3 N‑UNCOUNT [adj N ] You use the going to talk about how easy or difficult it is to do something. You can also say that something is, for example, hard going or tough going . □ He has her support to fall back on when the going gets tough. □ Though the talks had been hard going at the start, they had become more friendly.
4 N‑UNCOUNT In horse racing and horse riding, when you talk about the going , you are talking about the condition of the surface the horses are running on. □ The going was soft; some horses found it hard work.
5 ADJ [ADJ n] The going rate or the going salary is the usual amount of money that you expect to pay or receive for something. □ She says that's the going rate for a house this big. □ That's about half the going price on world oil markets.
6 → see also go ➊
7 PHRASE If someone or something has a lot going for them, they have a lot of advantages. □ This area has a lot going for it. □ I wish I could show you the things you've got going for you.
8 PHRASE When you get going , you start doing something or start a journey, especially after a delay. □ Now what about that shopping list? I've got to get going.
9 PHRASE If you say that someone should do something while the going is good , you are advising them to do it while things are going well and they still have the opportunity, because you think it will become much more difficult to do. □ People are leaving in their thousands while the going is good.
10 PHRASE If you keep going , you continue doing things or doing a particular thing. □ I like to keep going. I hate to sit still.
11 PHRASE If you can keep going with the money you have, you can manage to live on it. □ Things were difficult, and we needed her wages to keep going.
12 PHRASE If you say that something is enough to be going on with , you mean that it is enough for your needs at the moment, although you will need something better at some time in the future. [mainly BRIT ] □ It was a good enough description for Mattie to be going on with.
13 PHRASE You can use going on before a number to say that something has almost reached that number. For example, you can say that someone is going on 40 to indicate that they are nearly 40.
14 → see also comings and goings
15 going concern → see concern
-going /-goʊ I ŋ/
1 COMB [oft N n] -going is added to nouns such as 'theatre', 'church', and 'film' to form nouns which describe the activity of going to that type of place or event. □ …his party-going days as a student.
2 COMB -going is added to nouns such as 'ocean', 'sea', and 'road' to form adjectives which describe vehicles that are designed for that type of place. □ …one of the largest ocean-going liners in the world.
3 COMB -going is added to nouns that refer to directions to form adjectives which describe things that are moving in that direction. □ The material can absorb outward-going radiation from the Earth.
4 → see also easy-going , ongoing , outgoing , thoroughgoing
go ing-o ver
1 N‑SING If you give someone or something a going-over , you examine them thoroughly. [INFORMAL ] □ Michael was given a complete going-over and then treated for glandular fever.
2 N‑SING A going-over is a violent attack on or criticism of someone. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ He gets a terrible going-over in these pages.
go ings-o n N‑PLURAL If you describe events or activities as goings-on , you mean that they are strange, interesting, amusing, or dishonest. □ The girl had found out about the goings-on in the factory.
goi|tre /gɔ I tə r / (goitres ) in AM, also use goiter N‑VAR Goitre is a disease of the thyroid gland that makes a person's neck very swollen.
go -kart (go-karts ) also go-cart N‑COUNT A go-kart is a very small motor vehicle with four wheels, used for racing.
go -karting N‑UNCOUNT Go-karting is the sport of racing or riding on go-karts.
gold ◆◆◇ /goʊ ld/ (golds )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Gold is a valuable, yellow-coloured metal that is used for making jewellery and ornaments, and as an international currency. □ …a sapphire set in gold. □ The price of gold was going up. □ …gold coins.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Gold is jewellery and other things that are made of gold. □ We handed over all our gold and money.
3 COLOUR Something that is gold is a bright yellow colour, and is often shiny. □ I'd been wearing Michel's black and gold shirt.
4 N‑VAR A gold is the same as a gold medal . [INFORMAL ] □ His ambition was to win gold. □ This Saturday the British star is going for gold and a new world record.
5 PHRASE If you say that a child is being as good as gold , you are emphasizing that they are behaving very well and are not causing you any problems. [EMPHASIS ] □ The boys were as good as gold on our walk.
6 PHRASE If you say that someone has a heart of gold , you are emphasizing that they are very good and kind to other people. [EMPHASIS ] □ They are all good boys with hearts of gold. They would never steal.
7 → see also fool's gold
8 to strike gold → see strike
9 worth your weight in gold → see weight
go ld card (gold cards ) N‑COUNT A gold card is a special type of credit card that gives you extra benefits such as a higher spending limit.