1
general::
go up to sth
to reach as far as something
• The path going up to the back door is very muddy.
• This edition's rather out-of-date and only goes up to 1989., go back
RETURN
1. to return
• That restaurant was terrible - I'm never going back there again.
• I'll have to go back for my umbrella.
• Do you think you'll ever go back to London?
• When do you go back to school?
• Let's go back to the beginning and start again.
• We can always go back to the original plan if necessary., go off sb/sth
to stop liking or being interested in someone or something
• I went off beefburgers after I got food poisoning from a take-away.
• I went off Peter when he said those dreadful things about Clare., go back to sth
to start doing something again that you were doing before
• It's time to go back to work., go together
BE FOUND
2. to happen or be found together
• Wisdom and maturity don't necessarily go together.
• Researchers have discovered that short-sightedness and high IQs seem to go together in children., go along with sth/sb
to support an idea, or to agree with someone's opinion
• Kate's already agreed, but it's going to be harder persuading Mike to go along with it., go over sth
EXAMINE
1. to examine or look at something in a careful or detailed way
• Forensic scientists are going over the victim's flat in a search for clues about the murderer.
• Remember to go over your essay checking for grammar and spelling mistakes before you hand it in to me.
• I've gone over the problem several times, but I can't think of a solution., go away
LEAVE
1. to leave a place
• Go away and leave me alone!, go on
AGREE
8. informal something that you say in order to agree to do or allow something that you did not want to do or to allow before
• "Are you sure you don't want another slice of cake?" "Oh go on then , but just a small one.", go down on sb
slang
to use the tongue and lips to touch someone's sexual organs in order to give pleasure , go down
LOSE
5. to lose or be defeated
• England's unbeaten run of ten games ended last night when they went down 4-2 to France.
• Dictators rarely go down without a fight., go through with sth
to do something unpleasant or difficult that has already been agreed or promised
• He'd threatened to divorce her but I never thought he'd go through with it.
• The company has decided not to go through with the takeover of its smaller rival., go through sth
EXPERIENCE
1. to experience a difficult or unpleasant situation
• I've been going through a bad patch recently.
• You'd think his children would be more sympathetic towards him after all he's gone through (= the many bad things he has experienced)., go in
BECOME HIDDEN
2. If the sun goes in, it becomes hidden from view by clouds. , go on
TALK A LOT
6. UK to talk in an annoying way about something for a long time
• I just wish he'd stop going on about how brilliant his daughter is." "Yes, he does go on (a bit) , doesn't he?"
• I wish you'd stop going on at (= criticizing repeatedly) me about my haircut., go up
RISE
1. to move higher, rise or increase
• The average cost of a new house has gone up by 5% to £276 500., go out
RELATIONSHIP
2. to have a romantic and usually sexual relationship with someone
• How long have you been going out with him?
• They'd been going out (together/with each other) for almost five years before he moved in with her., go through sth
USE
4. to use a lot of something
• Before I gave up smoking I was going through 40 cigarettes a day.
• I went through a hundred quid on my last trip to London., go after sth
informal to try to get something
• Are you planning to go after Paul's job when he leaves?, go round
UK ( US go around ) BEHAVE BADLY
3. to spend your time behaving in the stated way
• [ + -ing verb] : You can't go round being rude to people., go over to sth
1. to change to something new or to a new way of doing things
• Many motorists are going over from leaded to unleaded fuel.
• She went over (= changed her support) to the Democrats at the last election., go away
LEAVE
2. to leave your home in order to spend time somewhere else, usually for a holiday
• We usually go away for the summer.
• He goes away on business a lot., go on
TALK AGAIN
5. informal something that you say to encourage someone to say or do something
• Go on, what happened next?, go out
LIGHT/FIRE
4. If a light or something that is burning goes out, it stops producing light or heat.
• When I woke up the fire had gone out., go down (sth)
MOVE DOWN
1. to move down to a lower level or place
• He went down on his knees and begged for forgiveness.
• He first went down the mines when he was 17.
• The plane went down (= fell to the ground because of an accident, bomb, etc.) ten minutes after takeoff.
• Everyone took to the lifeboats when the ship started to go down (= sink).
