. JOB [not in passive] to start to do a particular type of job:
I always wanted to go into nursing.
She’s thinking of going into business (=starting a business).
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.
go into doing something
A great deal of time and effort has gone into ensuring that the event runs smoothly.
3. EXPLAIN to explain, describe, or examine something in detail:
I don’t want to go into the matter now.
I don’t want to go into details now.
4. COMPUTER [not in passive] to open a particular computer program, ↑window, or ↑file:
Go into your D drive.
5. BE IN A PARTICULAR STATE [not in passive] to start to be in a particular state or condition:
She went into labour at midnight and the baby was born at 8 am.
The company went into liquidation.
6. 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.
7. DIVIDE [not in passive] if a number goes into another number, the second number can be divided by the first:
12 goes into 60 five times.
8. BEGIN TO MOVE IN A PARTICULAR WAY [not in passive] if a vehicle goes into a particular movement, it starts to do it:
The plane had gone into a steep descent.
go off phrasal verb
1. LEAVE to leave a place, especially in order to do something:
John decided to go off on his own.
go off to
He went off to work as usual.
go off to do something
Geoff went off to play golf.
2. EXPLODE to explode or fire:
The bomb went off at 6.30 this morning.
Fireworks were going off all over the city.
The gun went off and the bullet went flying over his head.
3. MAKE A NOISE if an ↑alarm goes off, it makes a noise to warn you about something:
The thieves ran away when the alarm went off.
I’ve set the alarm clock to go off at 7 am.
4. STOP LIKING go off somebody/something British English informal to stop liking something or someone:
Many women go off coffee during pregnancy.
go off doing something
I’ve gone off cooking lately.
5. STOP WORKING if a machine or piece of equipment goes off, it stops working:
The central heating goes off at 9 o'clock.
Suddenly, all the lights went off.
6. go off well/badly etc to happen in a particular way:
The party went off very well.
7. HAPPEN British English spoken informal to happen SYN go on:
There was a blazing row going off next door.
8. DECAY British English if food goes off, it becomes too bad to eat:
The milk’s gone off.
9. SLEEP to go to sleep:
I’d just gone off to sleep when the phone rang.
10. GET WORSE British English informal to get worse:
He’s a singer whose talent has gone off in recent years.
go off on somebody phrasal verb American English informal
to criticize or speak to someone in a very angry way
go off with something/somebody phrasal verb informal
1. to leave your usual sexual partner 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 phrasal verb
1. CONTINUE
a) to continue doing something or being in a situation
go on doing something
He went on working until he was 91.
go on with
One of the actors was unwell and couldn’t go on with the performance.
I can’t go on like this for much longer.
b) to continue without stopping:
The noise goes on 24 hours a day.
The screaming went on and on (=continued for a long time). ⇨ ongoing
2. HAPPEN to happen:
I don’t know what’s going on.
What were the children doing while all this was going on?
Like all good resorts, there is plenty going on. ⇨ goings-on
3. DO SOMETHING NEXT to do something after you have finished doing something else
go on to do something
She went on to become a successful surgeon.
go on to
Go on to the next question when you’ve finished.
4. CONTINUE TALKING to continue talking, especially after stopping or changing to a different subject:
Go on, I’m listening.
‘But,’ he went on, ‘we have to deal with the problems we’re facing.’
go on with
After a short pause Maria went on with her story.
5. go on spoken
a) used to encourage someone to do something:
Go on, have another piece of cake.
b) used when you are agreeing to do something or giving permission for something:
‘Are you sure you won’t have another drink?’ ‘Oh, go on then.’
‘Can I go outside, Dad?’ ‘Yeah, go on then.’
c) (also go on with you) British English old-fashioned used to tell someone that you do not believe them
6. USE AS PROOF go on something to base an opinion or judgment on something:
Police haven’t much to go on in their hunt for the killer.
7. START TO WORK if a machine or piece of equipment goes on, it starts to work:
The heat goes on automatically at 6 o'clock.
8. TIME to pass:
As time went on, I grew fond of him.
9. BEHAVE British English informal the way someone goes on is the way they behave:
The way she’s going on, she’ll have a nervous breakdown.
10. be going on (for) 5 o'clock/60/25 etc to be nearly a particular time, age, number etc:
Nancy must be going on for 60.
She’s one of those wise teenagers who’s 16 going on 70 (=she behaves as though she is older than she is).
11. GO IN FRONT (also go on ahead) to go somewhere before the other people you are with:
Bill went on in the car and I followed on foot.
