8 N‑COUNT A go is an attempt at doing something. □ [+ at ] I always wanted to have a go at football. □ She won on her first go. □ Her hair was bright orange. It took us two goes to get the colour right.
9 N‑COUNT If it is your go in a game, it is your turn to do something, for example to play a card or move a piece. □ I'm two behind you but it's your go. □ Now whose go is it?
10 → see also going , gone
11 PHRASE If you go all out to do something or go all out for something, you make the greatest possible effort to do it or get it. [INFORMAL ] □ They will go all out to get exactly what they want. □ [+ for ] They're ready to go all out for the Premier League title next season.
12 PHRASE You use expressions like as things go or as children go when you are describing one person or thing and comparing them with others of the same kind. [INFORMAL ] □ This is a straightforward case, as these things go. □ He's good company, as small boys go.
13 PHRASE If you do something as you go along , you do it while you are doing another thing, without preparing it beforehand. □ Learning how to become a parent takes time. It's a skill you learn as you go along.
14 PHRASE If you say that someone has gone and done something, you are expressing your annoyance at the foolish thing they have done. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Well, he's gone and done it again, hasn't he? □ Somebody goes and does something mindless like that and just destroys everything for you.
15 CONVENTION You say ' Go for it ' to encourage someone to increase their efforts to achieve or win something. [INFORMAL ]
16 PHRASE If someone has a go at you, they criticize you, often in a way that you feel is unfair. [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ Some people had a go at us for it, which made us more angry.
17 CONVENTION If someone says ' Where do we go from here? ' they are asking what should be done next, usually because a problem has not been solved in a satisfactory way.
18 PHRASE If you say that someone is making a go of something such as a business or relationship, you mean that they are having some success with it. □ I knew we could make a go of it and be happy.
19 PHRASE If you say that someone is always on the go , you mean that they are always busy and active. [INFORMAL ] □ I got a new job this year where I am on the go all the time.
20 PHRASE If you have something on the go , you have started it and are busy doing it. □ Do you like to have many projects on the go at any one time?
21 PHRASE If you say that there are a particular number of things to go , you mean that they still remain to be dealt with. □ I still had another five operations to go.
22 PHRASE If you say that there is a certain amount of time to go , you mean that there is that amount of time left before something happens or ends. □ There is a week to go until the elections.
23 PHRASE If you are in a café or restaurant and ask for an item of food to go , you mean that you want to take it away with you and not eat it there. [mainly AM ] □ Large fries to go. in BRIT, use to take out , to take away
➍ go ◆◆◆ /goʊ / (goes , going , went , gone )
▸ go about
1 PHRASAL VERB The way you go about a task or problem is the way you approach it and deal with it. □ [V P n/v-ing] I want him back, but I just don't know how to go about it.
2 PHRASAL VERB When you are going about your normal activities, you are doing them. □ [V P n] We were simply going about our business when we were pounced upon by these police officers.
3 PHRASAL VERB If you go about in a particular way, you behave or dress in that way, often as part of your normal life. □ [V P prep] He used to go about in a black cape. □ [V P v-ing] He went about looking ill and unhappy.
▸ go after PHRASAL VERB If you go after something, you try to get it, catch it, or hit it. □ [V P n] We're not going after civilian targets.
▸ go against
1 PHRASAL VERB If a person or their behaviour goes against your wishes, beliefs, or expectations, their behaviour is the opposite of what you want, believe in, or expect. □ [V P n] Changes are being made here which go against my principles and I cannot agree with them.
2 PHRASAL VERB If a decision, vote, or result goes against you, you do not get the decision, vote, or result that you wanted. □ [V P n] The prime minister will resign if the vote goes against him.
▸ go ahead
1 PHRASAL VERB If someone goes ahead with something, they begin to do it or make it, especially after planning, promising, or asking permission to do it. □ [V P + with ] The district board will vote today on whether to go ahead with the plan. [Also V P ]
2 PHRASAL VERB If a process or an organized event goes ahead , it takes place or is carried out. □ [V P ] The event will go ahead as planned in Sheffield next summer.
▸ go along
1 PHRASAL VERB If you go along to a meeting, event, or place, you attend or visit it. □ [V P + to ] I went along to the meeting. □ [V P ] You should go along and have a look.
2 PHRASAL VERB [usu cont] If you describe how something is going along , you describe how it is progressing. □ [V P adv] Things were going along fairly well.
▸ go along with