▸ go out
1 PHRASAL VERB If you go out , you leave your home in order to do something enjoyable, for example to go to a party, a bar, or the cinema. □ [V P ] I'm going out tonight.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you go out with someone, the two of you spend time together socially, and have a romantic or sexual relationship. □ [V P + with ] I once went out with a French man. □ They've only been going out for six weeks.
3 PHRASAL VERB If you go out to do something, you make a deliberate effort to do it. □ [V P to-inf] You do not go out to injure opponents. □ [V P ] It will be a marvellous occasion and they should go out and enjoy it.
4 PHRASAL VERB If a light goes out , it stops shining. □ [V P ] The bedroom light went out after a moment.
5 PHRASAL VERB If something that is burning goes out , it stops burning. □ [V P ] The fire seemed to be going out.
6 PHRASAL VERB If a message goes out , it is announced, published, or sent out to people. □ [V P ] Word went out that a column of tanks was on its way.
7 PHRASAL VERB When a television or radio programme goes out , it is broadcast. [BRIT ] □ [V P ] The series goes out at 10.30pm, Fridays, on Channel 4.
8 PHRASAL VERB When the tide goes out , the water in the sea gradually moves back to a lower level. □ [V P ] The tide was going out.
9 PHRASE You can say ' My heart goes out to him ' or ' My sympathy goes out to her ' to express the strong sympathy you have for someone in a difficult or unpleasant situation. [FEELINGS ] □ My heart goes out to Mrs Adams and her fatherless children.
▸ go out for PHRASAL VERB To go out for something means to try to do it or be chosen for it. [AM ] □ [V P P n] You should go out for Supreme Court justice.
▸ go out of PHRASAL VERB If a quality or feeling goes out of someone or something, they no longer have it. □ [V P P n] The fun had gone out of it.
▸ go over PHRASAL VERB If you go over a document, incident, or problem, you examine, discuss, or think about it very carefully. □ [V P n] I won't know how successful it is until an accountant has gone over the books.
▸ go over to
1 PHRASAL VERB If someone or something goes over to a different way of doing things, they change to it. □ [V P P n] The Armed Forces could do away with conscription and go over to a volunteer system.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you go over to a group or political party, you join them after previously belonging to an opposing group or party. □ [V P P n] Only a small number of tanks and paratroops have gone over to his side.
▸ go round → see go around
▸ go through
1 PHRASAL VERB If you go through an experience or a period of time, especially an unpleasant or difficult one, you experience it. □ [V P n] He was going through a very difficult time. □ [V P n] South Africa was going through a period of irreversible change.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you go through a lot of things such as papers or clothes, you look at them, usually in order to sort them into groups or to search for a particular item. □ [V P n] It was evident that someone had gone through my possessions.
3 PHRASAL VERB If you go through a list, story, or plan, you read or check it from beginning to end. □ [V P n] Going through his list of customers is a massive job.
4 PHRASAL VERB When someone goes through a routine, procedure, or series of actions, they perform it in the way they usually do. □ [V P n] Every night, they go through the same routine: he opens the bedroom window, she closes it.
5 PHRASAL VERB If a law, agreement, or official decision goes through , it is approved by a parliament or committee. □ [V P ] The bill might have gone through if the economy was growing.
▸ go through with PHRASAL VERB If you go through with an action you have decided on, you do it, even though it may be very unpleasant or difficult for you. □ [V P P n] She tells Tony she can't go through with the wedding.
▸ go towards PHRASAL VERB If an amount of money goes towards something, it is used to pay part of the cost of that thing. □ [V P n/v-ing] One per cent of total public spending should eventually go towards the arts. □ [V P n/v-ing] Under the new approach more money will go towards improving the standard of training.
▸ go under
1 PHRASAL VERB If a business or project goes under , it becomes unable to continue in operation or in existence. [BUSINESS ] □ [V P ] If one firm goes under it could provoke a cascade of bankruptcies.
2 PHRASAL VERB If a boat, ship, or person in a sea or river goes under , they sink below the surface of the water. □ [V P ] The ship went under, taking with her all her crew.
▸ go up
1 PHRASAL VERB If a price, amount, or level goes up , it becomes higher or greater than it was. □ [V P ] Interest rates went up. □ [V P + to/from/by ] The cost has gone up to $1.95 a minute. □ [V P amount] Prices have gone up 61 percent since deregulation.
2 PHRASAL VERB When a building, wall, or other structure goes up , it is built or fixed in place. □ [V P ] He noticed a new building going up near Whitaker Park.
3 PHRASAL VERB If something goes up , it explodes or starts to burn, usually suddenly and with great intensity. □ [V P ] I was going to get out of the building in case it went up. □ [V P + in ] The hotel went up in flames.
4 PHRASAL VERB If a shout or cheer goes up , it is made by a lot of people together. □ [V P ] A cheer went up from the other passengers.