• Could I have a glass of water to help these pills go down (= to help me swallow them) ?, go around
US for go round , go back to sb
to start a relationship again with a person you had a romantic relationship with in the past
• I hear he's ended the affair and gone back to his wife., go under
SINK
1. to sink
• The ship went under just minutes after the last passenger had been rescued., go in
ENTER
1. to enter a place
• I looked through the window, but I didn't actually go in., go over sth
STUDY
2. to study or explain something
• I always go over my revision notes just before I go into an exam.
• Could you go over the main points of your argument again, Professor?, go over to sth
2. to change to another broadcaster or place of broadcast
• We're now going over to Kate Adie speaking live from Baghdad.
• Later in this bulletin we will be going over to our Westminster studio for an update on the situation., go off
LEAVE
6. to leave a place and go somewhere else
• She's gone off to the pub with Tony, go down
COMPUTER
7. If a computer system goes down, it stops working
• The battery should prevent the computer system from going down in the event of a power cut., go through
If a law, plan or deal goes through, it is officially accepted or approved.
• A council spokeswoman said that the proposals for the new shopping centre were unlikely to go through., go ahead
1. to start to do something
• We've received permission to go ahead with the music festival in spite of opposition from local residents.
• I got so fed up with waiting for him to do it that I just went ahead and did it myself., go out to sb
If your thoughts or sympathies go out to someone in a difficult or sad situation, you think of them and feel sorry for them
• Our deepest sympathies go out to her husband and children., go back
ORIGIN
3. to have existed since a time in the past
• Their relationship goes back to when they were at university together.
• Our house goes back to (= has existed since) the 18th century., go round
UK ( US go around ) BE ENOUGH
2. If there is enough of something to go round, there is enough for everyone in a group of people
• Are there enough pencils to go round?, go without (sth)
to not have something or to manage to live despite not having something
• If you don't want fish for dinner, then you'll just have to go without!
• I'd rather go without food than work for him., go out
SEA
3. If the tide goes out, it moves back and covers less of the beach. , go off
BECOME WORSE
8. UK to become worse in quality
• That paper's really gone off since they got that new editor., go round sth
UK ( US go around )
to travel to all, or the main, parts of a place that you are visiting in order to find out what it is like or to learn about it
• For a few weeks in the summer, visitors are able to go round Buckingham Palace., go down
SUN
1. When the sun goes down, it moves down in the sky until it cannot be seen any more
• On summer evenings we would sit on the verandah and watch the sun go down., go about sth
to begin to do something or deal with something
• What's the best way of going about this?
• [ + -ing verb ]: How can we go about solving this problem?, go on
TIME
9. to continue or pass
• Tomorrow will start cold but it should get warmer as the day goes on.
• As the evening went on it became clear that we should never have agreed to see each other again., go on sth
to use a piece of information in order to help you discover or understand something
• I'm only going on what I overheard him saying to Chris, but I think he's planning to leave next month.
• The investigation has only just started so the police haven't got much to go on at the moment., go together
RELATIONSHIP
3. informal If two people are going together, they have a romantic or sexual relationship with each other. , go up
BE FIXED
3. If a sign goes up, it is fixed into position
• The new 'No Parking' signs went up yesterday., go down (sth)
REACH
2. to reach or go as far as
• Its roots can go down three metres.
• This path goes down to the river.
• Go down to (= Read as far as) the bottom of the page., go into sth
START
1. to start doing a particular type of work
• My son's planning to go into journalism.
• She's decided to go into business as a freelance computer programmer., go into sth
START
2. to start an activity, or start to be in a particular state or condition
• The drug is still being tested and will not go into commercial production for at least two years.
• How many companies have gone into liquidation/receivership during the current recession?
• Repeated death threats have forced them to go into hiding.
• Her baby was born three hours after she went into labour.
• Some of the fans seemed to go into a trance when she appeared on stage., go by
1. to move past, in space or time
• You can watch the trains going by from this window.
• You can't let an opportunity like that go by - it's too good to miss.
• Hardly a day goes by when I don't think about her., go down with sth
( also come down with sth ) UK
to start to suffer from an infectious disease
• Half of Martha's class has gone down with flu., go off with sb
to leave a wife, husband or partner in order to have a sexual or romantic relationship with someone else
• Did you know that Hugh had gone off with his sister-in-law?, go down
BE REDUCED
2. to be reduced in price, value, amount, quality, level or size
• The temperature went down to minus ten last night.
