go

A strategic board game, originally from China and today also popular in Japan and Korea, in which two players (black and white) attempt to control the largest area of the board with their counters.

Adjective

  1. Working correctly and ready to commence operation; approved and able to be put into action.
    • John Glenn reports all systems are go. - 1962, United States. Congress, Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the […] Congress, page 2754:
    • "Life support system is go," said the earphone. - 1964, Instruments and Control Systems:
    • “Green One has four starts and is go.” - 2011, Matthew Stover, Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor: Star Wars Legends, Del Rey, →ISBN:

Origin

From Middle English gon, goon, from Old English gān (“to go”), from Proto-West Germanic *gān, from Proto-Germanic *gāną (“to go”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰeh₁- (“to leave”). The inherited past tense form yode (compare Old English ēode) was replaced through suppletion in the 15th century by went, from Old English wendan (“to go, depart, wend”). cognates and related terms Cognate with Scots gae, gan, gang, ging, gyang (“to go”), Yola go, goe, goeth, gow (“to go”), West Frisian gean (“to go”), Alemannic German gaa, go (“to go, walk, step”), Bavarian geh (“to go”), Cimbrian ghéenan, gian (“to go”), Dutch gaan (“to go”), Dutch Low Saxon gan, gaon (“to go”), German gehen (“to go”), German Low German gahn (“to go”), Limburgish gaon, goëne (“to go”), Luxembourgish goen (“to go”), Vilamovian gejn, gyjn (“to go”), Yiddish גיין (geyn, “to go, walk”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian...

Forms

gan

Noun countable, uncommon

  1. The act of going.
    • The Apostles were to be the first of a line. They would multiply successors, and the successors would die and their successors after them, but the line would never fail; and the come and go of men would not matter,...
    • They talk easily together and they hear the come and go of the breeze in the soon to be turning burnt leaves of the high trees. - 2009, Mark Raney, David Midgett, →ISBN, page 68:
  2. A turn at something, or in something (e.g. a game).
    • You’ve been on that pinball machine long enough—now let your brother have a go.
    • It’s your go.

    Synonyms: stint turn move

  3. An attempt, a try.
    • I’ll give it a go.
    • You have to stay and we will have a go at winning the championship next season." - 2012, Alex Montgomery, Martin O'Neill: The Biography, →ISBN, page 196:

    Synonyms: attempt bash shot stab try

  4. A period of activity.
    • ate it all in one go
    • This could mean that the artist traced the illustration in two goes, as it were, or that the Utrecht Psalter slipped while he was tracing, but I do not think that the relative proportions are consistent enough to...
  5. A time; an experience.
    • Even if she was bigger and more mature, she would have a tough go of it. We have read a lot on this diagnosis and have known from the beginning what she has been up against.” “It's true about this being a tough go,” I...
    • "She's had a rough go of things and no one wants to see her hurt.” Jason stared at Kate's slender frame, backlit by a spear of sunlight breaking through the cloud cover. "Then that makes the entire town plus one." -...
    • With public opinion turned more empathetic toward AF with the bombing of their building, Sarah and the Justice Department would have a tough go of it. But if this really was true [that they were behind the bombing...
  6. A circumstance or occurrence; an incident, often unexpected.
    • 1839, Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby, in 1868, The Works of Charles Dickens, Volume 2: Nicholas Nickleby, Martin Chuzzlewit, American Notes, page 306, “Well, this is a pretty go, is this here! An uncommon pretty go!
    • “Ain't this a rum go? This is a queer sort of dodge for lighting the streets.” - 1869, Punch, volume 57, page 257:
    • The images of Mrs. Squeers, my daughter, and my son Wackford, all short of vittles, is perpetually before me; every other consideration melts away and vanishes, in front of these; the only number in all arithmetic that...
  7. An approval or permission to do something, or that which has been approved.
    • We will begin as soon as the boss says it's a go.
    • "Well, Tom, is it a go? You can trust me, for you'll have the thousand in your pocket before you start.[…]" - 1894, Bret Harte, The Sheriff of Siskyou:
    • And as soon as we gave them the go to continue, we lost communication. - 2009, Craig Nelson, Rocket Men: The Epic Story of the First Men on the Moon, →ISBN:

    Synonyms: green light

  8. An act; the working or operation.
    • 1598, John Marston, Pigmalion, The Metamorphosis of Pigmalions Image and Certaine Satyres, 1856, J. O. Halliwell (editor), The Works of John Marston: Reprinted from the Original Editions, Volume 3, page 211, Let this...
  9. The fashion or mode.
    • quite the go
    • We are blowing each other out of the market with cheapness; but it is all the go, so we must not be behind the age. - 1852, Jane Thomas (née Pinhorn), The London and Paris ladies' magazine of fashion (page 97)