12. TALK TOO MUCH informal to talk too much:
I really like Clare but she does go on.
go on about
I got tired of him going on about all his problems.
He just went on and on about his new girlfriend.
13. CRITICIZE British English informal to continue to criticize someone or ask them to do something in a way that annoys them:
The way she went on, you would have thought it was all my fault.
go on at
Stop going on at me!
go on at somebody to do something
My wife’s always going on at me to dress better.
go on at somebody about something
He’s always going on at me about fixing the door.
14. DEVELOP British English spoken informal to develop or make progress
15. to be going on with/to go on with British English informal if you have enough of something to be going on with, you have enough for now:
Have you got enough money to be going on with?
go out phrasal verb
1. LEAVE YOUR HOUSE to leave your house, especially in order to enjoy yourself:
Are you going out tonight?
go out for
We went out for a meal and then on to a movie.
go out doing something
Liam goes out drinking every Friday.
go out to do something
Can I go out to play now?
go out and do something
You should go out and get some fresh air.
2. RELATIONSHIP to have a romantic relationship with someone:
They’ve been going out for two years now.
go out with
Tina 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:
Suddenly the candle went out.
4. TV/RADIO British English to be broadcast on television or radio:
The programme goes out live at 5 o'clock on Mondays.
5. BE SENT to be sent:
A copy of the instructions should go out with the equipment.
The magazine goes out to all members at the end of the month.
6. GAME/SPORT to stop playing in a competition because you have lost a game:
He went out in the first round.
7. MOVE ABROAD to travel to another country in order to live and work there
go out to
They are looking for nurses to go out to Saudi Arabia.
8. NO LONGER FASHIONABLE to stop being fashionable or used:
Hats like that went out years ago.
This kind of entertainment went out with the ark (=is very old-fashioned).
9. SEA when the ↑tide goes out, the sea moves away from the land OPP come in
10. MAKE PUBLIC if news or a message goes out, it is officially announced to everyone:
The appeal went out for food and medicines.
11. your heart/thoughts go out to somebody used to say that you feel sympathy for someone and are thinking about them:
Our hearts go out to the victim’s family.
12. TIME [always + adverb/preposition] literary to end:
March went out with high winds and rain.
go over phrasal verb
1. THINK ABOUT go over something to think very carefully about something:
I had gone over and over what happened in my mind.
2. EXAMINE go over something to search or examine something very carefully:
In the competition, the judge goes over each dog and assesses it.
3. REPEAT go over something to repeat something in order to explain it or make sure it is correct:
Once again I went over exactly what I needed to say.
4. CLEAN go over something to clean something
5. go over well (also go over big American English) if something goes over well, people like it:
That kind of salesman talk doesn’t go over very well with the scientists.
go over to something phrasal verb
1. to change to a different place or person for the next part of a television or radio programme:
We’re going over to the White House for an important announcement.
2. to change to a different way of doing things:
They went over to a computerized records system.
3. to change to a different political party or religion:
the Labour MP who went over to the Conservatives last year
go round phrasal verb British English
⇨ ↑go around
go through phrasal verb
1. DIFFICULT/UNPLEASANT SITUATION go through something to experience a difficult or unpleasant situation, feeling etc:
When you’re going through a crisis, it often helps to talk to someone.
He’s going through a divorce at the moment.
It is devastating for a parent to watch a child go through misery.
2. PROCESS go through something to experience a particular process:
Candidates must go through a process of selection.
Caterpillars go through several stages of growth.
3. USE go through something to use up money or a supply of something:
We went through five pints of milk last week.
4. LAW go through (something) if a law goes through, or goes through Parliament, it is officially accepted
5. DEAL/AGREEMENT if a deal or agreement goes through, it is officially accepted and agreed:
He accepted the offer and the deal went through.
The sale of the land went through.
6. PRACTISE go through something to practise something, for example a performance:
Let’s go through the whole thing again, from the beginning.
7. SEARCH go through something to search something in order to find something in particular:
Dave went through his pockets looking for the keys.
Customs officers went through all my bags.
8. READ/DISCUSS go through something to read or discuss something in order to make sure it is correct:
We’ll go through the details later on.
Do you want me to go through this and check your spellings?
go through with something phrasal verb
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:
He bravely went through with the wedding ceremony even though he was in a lot of pain.
I had no choice but to go through with it.
go to somebody/something phrasal verb [not in passive]
1. to begin to experience or do something, or begin to be in a particular state:
I lay down and went to sleep.
Britain and Germany went to war in 1939.
