Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 8th edition

  go verb, noun

BrE / ɡəʊ /

NAmE / ɡoʊ /

verb

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( goes / BrE ɡəʊz ; NAmE ɡoʊz / went / BrE went ; NAmE went / gone / BrE ɡɒn ; NAmE ɡɔːn / )

  Been is used as the past participle of go when sb has gone somewhere and come back.

move/travel

1 [ intransitive ] to move or travel from one place to another

+ adv./prep. She went into her room and shut the door behind her.

He goes to work by bus.

I have to go to Rome on business.

She has gone to China (= is now in China or is on her way there) .

She has been to China (= she went to China and has now returned) .

I think you should go to the doctor's.

Are you going home for Christmas?

~ to do sth She has gone to see her sister this weekend.

  In spoken English go can be used with and plus another verb to show purpose or to tell sb what to do I'll go and answer the door. Go and get me a drink! The and is sometimes left out, especially in NAmE Go ask your mom!

2 [ intransitive ] ~ (to sth) (with sb) to move or travel, especially with sb else, to a particular place or in order to be present at an event

Are you going to Dave's party?

Who else is going?

His dog goes everywhere with him.

3 [ intransitive ] to move or travel in a particular way or over a particular distance

+ adv./prep. He's going too fast.

+ noun We had gone about fifty miles when the car broke down.

4 [ intransitive ] ~ flying, skidding, etc. (+ adv./prep.) to move in a particular way or while doing sth else

The car went skidding off the road into a ditch.

She went sobbing up the stairs.

She crashed into a waiter and his tray of drinks went flying.

leave

5 [ intransitive ] to leave one place in order to reach another

depart

I must be going now.

They came at six and went at nine.

Has she gone yet?

He's been gone an hour (= he left an hour a go) .

When does the train go?

6 [ intransitive ] ~ on sth to leave a place and do sth different

to go on a journey/a tour/a trip/a cruise

Richard has gone on leave for two weeks.

visit/attend

7 [ intransitive ] ~ to sth to visit or attend a place for a particular purpose : ( BrE ) I have to go to hospital for an operation.

( NAmE ) I have to go to the hospital.

to go to prison (= to be sent there as punishment for a crime)

Do you go to church (= regularly attend church services) ?

swimming/fishing/jogging, etc.

8 [ intransitive ] ~ (for) sth to leave a place or travel to a place in order to take part in an activity or a sport

to go for a walk/drive/swim/run

Shall we go for a drink (= at a pub or bar) after work?

I have to go shopping this afternoon.

We're going sailing on Saturday.

be sent

9 [ intransitive ] (+ adv./prep.) to be sent or passed somewhere

I want this memo to go to all managers.

lead

10 [ intransitive ] ~ (from…) (to…) to lead or extend from one place to another

I want a rope that will go from the top window to the ground.

Where does this road go?

place/space

11 [ intransitive ] + adv./prep. to have as a usual or correct position; to be placed

This dictionary goes on the top shelf.

Where do you want the piano to go (= be put) ?

12 [ intransitive ] will/would not ~ (in/into sth) used to say that sth does/did not fit into a particular place or space

My clothes won't all go in that one suitcase.

He tried to push his hand through the gap but it wouldn't go.

numbers

13 [ intransitive ] if a number will go into another number, it is contained in that number an exact number of times

(+ adj.) 3 into 12 goes 4 times.

7 into 15 won't go.

( NAmE ) 7 into 15 doesn't go.

~ into sth 7 won't go into 15.

progress

14 [ intransitive ] + adv./prep. used to talk about how well or badly sth makes progress or succeeds

‘How did your interview go?’ ‘It went very well, thank you.’

Did everything go smoothly?

How's it going (= is your life enjoyable, successful, etc. at the moment) ?

The way things are going the company will be bankrupt by the end of the year.

state/condition

15 [ intransitive ] used in many expressions to show that sb/sth has reached a particular state/is no longer in a particular state

~ to/into sth She went to sleep.

