Idioms for go

Origin of go

1
before 900; Middle English gon, Old English gān; cognate with Old High German gēn, German gehen

British Dictionary definitions for go for (1 of 4)

go for

verb (intr, preposition)

British Dictionary definitions for go for (2 of 4)

GO
/ military /

abbreviation for

general order

British Dictionary definitions for go for (3 of 4)

go 1
/ (ɡəʊ) /

verb goes, going, went or gone (mainly intr)

noun plural goes

adjective

(postpositive) informal functioning properly and ready for action: esp used in astronautics all systems are go

Word Origin for go

Old English gān; related to Old High German gēn, Greek kikhanein to reach, Sanskrit jahāti he forsakes

British Dictionary definitions for go for (4 of 4)

go 2

I-go

/ (ɡəʊ) /

noun

a game for two players in which stones are placed on a board marked with a grid, the object being to capture territory on the board

Word Origin for go

from Japanese

Idioms and Phrases with go for

go for

1

Go in order to get, as in I'll go for the paper, or He went for the doctor. This usage, dating from the late 1500s, gave rise to the 20th-century noun gofer, a person who is habitually sent on routine errands.

2

Be equivalent to or valued as; also, pass for, serve as. For example, All our efforts are going for very little, or That silver went for a lot of money, or That sofa can go for a bed. [Mid-1500s]

3

Aim or try for, especially making a vigorous effort. For example, They're going for the league championship. This idiom is also put as go for it, as in When Steve said he'd like to change careers, his wife told him to go for it. The related phrase go for broke means “to commit all one's available resources toward achieving a goal,” as in Our competitors are going for broke to get some of our accounts. The first expression dates from the mid-1500s; the two colloquial variants from the first half of the 1900s. Also see all out; go out for.

4

Attack, as in We have to tie up our dog, because he loves to go for letter carriers. A hyperbolic variant, go for the jugular, is used for an all-out attack on the most vital part, as in In political arguments he always goes for the jugular. The jugular is a blood vessel whose rupture is life-threatening. [Colloquial; late 1800s]

5

Have a special liking for, as in I really go for progressive jazz. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s]

6

Be valid for or applicable to, as in Kevin hates broccoli, and that goes for Dean, too. [Early 1900s] Also see have going for one.