go

/ɡoʊ/14 phrasal verbs

The plain verb means to move away from the speaker.

GO verbs are overwhelmingly intransitive. Go off is the most surprising: an alarm goes off (sounds), a bomb goes off (explodes), milk goes off (spoils), and you can go off a person (stop liking them). Four senses that share only the idea of a sudden change of state.

GO ends in a vowel, so a /w/ glide appears before vowel-initial particles: go out is “go-wout”, go over is “go-wover”.

Side by side

Every GO phrasal verb, with the one line that keeps it apart from its siblings. Tap any one to open it.

Phrasal verb	Means	How to remember it
go aheadNo object	proceed; begin	AHEAD = forward, with permission.
go onNo object2 meanings	continue; happen	ON = keep running.
go outNo object3 meanings	leave home for entertainment; a light or fire stops	OUT = out of the house, or out of flame.
go offNo object3 meanings	an alarm sounds; a bomb explodes; food spoils	OFF = sudden change of state.
go overInseparable2 meanings	review carefully	OVER = a pass across the whole thing.
go throughInseparable3 meanings	experience something difficult; search; be approved	THROUGH = from one end to the other.
go backNo object	return	BACK = to where you were.
go along withInseparable	agree to a plan or an opinion	ALONG WITH = you move in their direction.
go downNo object3 meanings	decrease; happen; be received in a certain way	DOWN = the level drops.
go upNo object	increase	UP = the level rises.
go forInseparable2 meanings	choose; attack; apply to	FOR names the target.
go afterInseparable	pursue something you want	AFTER = you follow it.
go byNo object2 meanings	time passes; be known by a name	BY = it moves past you.
go withoutInseparable	manage without something you need	WITHOUT = you lack it and cope.

Phrasal verbs with GO — what each one means