~ out of sth That colour has gone out of fashion.

16 linking verb + adj. to become different in a particular way, especially a bad way

to go bald/blind/mad/bankrupt, etc.

Her hair is going grey .

This milk has gone sour .

The children went wild with excitement.

17 [ intransitive ] + adj. to live or move around in a particular state

to go naked/barefoot

She cannot bear the thought of children going hungry.

18 [ intransitive ] ~ unnoticed, unreported, etc. to not be noticed, reported, etc

Police are worried that many crimes go unreported.

song/story

19 [ intransitive ,  transitive ] used to talk about what tune or words a song or poem has or what happens in a story

+ adv./prep. How does that song go?

I forget how the next line goes.

~ that… The story goes that she's been married five times.

sound/movement

20 [ intransitive ] to make a particular sound or movement

+ noun The gun went ‘bang’.

+ adv./prep. She went like this with her hand.

21 [ intransitive ] to be sounded as a signal or warning

The whistle went for the end of the game.

say

22 [ transitive ] + speech ( informal ) ( used when telling a story ) to say

I asked ‘How much?’ and he goes, ‘Fifty’ and I go, ‘Fifty? You must be joking!’

start

23 [ intransitive ] to start an activity

I'll say ‘One, two, three, go!’ as a signal for you to start.

As soon as he gets here we're ready to go.

machine

24 [ intransitive ] if a machine goes , it works

This clock doesn't go.

disappear

25 [ intransitive ] to stop existing; to be lost or stolen

disappear

Has your headache gone yet?

I left my bike outside the library and when I came out again it had gone.

be thrown out

26 [ intransitive ] sb/sth must/has to/can ~ used to talk about wanting to get rid of sb/sth

The old sofa will have to go.

He's useless—he'll have to go.

not work

27 [ intransitive ] to get worse; to become damaged or stop working correctly

Her sight is beginning to go.

His mind is going (= he is losing his mental powers) .

I was driving home when my brakes went.

die

28 [ intransitive ] to die. People say ‘ go ’ to avoid saying ‘ die ’

You can't take your money with you when you go.

money

29 [ intransitive ] when money goes , it is spent or used for sth

I don't know where the money goes!

~ on sth Most of my salary goes on the rent.

~ to do sth The money will go to finance a new community centre.

30 [ intransitive ] ~ (to sb) (for sth) to be sold

We won't let the house go for less than $200 000.

There was usually some bread going cheap (= being sold cheaply) at the end of the day.

31 [ intransitive ] + adv./prep. to be willing to pay a particular amount of money for sth

He's offered £3 000 for the car and I don't think he'll go any higher.

I'll go to $1 000 but that's my limit.

help

32 [ intransitive ] ~ to do sth to help; to play a part in doing sth

This all goes to prove my theory.

It (= what has just happened) just goes to show you can't always tell how people are going to react.

be available

33 be going [ intransitive ] ( informal ) to be available

There just aren't any jobs going in this area.

time

34 [ intransitive ] + adv./prep. used to talk about how quickly or slowly time seems to pass

Hasn't the time gone quickly?

Half an hour went past while we were sitting there.

use toilet

35 [ intransitive ] ( informal ) to use a toilet

Do you need to go, Billy?

Most idioms containing go are at the entries for the nouns and adjectives in the idioms, for example go it alone is at alone .  anything goes ( informal ) anything that sb says or does is accepted or allowed, however shocking or unusual it may be

Almost anything goes these days.

as people, things, etc. go

in comparison with the average person, thing, etc

As teachers go, he's not bad.

be going on (for) sth ( BrE ) to be nearly a particular age, time or number

It was going on (for) midnight.

be going to do sth

1 used to show what sb intends to do in the future

We're going to buy a house when we've saved enough money.

2 used to show that sth is likely to happen very soon or in the future

I think I'm going to faint.

