go to

archaic

1. An expression of disapproval, disbelief, indignation, etc. Go to, you knave! Your accusations hold no weight here! Go to, my friend! Whence shall we find such a thing at this hour? Go to, you ask far more than I am able to pay!

2. An expression of encouragement or support. That's it, my friend—go to! Go to, Marianne! You look like a natural on that horse! Go to, my darling. We stand to make quite a fortune from this proposal of yours.

3. An imperative to begin or set forth. Go to and deliver my message to the servants of this land. Go to, Edmund—you're ready to take the horse into town on your own. Joseph never arrived at the cobbler? But I told him to go to hours ago.

See also: go, to

go to (someone or something)

1. verb To visit someone or something. Do you want to go to the mall this afternoon? I'm going to Caitlin's house after school. I really need to go to the library and pick up some books for my research paper.

2. verb To talk about something, usually something problematic or troubling, with someone. I go to my mom with all my problems. If the salesman won't take your complaints seriously, go to a supervisor. It's inevitable—when you're the receptionist, everyone in the department goes to you with all their problems.

3. verb To be used toward or included as a component of something, often an outcome or result. I left them $20 to go to the check. Every assignment goes to your grade for the semester, you know. This $5 goes to your allowance. Once I stop at the ATM, I'll give you the rest.

4. verb To start some task or activity. If you're ready to mow the lawn, don't let me stop you—go to it. The garage needs to be cleaned out, and the kids just won't go to it! It's already 5:30? I need to go to it if I want dinner ready by 7:00!

5. verb To attend something. She loves going to the movies on the weekend. Sorry, I need to go to class soon, so I can't come. Hey, wanna go to this party with us?

6. verb To meet with someone for a specific purpose. You really ought to go to a doctor about that issue. I'm thinking of going to a mortgage broker to figure out how much I need to be saving each month in order to buy a house. Have you ever gone to a chiropractor before? I just don't know what to expect.

7. verb To be enrolled in some institution as a student. I can't believe I'll be going to Harvard next month! He's going to a community college at the moment, but he's hoping to transfer to the University of Louisville next year. Hey, didn't you go to Sacred Heart with my cousin? I knew you looked familiar!

8. verb To be awarded to someone. This is the third year in a row that the gold medal has gone to Masahiro Yamaoka, from Osaka. I'm sorry, Jake. You had a great interview, but the promotion is going to Karen. Is anyone surprised that the job is going to the CEO's niece?

9. adjective Describing one who is known to be helpful or reliable for a certain task or goal. When used as an adjective, the phrase is typically hyphenated. Shannon is my go-to person for event planning, so she will definitely be able to help you find a caterer. I have no idea how to change the toner, but Jessica can help you out—she's become the go-to person in the department when there are printer issues. With this promotion, you're going to be our go-to guy for all sales in the Pacific Northwest.

10. adjective Describing a very popular place (for some purpose or particular kind of people). The phrase is typically hyphenated in this usage. Our store is the city's go-to location for all things Halloween. The island of Ibiza has been the go-to destination for partiers from around the world. What's the go-to hangout for high schoolers in this town? I'm sure it's not the mall, like it was in my day.

See also: go, to

go to it

To begin a task, endeavor, job, etc., promptly and vigorously. Go to it, then, and make sure you have the report finished before lunch! The team went to it at once, hoping to have preliminary results ready in a fortnight. When I give you an assignment, it's not a suggestion—so go to it already!

See also: go, to

go to someone or something

to travel to or toward someone or something. We went to her as soon as she called saying she needed us. Are you going to the bank?

See also: go, to

go to someone

(about someone or something) to discuss one's problems with someone or something with someone else. I went to the boss about the new secretary. This is a real problem. I'll have to go to the manager.

See also: go, to

go to it

1. Lit. to start something actively; to do something with vigor. Time to play ball. Go to it! Let's go to it, you guys!

2. Inf. to fight. Come on, let's go to it! I'm gonna beat the daylights out of you!

See also: go, to

go to

1. See going to.

2. Also, go toward. Contribute to a result, as in Can you name the bones that go to make the arms and legs? or The director has a good eye for seeing what will go toward an entire scene. [c. 1600]

3. Begin, start, as in By the time she went to call, she'd forgotten what she wanted to say. The related idiom go to it means "get started, get going." P.G. Wodehouse used it in Louder & Funnier (1932): "Stoke up and go to it." [First half of 1700s]

See also: go, to

going to

About to, will, as in I'm going to start planting now, or Do you think it's going to rain? or We thought the train was going to stop here. This phrase is used with a verb ( start, rain, stop in the examples) to show the future tense. Occasionally the verb is omitted because it is understood. For example, That wood hasn't dried out yet but it's going to soon, or Will you set the table?-Yes, I'm going to. [1400s] Also see go to.