go
goh
Go (verb) means to move or travel from one place toward another. Example: “We need to go to the station before the train leaves.”
verb
1
To move or travel from one place toward another.
"We need to go to the station before the train leaves."
"She went home early because she felt unwell."
"Every summer our family goes to the coast for a week."
2
To function or proceed in a particular way.
"Business has been going well since we moved to the new shop."
"Things went smoothly at the meeting, and everyone left in a good mood."
"How did the interview go?"
noun
1
An attempt or turn at doing something.
"Let me have a go at fixing it myself."
"It's your go — roll the dice."
"The toddler had a go on the slide and wanted another."
2
An ancient strategy board game for two players who try to control territory on a grid using black and white stones.
"He plays Go every weekend at the local club."
"My uncle taught me the rules of Go on a wooden board."
"Go players place black and white stones on the lines of the grid."
adj
1
Ready and functioning correctly; cleared to proceed (chiefly in launch/technical contexts).
"The pilot gave the go signal, and the engineers cheered."
"Mission control checked every system and declared the rocket go."
"All systems are go for launch."
How to use go
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo move somewhere, to happen in a certain way, or (as a noun) a turn or attempt at something.
Common mistake
The past tense of "go" is "went," not "goed" — one of English's most irregular verbs, borrowed from an unrelated word.
Common pairings
go home
have a go
go for it
on the go
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Word forms
- Plural
- goes
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
We need to _____ to the station before the train leaves.
Etymology
From Old English gan ("to go"), an ancient Germanic verb; its past tense "went" was borrowed from a completely different verb, "wend," which is why go/went look so different.
Synonyms
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Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “go” mean?
The word “go” means to move or travel from one place toward another. In plain terms, to move somewhere, to happen in a certain way, or (as a noun) a turn or attempt at something.
How do you pronounce “go”?
“Go” is pronounced goh (/ɡoʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “go” in a sentence?
Here is “go” used in a sentence: “We need to go to the station before the train leaves.”
What part of speech is “go”?
Depending on how it is used, “go” can be a verb, a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “go” come from?
The word “go” comes from Old English. From Old English gan ("to go"), an ancient Germanic verb; its past tense "went" was borrowed from a completely different verb, "wend," which is why go/went look so different.
Is “go” a common word?
“Go” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “go” have?
“Go” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to move or travel from one place toward another.
What is the difference between go and come?
Go describes movement away from where the speaker is, toward another place, as in 'I'm going to the shop.' Come describes movement toward the speaker or listener, as in 'Come here.' The direction relative to the person speaking is what separates the two verbs.
What is the difference between go and went?
Went is simply the past tense of go. You use go for the present and future ('I go,' 'I will go') and went for the past ('I went yesterday'). The past participle is 'gone,' as in 'I have gone.' Go is irregular, which is why the forms look unrelated.
What is the opposite of go?
The opposite of go depends on the sense. When it means to move away, the opposite is stay, remain, or come. When it means to depart, the opposite is arrive. In the sense of a signal to move, as in traffic, the opposite is stop.
What is an example of go in a sentence?
'They go to the beach every summer.' Here go means to travel there. Other examples include 'Let's go home now,' describing movement toward a place, and 'She wants to go to college,' where go means to attend or head somewhere.
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