If the drought continues there's going to be a famine.

don't go doing sth ( informal ) used to tell or warn sb not to do sth

Don't go getting yourself into trouble.

enough/something to be going ˈon with ( BrE ) something that is enough for a short time

£50 should be enough to be going on with.

go all ˈout for sth | go all out to ˈdo sth

to make a very great effort to get sth or do sth

go and do sth

used to show that you are angry or annoyed that sb has done sth stupid

Trust him to go and mess things up!

Why did you have to go and upset your mother like that?

You've really gone and done it (= done sth very stupid) now!

go ˈoff on one ( BrE , informal ) to suddenly become very angry

Now and again she really goes off on one.

go ˈon (with you) ( old-fashioned ) used to express the fact that you do not believe sth, or that you disapprove of sth

Go on with you—you're never forty. You don't look a day over thirty.

(have) a lot, nothing, etc. ˈgoing for you

(to have) many/not many advantages

You're young, intelligent, attractive—you have a lot going for you!

ˌno ˈgo ( informal ) not possible or allowed

If the bank won't lend us the money it's no go, I'm afraid.

see also no-go area

not (even) ˈgo there ( informal ) used to say that you do not want to talk about sth in any more detail because you do not even want to think about it

Don't ask me to choose. I don't want to go there.

‘There was a problem with his parents, wasn't there?’ ‘Don't even go there!’

to ˈgo

1 remaining; still left

I only have one exam to go.

2 ( NAmE , informal ) if you buy cooked food to go in a restaurant or shop/store, you buy it to take away and eat somewhere else

Two pizzas to go.

what ˌgoes around ˈcomes around ( saying )

1 the way sb behaves towards other people will affect the way those people behave towards them in the future

2 something that is not fashionable now will become fashionable again in the future

ˌwhere does sb ˌgo from ˈhere?

used to ask what action sb should take, especially in order to improve the difficult situation that they are in

ˌwho goes ˈthere?

used by a soldier who is guarding a place to order sb to say who they are

Halt, who goes there?

ˌgo aˈbout ( BrE ) = go around

ˈgo about sth to continue to do sth; to keep busy with sth

Despite the threat of war, people went about their business as usual.

ˌgo aˈbout sth to start working on sth

tackle

You're not going about the job in the right way.

~ doing sth How should I go about finding a job?

ˌgo ˈafter sb to chase or follow sb

He went after the burglars.

She left the room in tears so I went after her.

ˌgo ˈafter sb/sth to try to get sb/sth

We're both going after the same job.

ˌgo aˈgainst sb to not be in sb's favour or not to their advantage

The jury's verdict went against him.

ˌgo aˈgainst sb/sth to resist or oppose sb/sth

He would not go against his parents' wishes.

ˌgo aˈgainst sth to be opposed to sth; to not fit or agree with sth

Paying for hospital treatment goes against her principles.

His thinking goes against all logic.

ˌgo aˈhead

1 to travel in front of other people in your group and arrive before them

I'll go ahead and tell them you're on the way.

2 to happen; to be done

proceed

The building of the new bridge will go ahead as planned.

related noun go-ahead

ˌgo aˈhead (with sth) to begin to do sth, especially when sb has given permission or has expressed doubts or opposition

‘May I start now?’ ‘Yes, go ahead.’

The government intends to go ahead with its tax cutting plans

ˌgo aˈlong

1 to continue with an activity

He made up the story as he went along .

2 to make progress; to develop

Things are going along nicely.

ˌgo aˈlong with sb/sth to agree with sb/sth

I don't go along with her views on private medicine.

ˌgo aˈround/ˈround

1 to spin or turn

to go round in a circle

2 to be enough for everyone to have one or some

There aren't enough chairs to go around.

3 ( BrE also ˌgo aˈbout ) to often be in a particular state or behave in a particular way

She often goes around barefoot.

~ doing sth It's unprofessional to go round criticizing your colleagues.

4 to spread from person to person

There's a rumour going around that they're having an affair.

ˌgo aˈround/ˈround (to…) to visit sb or a place that is near

I went round to the post office.