• The company's shares went down 7p to 53p.
• The swelling's gone down but there's still a lot of bruising.
• He went down in my estimation when he started trying to be a singer as well as an actor., go for sth
MONEY
4. If something goes for a certain amount of money, it is sold for that amount
• The painting is expected to go for at least a million dollars., go out
LEAVE
1. to leave a room or building, especially in order to do something for entertainment
• Please close the door as you go out.
• Do you fancy going out for a meal after work?
• It's terribly smoky in here - I'm just going out for a breath of fresh air.
• [ + -ing verb ]: I wish you'd spend more time at home instead of going out drinking with your friends every night., go for sth
TRY
3. to try to have or achieve something
• She tripped me as I went for the ball.
• Are you planning to go for that scholarship to Harvard University?
• The Russian relay team will again be going for the gold medal at the Olympic Games., go down
HAPPEN
8. US slang If an event such as a crime or a deal goes down, it happens
• I tried to tell Tyrell what was going down, but he wouldn't listen., go over
US for go down (BE RECEIVED) , go up
BUILD
4. If a building goes up, it is built
• A new factory is going up on the old airport., go round
UK ( US go around ) SPIN
1. to spin like a wheel , go down
PRISON
6. UK slang to be put in prison
• She went down for three years for her part in the robbery., go off
NOISE
5. If a warning device goes off, it starts to ring loudly or make a loud noise
• The alarm should go off automatically as soon as smoke is detected.
• Didn't you hear your alarm clock going off this morning?, go into sth
HIT
5. If a vehicle goes into something such as a tree or a wall, it hits it
• Their car was travelling at 50 miles an hour when it went into the tree., go back
2. to be returned
• When are these library books due to go back ?
• That TV will have to go back to the shop - it hasn't worked properly ever since I bought it., go for sth
LIKE
2. to like or admire
• I don't go for war films in a big way (= very much).
• What sort of men do you go for (= are you attracted to) ?, go with sb
informal
to have a romantic or sexual relationship with someone
• Did he ever go with anyone else while they were living together?, go up
EXPLODE
2. to suddenly explode
• There's a gas leak and the whole building could go up at any moment., go down
BE RECEIVED
4. to be received in a particular way
• I think my speech went down rather well , don't you?, go after sb
to chase or follow someone in order to catch them
• The police went after him but he got away., go round (somewhere)
UK ( US go around (somewhere) )
to go or be given from one person to another, or to move from one place to another
• A nasty flu bug's going round (the school) at the moment., go on
CONTINUE
2. to continue or move to the next thing
• Please go on with what you're doing and don't let us interrupt you.
• [ + -ing verb ]: We really can't go on living like this - we'll have to find a bigger house.
• [ + to infinitive ]: She admitted her company's responsibility for the disaster and went on to explain how compensation would be paid to the victims.
• What proportion of people who are HIV-positive go on to develop (= later develop) AIDS?
• If you go on (= continue behaving) like this you won't have any friends left at all., go on
OPERATE
3. to start operating
• The spotlights go on automatically when an intruder is detected in the garden.
• When does the heating go on?, go ahead
3. If an event goes ahead, it happens
• The festival is now going ahead as planned., go on
PLEASE DO
7. used when encouraging or asking someone to do something
• Go on, have another drink.
• "I don't really feel like seeing a film tonight." "Oh go on. We haven't been to the cinema for ages.", go ahead
2. informal said to someone in order to give them permission to start to do something
• "Could I ask you a rather personal question?" "Sure, go ahead.", go off
EXPLODE
3. If a gun goes off, it fires
• His gun went off accidentally., go down
BE REMEMBERED
3. to be remembered or recorded in a particular way
• Hurricane Katrina will go down in the record books as the costliest storm ever faced by insurers., go with sth
SUIT
1. If one thing goes with another, they suit each other or they look or taste good together
• This wine goes particularly well with seafood.
• I'm not sure that this hat really goes with this dress., go into sth
DISCUSS
3. to discuss, examine, describe or explain something in a detailed or careful way
• This is the first book to go into her personal life as well as her work.
• I'd rather not go into that now. Can we discuss it later?