2. to be given to someone or something:
All the money raised will go to local charities.
go together phrasal verb
1. [not in progressive] if two things go together, they exist together or are connected in some way:
Alcohol abuse and eating disorders often go together.
2. old-fashioned if two people are going together, they are having a romantic relationship
go towards something phrasal verb [not in passive]
if money goes towards something, it is used to pay part of the cost of that thing:
The money will go towards a new hospice.
go towards doing something
All money raised will go towards renovating the building.
go under phrasal verb
1. if a business goes under, it has to stop operating because of financial problems:
More than 7,000 businesses have gone under in the last three months.
2. to sink beneath the surface of water:
The Titanic finally went under.
She went under, coughing and spluttering.
go up phrasal verb
1. INCREASE to increase in price, amount, level etc:
Train fares have gone up.
Blood-sugar levels go up as you digest food.
go up by 10%/250/£900 etc
Unemployment in the country has gone up by a million.
go up from something to something
Spending on research went up from $426 million to $461 million.
2. BUILDING/SIGN if a building or sign goes up, it is built or fixed into place:
It was a lovely place before all these new houses went up.
3. EXPLODE/BURN to explode, or be destroyed in a fire:
He had left the gas on and the whole kitchen went up.
The whole building went up in flames. ⇨ go up in smoke at smoke¹(3)
4. SHOUT if a shout or a ↑cheer goes up, people start to shout or cheer
go up from
A great cheer went up from the audience.
5. TO ANOTHER PLACE British English to go from one place to another, especially to a place that is further north, or to a town or city from a smaller place
go up to
We’re going up to Scotland next weekend.
He went up to the farm to get some eggs.
6. LIGHTS if lights go up, they become brighter:
when the lights went up at the end of the performance
7. UNIVERSITY British English formal old-fashioned to begin studying at a university, especially Oxford or Cambridge University
go with somebody/something phrasal verb [not in passive]
1. BE PART OF to be included as part of something:
The house goes with the job.
He had fame, money, and everything that goes with it.
go with doing something
Responsibility goes with becoming a father.
2. EXIST TOGETHER to often exist with something else or be related to something else:
Ill health often goes with poverty.
3. RELATIONSHIP old-fashioned to have a romantic relationship with someone
4. HAVE SEX informal to have sex with someone
5. AGREE to accept someone’s idea or plan:
Let’s go with John’s original proposal.
go without phrasal verb
1. go without (something) to not have something that you usually have:
I like to give the children what they want even if I have to go without.
It is possible to go without food for a few days.
2. it goes without saying (that) used to say that something is so clearly true that it does not need to be said:
The Internet, too, it goes without saying, is a good source of information.
II. go² S1 BrE AmE noun (plural goes)
1. TRY [countable] an attempt to do something:
‘I can’t open this drawer.’ ‘Here, let me have a go.’
On the tour, everyone can have a go at making a pot.
I’d thought about it for some time and decided to give it a go (=try to do something).
I had a good go (=tried hard) at cleaning the silver.
at/in one go
Ruby blew out all her candles at one go.
I’m not sure it will work but it’s worth a go.
2. YOUR TURN [countable] someone’s turn in a game or someone’s turn to use something:
Whose go is it?
It’s your go.
Can I have a go on your guitar?
Don’t I get a go?
3. make a go of something informal to make something succeed, especially a business or marriage:
Nikki was determined to make a go of the business.
Many businesses are struggling hard to make a go of it.
4. £3/$50 etc a go informal used for saying how much it costs to do something or buy something:
At £3 a go, the cards are not cheap.
5. on the go informal
a) if you have something on the go, you have started it and are busy doing it:
Even with three top films on the go, Michelle is reluctant to talk about herself.
He has at least two other projects on the go.
b) very busy doing a lot of things:
Children are always on the go.
6. something is a go American English spoken used to say that things are working correctly or that you have permission to do something:
The trip to London is a go.
7. something is (a) no go spoken used to say that something is not allowed or will not happen:
The hotel is no go for dogs. ⇨ no-go area
8. it’s all go British English spoken it is very busy:
It’s all go around here.
It’s all go in the commercial property market.
9. have a go especially British English spoken
a) to criticize someone:
You’re always having a go.
have a go at
Will you stop having a go at me!
have a go at somebody for/about something
Mum had a go at me for not doing my homework.
b) to attack someone:
A whole gang of yobs were standing around, just waiting to have a go.
c) 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 [uncountable] British English energy and a desire to do things:
There’s plenty of go in him yet.
11. all the go old-fashioned very fashionable