I'm going around to my sister's (= her house) later.

ˈgo at sb to attack sb

They went at each other furiously.

ˈgo at sth to make great efforts to do sth; to work hard at sth

They went at the job as if their lives depended on it.

ˌgo aˈway

1 to leave a person or place

Just go away!

Go away and think about it, then let me know.

2 to leave home for a period of time, especially for a holiday/vacation

They've gone away for a few days.

I'm going away on business.

3 to disappear

The smell still hasn't gone away.

ˌgo ˈback if two people go back a period of time (usually a long time), they have known each other for that time

Dave and I go back twenty years.

ˌgo ˈback (to…) to return to a place

She doesn't want to go back to her husband (= to live with him again) .

This toaster will have to go back (= be taken back to the shop/store where it was bought) —it's faulty.

Of course we want to go back some day—it's our country, our real home.

ˌgo ˈback (to sth)

1 to consider sth that happened or was said at an earlier time

Can I go back to what you said at the beginning of the meeting?

Once you have made this decision, there will be no going back (= you will not be able to change your mind) .

2 to have existed since a particular time or for a particular period

Their family goes back to the time of the Pilgrim Fathers.

ˌgo ˈback on sth to fail to keep a promise; to change your mind about sth

He never goes back on his word (= never fails to do what he has said he will do) .

ˌgo ˈback to sth to start doing sth again that you had stopped doing

The kids go back to school next week.

~ doing sth She's decided to go back to teaching.

ˌgo beˈfore to exist or happen in an earlier time

The present crisis is worse than any that have gone before.

ˈgo before sb/sth to be presented to sb/sth for discussion, decision or judgement

My application goes before the planning committee next week.

ˌgo beˈyond sth to be more than sth

exceed

This year's sales figures go beyond all our expectations (= are much better than we thought they would be) .

ˌgo ˈby ( of time ) to pass

Things will get easier as time goes by .

The weeks went slowly by.

ˈgo by sth to be guided by sth; to form an opinion from sth

That's a good rule to go by.

If past experience is anything to go by , they'll be late.

ˌgo ˈdown

1 to fall to the ground

She tripped and went down with a bump.

2 if a ship, etc. goes down , it disappears below the water

sink

3 when the sun or moon goes down , it disappears below the horizon

set

4 if food or drink will/will not go down , it is easy/difficult to swallow

A glass of wine would go down very nicely (= I would very much like one) .

5 if the price of sth, the temperature, etc. goes down , it becomes lower

fall

The price of oil is going down.

Oil is going down in price.

go up

6 ( informal ) to get worse in quality

The neighbourhood has gone down a lot recently.

7 ( computing ) to stop working temporarily

The system is going down in ten minutes.

8 ( NAmE , informal ) to happen

You really don't know what's going down?

ˌgo ˈdown (from…) ( BrE , formal ) to leave a university, especially Oxford or Cambridge, at the end of a term or after finishing your studies

She went down (from Cambridge) in 2008.

go up (to…)

ˌgo ˈdown (in sth) to be written in sth; to be recorded or remembered in sth

It all goes down (= she writes it all) in her notebook.

He will go down in history as a great statesman.

ˌgo ˈdown (on sb) ( slang ) to perform oral sex on sb (= to use the mouth to give sb sexual pleasure)

ˌgo ˈdown (to sb) to be defeated by sb, especially in a game or competition

Italy went down to Brazil by three goals to one.

ˌgo ˈdown (to…) (from…) to go from one place to another, especially further south or from a city or large town to a smaller place

They've gone down to Brighton for a couple of days.

go up

ˌgo ˈdown (with sb) to be received in a particular way by sb

The suggestion didn't go down very well with her boss.

ˌgo ˈdown with sth ( especially BrE ) to become ill/sick with sth

catch

Our youngest boy has gone down with chickenpox.

ˈgo for sb to attack sb

She went for him with a knife.

ˈgo for sb/sth

1 to apply to sb/sth

What I said about Peter goes for you, too.

