go a long way toward (doing something)

To be particularly helpful or useful in achieving some action or goal. Don't do anything rash—patience will go a long way toward bringing you allies in this situation. You know, apologizing would go a long way toward mending your friendship with John. You do have a translator accompanying you, right? Good, that'll go a long way toward forging relationships with these foreign dignitaries.

go a long way toward doing something

and go a long way in doing something

Fig. almost to satisfy specific conditions; to be almost right. This machine goes a long way toward meeting our needs. Your plan went a long way in helping us with our problem.

go a long way toward

Have considerable effect or influence on. For example, This argument goes a long way toward proving the scientists are wrong, or, as Eudora Welty put it in The Ponder Heart (1954): "It went a long way toward making him touchy about what Uncle Daniel had gone and done." This idiom, then put as go a great way toward, was first recorded in 1697.

go a long/some way towards doing something

help very much/a little in achieving something: The new law goes a long way towards solving the problem.

See also: go, long, something, towards, way

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

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References in periodicals archive

Thus, talking beforehand with your spouse about these potential areas of disagreement can go a long way toward avoiding future conflicts.

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Second, if you allow residents to vent their feelings and, instead of becoming defensive, try to respond to their underlying needs, you will go a long way toward assuaging their concerns regarding their safety and care.

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Either of these alternatives would go a long way toward creating the kind of health care system most Americans want: a system in which doctors and patients, not HMOs, make decisions about what services patients need, and in which patients can speak to doctors without fear of having their words plastered across cyberspace.

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The two companies in the next few pages show that a little investment can go a long way toward making technology work for you, instead of the other way around.

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While the combination of solid clinical services for the resident, good family relations and attractive amenities go a long way toward anchoring a facility in the community, many nursing homes have discovered that they are, nevertheless, losing market share and census to competitors.

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Helping an LPN achieve an RN degree with tuition support -- on average, this runs about $1,000 per year per nurse -- can go a long way toward creating a loyal staffer.

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