    Synonyms: mode style trend

  10. Noisy merriment.
    • a high go
    • Gemmen (says he), you all well know The joy there is whene'er we meet; It's what I call the primest go, And rightly named, 'tis—'quite a treat,' […] - 1820, Thomas Moore, W. Simpkin, R. Marshall, Jack Randall's Diary of...
  11. A glass of spirits; a quantity of spirits.
    • Jack Randall then impatient rose, / And said, ‘Tom's speech were just as fine / If he would call that first of goes [i.e. gin] / By that genteeler name—white wine.' - 1820, Thomas Moore, W. Simpkin, R. Marshall, Jack...
    • When the cloth was removed, Mr. Thomas Potter ordered the waiter to bring in two goes of his best Scotch whiskey, with warm water and sugar, and a couple of his "very mildest" Havannas, - 1836, Charles Dickens, Sketches...
    • “Then, if you value it so highly,” I said, “you can hardly object to stand half a go of brandy for its recovery.” - 1868 March, In a City Bus, in the Eclectic Magazine, new series volume VII, number 3

    Synonyms: gage measure

  12. A portion
    • Albert's uncle had had a jolly good breakfast—fish and eggs and bacon and three goes of marmalade. - 1904, E[dith] Nesbit, “(please specify the page)”, in New Treasure Seekers, London: Ernest Benn, →OCLC:

Forms

goes gan

Derived

give it a go have a go make a go of it on the go rum go

Noun Entry 3

  1. A strategic board game, originally from China and today also popular in Japan and Korea, in which two players (black and white) attempt to control the largest area of the board with their counters.

    Synonyms: weiqi baduk

Origin

From Japanese 碁(ご) (go), shorter variant of Japanese 囲碁(いご) (igo), from Chinese 圍棋 /围棋 (wéiqí, literally “encirclement board game”).

Forms

Go

Derived

go stone

Verb

  1. To move, either physically or in an abstract sense:
    • Why don’t you go with us?
    • This train goes through Cincinnati on its way to Chicago.
    • Chris, where are you going?

    Synonyms: move fare tread draw drift wend cross

    Antonyms: freeze halt remain stand still stay stop

    1. (intransitive) To move through space (especially to or through a place). (May be used of tangible things such as people or cars, or intangible things such as moods or information.)

    2. (intransitive) To move or travel through time (either literally—in a fictional or hypothetical situation in which time travel is possible—or in one's mind or knowledge of the historical record). (See also go back.)

      • Yesterday was the second-wettest day on record; you have to go all the way back to 1896 to find a day when more rain fell.
      • Fans want to see the Twelfth Doctor go to the 51st century to visit River in the library.
      • You have to go all the way back to Herbert Hoover to see a performance in the Standard & Poors 500 equal to what we are experiencing right now. - 2002 September 18, Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the...

      Synonyms: move fare tread draw drift wend cross

      Antonyms: freeze halt remain stand still stay stop

    3. (intransitive) To navigate (to a file or folder on a computer, a site on the internet, a memory, etc.).

      • For the best definitions, go to wiktionary.org
      • To access Office-related TechNet resources, go to www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/office. - 2009, David J. Clark, The Unofficial Guide to Microsoft Office Word 2007, →ISBN, page 536:
      • Go to your earliest memory and to your favorite one, then to one that's difficult to consider. - 2009, Lisa W. Coyne, Amy R. Murrell, The Joy of Parenting, →ISBN:

      Synonyms: move fare tread draw drift wend cross

      Antonyms: freeze halt remain stand still stay stop

    4. To move (a particular distance, or in a particular fashion).

      • We've only gone twenty miles today.
      • This car can go circles around that one.
      • The fight went the distance and was decided on points.

      Synonyms: move fare tread draw drift wend cross

      Antonyms: freeze halt remain stand still stay stop

    5. (intransitive) To move or travel in order to do something, or to do something while moving.

      • We went swimming.
      • Let's go shopping.
      • Please go and get me some envelopes.

      Synonyms: move fare tread draw drift wend cross

      Antonyms: freeze halt remain stand still stay stop

    6. (intransitive) To leave; to move away.

      • Please don't go!
      • I really must be going.
      • Workmen were coming and going at all hours of the night.

      Synonyms: move fare tread draw drift wend cross depart leave exit go away go out

      Antonyms: freeze halt remain stand still stay stop come arrive approach

    7. To follow or proceed according to (a course or path).

      • Let's go this way for a while.
      • She was going that way anyway, so she offered to show him where it was.
      • I'm repeating it: I wish that you would go this path up to its end, that you shall find salvation! - 1951?, Gunther Olesch et al., Siddhartha, translation of original by Hermann Hesse:

      Synonyms: move fare tread draw drift wend cross

      Antonyms: freeze halt remain stand still stay stop

    8. To travel or pass along.

      • We went the full length of the promenade before we found a place to sit down.
      • His life story goes the gamut, from poverty-stricken upbringing to colossal wealth.