They have a high level of unemployment—but the same goes for many other countries.

2 to go to a place and bring sb/sth back

She's gone for some milk.

3 ( informal ) to be attracted by sb/sth; to like or prefer sb/sth

She goes for tall slim men.

I don't really go for modern art.

ˈgo for sth

1 to choose sth

I think I'll go for the fruit salad.

2 to put a lot of effort into sth, so that you get or achieve sth

Go for it , John! You know you can beat him.

It sounds a great idea. Go for it !

ˌgo ˈin

1 to enter a room, house, etc

Let's go in, it's getting cold.

2 if the sun or moon goes in , it disappears behind a cloud

ˌgo ˈin for sth

1 ( BrE ) to take an exam or enter a competition

She's going in for the Cambridge First Certificate.

2 to have sth as an interest or a hobby

She doesn't go in for team sports.

ˌgo ˈin with sb to join sb in starting a business

My brothers are opening a garage and they want me to go in with them.

ˌgo ˈinto sth

1 ( of a vehicle ) to hit sth violently

The car skidded and went into a tree.

2 ( of a vehicle or driver ) to start moving in a particular way

The plane went into a nosedive.

3 to join an organization, especially in order to have a career in it

to go into the Army/the Church/Parliament

to go into teaching

4 to begin to do sth or behave in a particular way

He went into a long explanation of the affair.

5 to examine sth carefully

We need to go into the question of costs.

6 ( of money, time, effort, etc. ) to be spent on sth or used to do sth

More government money needs to go into the project.

~ doing sth Years of work went into researching the book.

ˌgo ˈoff

1 to leave a place, especially in order to do sth

She went off to get a drink.

2 to be fired; to explode

The gun went off by accident.

The bomb went off in a crowded street.

3 if an alarm, etc. goes off , it makes a sudden loud noise

4 if a light, the electricity, etc. goes off , it stops working

Suddenly the lights went off.

The heating goes off at night.

go on

5 ( BrE , informal ) to fall asleep

Hasn't the baby gone off yet?

6 ( BrE ) if food or drink goes off , it becomes bad and not fit to eat or drink

7 ( BrE ) to get worse in quality

Her books have gone off in recent years.

8 to happen in a particular way

The meeting went off well .

ˌgo ˈoff (on sb) ( NAmE , informal ) to suddenly become angry with sb

He just went off on her and started yelling.

ˌgo ˈoff sb/sth ( BrE , informal ) to stop liking sb/sth or lose interest in them

Jane seems to be going off Paul.

I've gone off beer.

ˌgo ˈoff with sb to leave your husband, wife, partner, etc. in order to have a relationship with sb else

He went off with his best friend's wife.

ˌgo ˈoff with sth to take away from a place sth that does not belong to you

He went off with $10 000 of the company's money.

ˌgo ˈon

1 when a performer goes on , they begin their performance

She doesn't go on until Act 2.

2 ( in sport ) to join a team as a substitute during a game

Walcott went on in place of Rooney just before half-time.

3 when a light, the electricity, etc. goes on , it starts to work

Suddenly all the lights went on.

go off

4 ( of time ) to pass

She became more and more talkative as the evening went on.

5 ( usually be going on ) to happen

What's going on here?

6 if a situation goes on , it continues without changing

This cannot be allowed to go on.

How much longer will this hot weather go on for?

We can't go on like this —we seem to be always arguing.

7 to continue speaking, often after a short pause

She hesitated for a moment and then went on.

+ speech ‘You know,’ he went on, ‘I think my brother could help you.’

8 used to encourage sb to do sth

Go on! Have another drink!

Go on—jump!

ˌgo ˈon (ahead) to travel in front of sb else

You go on ahead—I'll catch you up in a few minutes.

ˈgo on sth ( used in negative sentences and questions ) to base an opinion or a judgement on sth

The police don't have much to go on.

ˌgo ˈon (about sb/sth) ( informal ) to talk about sb/sth for a long time, especially in a boring or complaining way

He went on and on about how poor he was.

