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 off (1 of 4)

go off

verb (intr)

British Dictionary definitions for go off (2 of 4)

GO
/ military /

abbreviation for

general order

British Dictionary definitions for go off (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 off (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 off

go off

1

Explode, detonate; also, make noise, sound, especially abruptly. For example, I heard the gun go off, or The sirens went off at noon. This expression developed in the late 1500s and gave rise about 1700 to the related go off half-cocked, now meaning “to act prematurely” but originally referring to the slipping of a gun's hammer so that the gun fires (goes off) unexpectedly.

2

Leave, depart, especially suddenly, as in Don't go off mad, or They went off without saying goodbye. [c. 1600]

3

Keep to the expected plan or course of events, succeed, as in The project went off smoothly. [Second half of 1700s]

4

Deteriorate in quality, as in This milk seems to have gone off. [Late 1600s]

5

Die. Shakespeare used this sense in Macbeth (5:9): “I would the friends we missed were safely arrived.—Some must go off.”

6

Experience orgasm. D.H. Lawrence used this slangy sense in Lady Chatterley's Lover (1928): “You couldn't go off at the same time....” This usage is probably rare today. Also see get off, def. 8.

7

go off on a tangent. See under on a tangent.

8

go off one's head. See off one's head. Also see subsequent idioms beginning with go off.