6 VERB If it follows that a particular thing is the case, that thing is a logical result of something else being true or being the case. □ [V that] Just because a bird does not breed one year, it does not follow that it will fail the next. □ [V ] If the explanation is right, two things follow. □ [V + from ] It is easy to see the conclusions described in the text follow from this equation.
7 VERB If you refer to the words that follow or followed , you are referring to the words that come next or came next in a piece of writing or speech. □ [V ] What follows is an eye-witness account. □ [there V n] There followed a list of places where Hans intended to visit. □ [be V -ed + by ] General analysis is followed by five case studies.
8 VERB If you follow a path, route, or set of signs, you go somewhere using the path, route, or signs to direct you. □ [V n] If they followed the road, they would be certain to reach a village. □ [V n prep/adv] I followed the signs to Metrocity.
9 VERB If something such as a path or river follows a particular route or line, it goes along that route or line. □ [V n] Our route follows the Pacific coast through densely populated neighbourhoods.
10 VERB If you follow something with your eyes, or if your eyes follow it, you watch it as it moves or you look along its route or course. □ [V n] Ann's eyes followed a police car as it drove slowly past.
11 VERB Something that follows a particular course of development happens or develops in that way. □ [V n] His release turned out to follow the pattern set by that of the other six hostages.
12 VERB If you follow advice, an instruction, or a recipe, you act or do something in the way that it indicates. □ [V n] Take care to follow the instructions carefully.
13 VERB If you follow what someone else has done, you do it too because you think it is a good thing or because you want to copy them. □ [V n] If I do my bit, others will follow my example and join in to improve things. □ [V ] Where rich celebrities lead, the great British public will surely follow.
14 VERB If you follow someone in what you do, you do the same thing or job as they did previously. □ [V n] He followed his father and became a surgeon. □ [V n + into ] Anni-Frid's son has followed her into the music business.
15 VERB If you are able to follow something such as an explanation or the story of a film, you understand it as it continues and develops. □ [V n] Can you follow the plot so far? □ [V ] I'm afraid I don't follow.
16 VERB If you follow something, you take an interest in it and keep informed about what happens. □ [V n] …the millions of people who follow football because they genuinely love it. □ [V n] She was following Laura's progress closely.
17 VERB If you follow someone on a social media website, you choose to see messages and pictures that they post there. □ [V n on ] Camille has a blog, and you can follow her on Twitter. □ [V n] You can also browse Instagram's galleries and follow favourite photographers.
18 VERB If you follow a particular religion or political belief, you have that religion or belief. □ [V n] 'Do you follow any particular religion?'—'Yes, we're all Hindus.'
19 → see also following
20 PHRASE You use as follows in writing or speech to introduce something such as a list, description, or explanation. □ The winners are as follows: E. Walker; R. Foster; R. Gates; A. Mackintosh. □ This can be done if you proceed as follows.
21 PHRASE You use followed by to say what comes after something else in a list or ordered set of things. □ Potatoes are still the most popular food, followed by white bread.
22 PHRASE After mentioning one course of a meal, you can mention the next course by saying what you will have to follow or what there will be to follow . □ He decided on roast chicken and vegetables, with apple pie to follow.
23 to follow in someone's footsteps → see footstep
24 to follow your nose → see nose
25 to follow suit → see suit
▸ follow through PHRASAL VERB If you follow through an action, plan, or idea or follow through with it, you continue doing or thinking about it until you have done everything possible. □ [V P n] The leadership has been unwilling to follow through the implications of these ideas. □ [V n P ] I was trained to be an actress but I didn't follow it through. □ [V P + with ] He decided to follow through with his original plan. [Also V P , V P + on ]
▸ follow up
1 PHRASAL VERB If you follow up something that has been said, suggested, or discovered, you try to find out more about it or take action about it. □ [V P n] State security police are following up several leads. □ [V n P ] An officer took a statement from me, but no one's bothered to follow it up.
2 → see also follow 5 , follow-up SYNONYMS follow VERB 2
pursue: She pursued the man who had stolen a woman's bag.
track: He thought he had better track this wolf and kill it.
chase: She chased the thief for 100 yards.
traiclass="underline" Two detectives were trailing him. COLLOCATIONS follow VERB 12