She does go on sometimes!

ˌgo ˈon (at sb) ( informal , especially BrE ) to complain to sb about their behaviour, work, etc.

criticize

She goes on at him continually.

ˌgo ˈon (with sth) to continue an activity, especially after a pause or break

That's enough for now—let's go on with it tomorrow.

ˌgo ˈon doing sth to continue an activity without stopping

He said nothing but just went on working.

ˌgo ˈon to sth to pass from one item to the next

Let's go on to the next item on the agenda.

ˌgo ˈon to do sth to do sth after completing sth else

The book goes on to describe his experiences in the army.

After her early teaching career she went on to become a doctor.

ˌgo ˈout

1 to leave your house to go to a social event

She goes out a lot.

~ doing sth He goes out drinking most evenings.

2 when the tide goes out , it moves away from the land

ebb , come in

3 to be sent

Have the invitations gone out yet?

4 ( BrE ) when a radio or television programme goes out , it is broadcast

5 when news or information goes out , it is announced or published

~ that… Word went out that the director had resigned

6 if a fire or light goes out , it stops burning or shining

ˌgo ˈout (of sth)

1 to fail to reach the next stage of a competition, etc

She went out of the tournament in the first round.

2 to be no longer fashionable or generally used

Those skirts went out years ago.

ˌgo ˈout of sb/sth ( of a quality or a feeling ) to be no longer present in sb/sth; to disappear from sb/sth

All the fight seemed to go out of him.

The heat has gone out of the argument.

ˌgo ˈout to sb if your thoughts, etc. go out to sb , you think about them in a kind way and hope that the difficult situation that they are in will get better

go ˈout with sb | ˌgo ˈout (together) ( especially of young people ) to spend time with sb and have a romantic or sexual relationship with them

Tom has been going out with Lucy for six weeks.

How long have Tom and Lucy been going out together?

ˌgo ˈover sth

1 to examine or check sth carefully

Go over your work before you hand it in.

2 to study sth carefully, especially by repeating it

He went over the events of the day in his mind (= thought about them carefully) .

ˌgo ˈover (to…) to move from one place to another, especially when this means crossing sth such as a room, town or city

He went over and shook hands with his guests.

Many Irish people went over to America during the famine.

ˌgo ˈover to sb/sth ( in broadcasting ) to change to a different person or place for the next part of a broadcast

We are now going over to the news desk for an important announcement.

ˌgo ˈover to sth to change from one side, opinion, habit, etc. to another

Two Conservative MPs have gone over to the Liberal Democrats.

ˌgo ˈover (with sb) ( NAmE ) to be received in a particular way by sb

The news of her promotion went over well with her colleagues.

ˌgo ˈround = go around

ˌgo ˈround (to…) = go around (to…)

ˌgo ˈthrough if a law, contract, etc. goes through , it is officially accepted or completed

The deal did not go through.

go through sth

1 to look at or examine sth carefully, especially in order to find sth

I always start the day by going through my email.

She went through the company's accounts, looking for evidence of fraud.

2 to study or consider sth in detail, especially by repeating it

Let's go through the arguments again.

Could we go through (= practise) Act 2 once more?

3 to perform a series of actions; to follow a method or procedure

Certain formalities have to be gone through before you can emigrate.

4 to experience or suffer sth

She's been going through a bad patch recently.

He's amazingly cheerful considering all he's had to go through.

5 to use up or finish sth completely

The boys went through two whole loaves of bread.

ˌgo ˈthrough with sth to do what is necessary to complete a course of action, especially one that is difficult or unpleasant

She decided not to go through with (= not to have) the operation.

ˈgo to sb/sth to be given to sb/sth

Proceeds from the concert will go to charity.

All her property went to her eldest son (= when she died) .

ˌgo toˈgether = go with sth

ˈgo towards sth to be used as part of the payment for sth

The money will go towards a new car.

~ doing sth Part of my pay cheque went towards buying an MP3 player.