• I'm unable to go into detail(s) at this stage because I still have very little information about how the accident happened., go off
HAPPEN
7. to happen in a particular way
• The protest march went off peacefully., go on
HAPPEN
1. to happen
• I'm sure we never hear about a lot of what goes on in government.
• This war has been going on for years., go by sth
BASE
2. to base an opinion, decision or judgment on something
• What do you go by when you're deciding whether or not to employ someone?
• Going by what she said yesterday, I would say she's about to resign.
• If past experience is anything to go by, he'll completely ignore our suggestions and then change his mind at the last minute., go through sth
EXAMINE
2. to examine something which contains a collection of things carefully in order to organize them or find something
• I'm going through my wardrobe and throwing out all the clothes I don't wear any more.
• Remember to go through the pockets before you put those trousers in the washing machine., go to sb
to be given or sold to someone
• Who did the award for Best Actress go to?
• All the money raised will go to charity.
• The painting went to the highest bidder., go in for sth
ENJOY
1. to do something regularly, or to enjoy something
• I've never really gone in for classical music, but I love jazz., go by sth
FOLLOW
1. to follow something or be shown the way by something
• I'm sorry, madam, but we have to go by the rules., go for sb
to attack someone
• Their dog had to be put to sleep after it went for the postwoman., go against sth/sb
to oppose or disagree with something or someone
• Public opinion is going against the government on this issue.
• What you're asking me to do goes against everything I believe in., go against sb
If a decision or vote goes against someone, they do not get the result that they needed
• The judge's decision went against us.
• The vote went against her (= She lost the vote)., go round
UK ( US go around ) VISIT
4. to visit someone in their home
• I'm just going round to Martha's for half an hour.
• Why didn't you tell me Perry had been round?, go for sth
CHOOSE
1. to choose something
• Instead of butter, I always go for margarine or a low-fat spread., go off
FOOD
4. UK If food or drink goes off, it is not good to eat or drink any more because it is too old
• This bacon smells a bit funny - do you think it's gone off?, go in
BE UNDERSTOOD
3. mainly UK informal If a fact or piece of information goes in, you understand it or remember it
• No matter how many times you tell him something, it never seems to go in., go along
PLACE
1. UK to go to a place or event, usually without much planning
• I might go along to the party later., go off with sth
to take something without getting permission from the owner first
• I do wish you'd stop going off with my car without asking me beforehand., go out
SPORT
5. UK to lose when you are playing in a sports competition, so that you must stop playing in the competition
• England went out to France in the second round of the championship., go at sb
to attack someone
• Suddenly, he went at me with a knife., go through sth
PRACTISE
3. to do something in order to practise or as a test
• I'd like you to go through that manoeuvre again and then bring the car to a halt., go off
STOP WORKING
1. If a light or a machine goes off, it stops working
• The lights went off in several villages because of the storm., go under
FAIL
2. If a company goes under, it fails financially
• The charity will go under unless a generous donor can be found within the next few months., go in for sth
COMPETE
2. to take part in a competition
• Are you planning to go in for the 100 metres race?, go together
LOOK GOOD
1. to look good together
• Do you think the cream dress and the blue jacket go together?, go at sth
informal
to start doing something with a lot of energy and enthusiasm
• He went at (= ate eagerly) his dinner as if he hadn't had anything to eat for weeks., go with sth
RESULT
2. If a problem, activity or quality goes with another one, they often happen or exist together and the first thing is often caused by the second
• [ + -ing verb ]: What are the main health problems that go with smoking ?, go away
DISAPPEAR
3. to disappear
• It was weeks before the bruises went away., go back on sth
to fail to keep a promise, or to change a decision or agreement
• The government looks likely to go back on its decision to close the mines.
• She's gone back on her word and decided not to give me the job after all., go with sb/sth
informal
to accept an idea or agree with a person
• I think we can go with the advertising agency's suggestions, don't you?, go off
EXPLODE
2. If a bomb goes off, it explodes
• The bomb went off at midday., go on
TALK AGAIN
4. to start talking again after a pause
• She paused to light another cigarette and then went on with her account of the accident.
• [ + speech ]: "What I want more than anything else, " he went on, "is a house in the country with a large garden for the children to play in.", go into sth
BE USED
4. mainly UK If time, money or effort goes into a product or activity, it is used when producing or doing it
• A considerable amount of time and effort has gone into this exhibition.
Cambridge-Phrasal Verbs