go

go

1. noun An attempt at some activity; a try. A: "I'm a little nervous to try water skiing." B: "Go on, Tom, have a go! It's fun!" Oh, you'll probably be good at it! Just give it a go. A: "Here, you give it a go." B: "No way. I'm terrible at video games."

2. verb, euphemism To urinate. Excuse me, where is your toilet? My daughter really needs to go. After my third cup of coffee, I really had to go. Luckily, I still had time to visit the restroom before the meeting began. The need to go aroused me from a sound sleep.

3. verb, informal To say or utter (something). Used as a reporting verb. So then Janet goes, "Blah, blah, blah," and Billy goes, "Yada, yada, yada." It was hilarious! I just got so frustrated waiting for her to decide that I went, "Make up your mind, Tammy!" And then he went, "You need to leave." Can you believe it?

go by shank's mare

To travel by foot. A play on the "shank" (the lower leg between the knee and the ankle) and the use of ponies or horses for travel. An adverb of place can be used between "go" and "by" to specify where one is traveling. My bicycle fell apart in the middle of nowhere, so I had to go home by shank's mare. There aren't any roads out here in the countryside, so going by shank's mare is the only option. It'll take us forever if we have to go by shank's mare! Can't you give us a ride?

See also: by, go, mare

go like hot cakes

To sell very quickly and in large quantities. We had to order a second shipment of shirts because they've been going like hot cakes! This record has gone like hot cakes since it came out. I can't keep it in stock! That toy is completely sold out. Guess no one expected it to go like hot cakes ahead of the holiday season.

See also: cake, go, hot, like

go to seed

To look shabby, unhealthy, or unattractive due to a lack of care or attention. Wow, Tim's really started going to seed ever since he had kids. The house has gone to seed with those college kids living there. The neighbor's property has really gone to seed lately. I'm thinking about filing a complaint with the neighborhood association!

See also: go, seed, to

go wee

To urinate. Primarily heard in UK. A: "Mommy, I need to go wee!" B: "OK, sweetie, let's go to the toilet." Tom! Don't go wee on the side of the road like that. What are you, an animal? Honey, do you have to go wee before we leave the house?

See also: go, wee

go you one better

I can or will outdo what you just said or did, or I am going to suggest something that surpasses it (referring to another person's efforts or accomplishments). You might be proud of yourself for getting a trophy, but I can go you one better—I won first place! Letting everyone out early is good idea, but I'll go you one better—let's give them the day off! I know you feel productive because you went running today, but I'll go you one better: I ran and I went to Pilates!

See also: better, go, one

gone

1. Dead. A: "Please, doctor, you've got to help him!" B: "I'm sorry, but it's too late. He's gone." Wow, I can't believe Uncle Ed is really gone. I just talked to him last week! A: "Wait, Aunt Mary is gone?" B: "I'm afraid so. It seems she passed away in her sleep last night."

2. slang Pregnant (for some amount of time). Aw, congratulations! How far gone are you? I was nearly seven months gone when we moved to Seattle, and I had to pack up the entire house myself because Tom was off traveling for work. I'm only six months gone, but I've been so sick that I would have this baby today if I could!

3. slang Heavily intoxicated from drugs or alcohol. A: "I don't remember much of what happened last night." B: "I'm not surprised, dude. After you hit that blunt, you were gone!" I think someone might have spiked Jack's drink with some kind of drug, because he's totally gone all of a sudden. I had to take my brother away from the party because he was just gone on LSD.

to go

1. Left; still remaining. We've gotten through 100 boxes of books so far—just 25 to go. There is still about half an hour to go before the show starts.

2. Ordered or packaged to be taken out of a restaurant or off of a premises and eaten elsewhere, especially at home. Let's just get the food to go so we can eat it while we watch the movie at home. Can I get these to go?

See also: go, to

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

go

(someone) one better and do someone one better to do something superior to what someone else has done; to top someone. That was a great joke, but I can go you one better. Your last song was beautifully sung, but Mary can do you one better.

go

(somewhere) by shank's mare Go to by shank's mare.

*to go

 

1. [of a purchase of cooked food] to be taken elsewhere to be eaten. (*Typically: buy some food ~; get some food ~; have some food ~; order some food ~.) Let's stop here and buy six hamburgers to go. I didn't thaw anything for dinner. Let's stop off on the way home and get something to go.

2. [of a number or an amount] remaining; yet to be dealt with. I finished with two of them and have four to go.

See also: go, to

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

to go

COMMON If you buy prepared food to go, you buy it and take it somewhere else to eat it. I'll have a pizza and fries to go, please.

See also: go, to

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

to go

(of food or drink from a restaurant or cafe) to be eaten or drunk off the premises. North American

See also: go, to

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

...to ˈgo

1 still remaining before something happens, finishes or is completed: There’s only a few seconds to go before the rocket takes off. ♢ With only two kilometres to go, Max is still first.
2 (informal, especially American English) (of food bought in a restaurant, shop, etc.) to be taken away and eaten somewhere else: Two coffees to go, please.

See also: go, to

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

go

1. n. a try (at something). I’d like to have another go at it, if I can.

2. in. to urinate. Jimmy’s gonna go in his pants!

3. tv. to say or utter something. (Mostly teens. Used in writing only for effect.) Then she goes, “Like . . . ,” and just stops talking.

gone

1. and gone under mod. unconscious. He’s gone under. You can begin the procedure now.

2. and gone under mod. alcohol or drug intoxicated. Those chicks are gone—too much to drink. Wow, he’s really gone.

3. mod. cool; out of this world. (Typically real gone.) This ice cream is gone, man, gone!

to go

mod. packaged to be taken out; packaged to be carried home to eat. Do you want it to go, or will you eat it here?

See also: go, to

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

go

/run to seed

1. To pass into the seed-bearing stage.

2. To become weak or devitalized; deteriorate: The old neighborhood has gone to seed.

go

/sell like hotcakes Informal

To be disposed of quickly; be in great demand: Programs for the championship game went like hotcakes.

go

/take a wee

To urinate.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.