      Synonyms: move fare tread draw drift wend cross

      Antonyms: freeze halt remain stand still stay stop

    9. (obsolete, intransitive) To walk; to travel on one's feet.

      • ‘As for that,’ seyde Sir Trystram, ‘I may chose othir to ryde othir to go.’ - 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XII:
      • Master Piercie our new President, was so sicke hee could neither goe nor stand. - 1624, John Smith, Generall Historie, Kupperman, published 1988, page 129:
      • Other brunts I also look for; but this I have resolved on, to wit, to run when I can, to go when I cannot run, and to creep when I cannot go. - 1684, John Bunyan, “Battle with Giant Slay-good”, in The Pilgrim's...

      Synonyms: move fare tread draw drift wend cross

      Antonyms: freeze halt remain stand still stay stop

  2. To work or function (properly); to move or perform (as required).
    • The engine just won't go anymore.
    • Don't put your hand inside while the motor's going!
    • 'Although the lemon is now black and shrivelled the motor is still going strong. If I can make my small motor run for month after month on a single lemon, just imagine how much "juice" there must be in a whole sackful',...

    Synonyms: function work operate run

  3. To start; to begin (an action or process).
    • You've got thirty seconds to solve the anagram, starting now. Go!
    • At leaſt, I'm ſure I can fiſh it out of her. She's the very Sluce to her Lady's Secrets;—'Tis but ſetting her Mill agoing, and I can drein her of 'em all. - 1693, Will[iam] Congreve, The Old Batchelour, a Comedy. […],...
    • Be listening for my voice. Go when you hear my voice say go. - 2001 June 18, a prophecy, quoted in Mary and the Unity of the Church →ISBN, page 49
  4. To take a turn, especially in a game.
    • It’s your turn; go.
    • I've got all vowels. I don't think I can go.

    Synonyms: move make one's move take one’s turn

  5. To attend.
    • I go to school at the schoolhouse.
    • She went to Yale.
    • They only go to church on Christmas.
  6. To proceed:
    • That went well.
    • "How are things going?" "Not bad, thanks."
    • How goes the night, boy? - c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...

    1. (intransitive) To proceed (often in a specified manner, indicating the perceived quality of an event or state).

    2. (intransitive, colloquial, with another verb, sometimes linked by and) To proceed (especially to do something foolish).

      • Why'd you have to go and do that?
      • Why'd you have to go do that?
      • He just went and punched the guy.
  7. To extend along.
    • The fence goes the length of the boundary.
    • A shady promenade went the length of the street and the entrance to the hotel was a few steps back in the darkness, away from the glaring sunshine. - 2010, Luke Dixon, Khartoum, →ISBN, page 60:
  8. To extend (from one point in time or space to another).
    • This property goes all the way to the state line.
    • The working week goes from Monday to Friday.
    • I think those figures start from 1932 and go to 1941, inclusive, […] - 1946, Hearings Before the Joint Committee on the Investigation of the Pearl Harbor Attack, Congress of the United States, Seventy-ninth Congress,...
  9. To lead (to a place); to give access (to).
    • Does this road go to Fort Smith?
    • “Where does this door go?” Bev asked as she pointed to a door painted a darker green than the powder green color of the carpet. Janet answered. “That door goes to the back yard.” - 2013, Without Delusion, →ISBN, page...
  10. To become, move to or come to (a state, position, situation)
    • Near-synonyms: become, get, turn, come, fall, grow, wax
    • You'll go blind.
    • The milk went bad.

    Synonyms: become get turn come fall grow wax

    1. (copulative, rather informal, followed by an adjective) To become (often used with colors and negative states).

    2. To move to (a position or state).

      • If we can win on Saturday, we'll go top of the league.
      • They went level with their rivals.

    3. To come (to a certain condition or state).

      • They went into debt.
      • She goes to sleep around 10 o'clock.
  11. To assume the obligation or function of; to be, to serve as.
    • There is scarcely a business man who is not occasionally asked to go bail for somebody. - 1912, The Bookseller, Newsdealer and Stationer, volume 36, page 17:
    • Most welfare workers are not allowed to go surety for clients. - 2010, Jane Sanders, Youth Justice: Your Guide to Cops and Courts, →ISBN:
  12. To continuously or habitually be in a state.
    • I don't want my children to go hungry.
    • We went barefoot in the summer.

Forms

goes going went yode goed gone no-table-tags glossary go goest wentest goeth - goand gan

Derived

absence makes the heart go yonder Assad must go curse as you go at a go atgo at one go away-going bego carry-go-bring-come churchgoer church-going coming and going drive a nail where it will go easy-going enough to go around forego forgo forthgo geaux get-go get going get woke, go broke Ghana-Must-Go git-go