ˌgo ˈunder

1 ( of sth that floats ) to sink below the surface

2 ( informal ) to become bankrupt (= be unable to pay what you owe)

The firm will go under unless business improves.

ˌgo ˈup

1 to be built

New offices buildings are going up everywhere.

2 when the curtain across the stage in a theatre goes up , it is raised or opened

3 to be destroyed by fire or an explosion

The whole building went up in flames.

4 if the price of sth, the temperature, etc. goes up , it becomes higher

rise

The price of cigarettes is going up.

Cigarettes are going up in price.

go down

ˌgo ˈup (to…) ( BrE , formal ) to arrive at a university, especially Oxford or Cambridge, at the beginning of a term or in order to begin your studies

She went up (to Oxford) in 2008.

go down (from…)

ˌgo ˈup (to…) (from…) to go from one place to another, especially further north or to a city or large town from a smaller place

When are you next going up to Scotland?

We went up to London last weekend.

go down

ˈgo with sb

1 ( old-fashioned , informal ) to have a sexual or romantic relationship with sb

2 ( informal ) to have sex with sb

ˈgo with sth

1 to be included with or as part of sth

A car goes with the job.

2 to agree to accept sth, for example a plan or an offer

You're offering £500? I think we can go with that.

3 ( also go (together) ) to combine well with sth

match

Does this jacket go with this skirt?

Those colours don't really go (together).

4 ( also ˌgo toˈgether ) to exist at the same time or in the same place as sth; to be found together

Disease often goes with poverty.

Disease and poverty often go together.

ˌgo wiˈthout (sth) to manage without sth that you usually have or need

There wasn't time for breakfast, so I had to go without.

How long can a human being go (= survive) without sleep?

~ doing sth She went without eating for three days.

noun

 word origin

 example bank

( pl. goes / BrE ɡəʊz ; NAmE ɡoʊz / )

1 [ countable ] ( BrE )

( also turn NAmE , BrE )

a person's turn to move or play in a game or an activity

Whose go is it?

It's your go.

‘How much is it to play?’ ‘It's 50p a go.’

Can I have a go on your new bike?

2 [ countable ] ( BrE )

( also try NAmE , BrE )

an attempt at doing sth

It took three goes to get it right.

I doubt if he'll listen to advice from me, but I'll give it a go (= I'll try but I don't think I will succeed) .

3 [ uncountable ] ( BrE ) energy and enthusiasm

Mary's always got plenty of go.

see also get-up-and-go

at one ˈgo ( BrE ) in one single attempt or try

She blew out the candles at one go.

be a ˈgo ( NAmE , informal ) to be planned and possible or allowed

I'm not sure if Friday's trip is a go.

be all ˈgo ( BrE , informal ) to be very busy or full of activity

It was all go in the office today.

be on the ˈgo

( also be on the ˈmove )

( informal ) to be very active and busy

I've been on the go all day.

Having four children keeps her on the go.

first, second, etc. ˈgo ( BrE ) at the first, second, etc. attempt

I passed my driving test first go.

have a ˈgo ( informal , especially BrE ) to attack sb physically

There were about seven of them standing round him, all waiting to have a go.

have a ˈgo (at sth/at doing sth)

to make an attempt to do sth

‘I can't start the engine.’ ‘Let me have a go.’

I'll have a go at fixing it tonight.

have a ˈgo at sb ( informal , BrE ) to criticize sb or complain about sb

The boss had a go at me for being late for work.

The government are always having a go at teachers.

have sth on the ˈgo ( BrE , informal ) to be in the middle of an activity or a project

The award-winning novelist often has three or four books on the go at once.

in one ˈgo ( informal ) all together on one occasion

I'd rather do the journey in one go, and not stop on the way.

They ate the packet of biscuits all in one go.

make a ˈgo of sth ( informal ) to be successful in sth

We've had a few problems in our marriage, but we're both determined to make a go of it.

more at leave go (of sth) at leave   v. , let sb/sth go at let   v.

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