Текст книги "Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц"

Автор книги: Adam Makkai

Соавторы: Maya Glinberg
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[give pause]{v. phr.} To cause you to stop and think; make you doubt or worry. •/The heavy monthly payments gave Mr. Smith pause in his plans to buy a new car./ •/The bad weather gave Miss Carter pause about driving to New York City./

[give place to] See: GIVE RISE TO.

[give rein to] or [give free rein to]{v. phr.} To remove all restrictions or limitations from someone or something. •/When she wrote her first mystery novel, the talented novelist gave rein to her imagination./

[give rise to]{v. phr.} To be the reason for; cause. •/A branch floating in the water gave rise to Columbus' hopes that land was near./ •/John’s black eye gave rise to rumors that he had been in a fight./

[give someone his rights] or [read someone his rights]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. The act of advising arrested criminals that they have the right to remain silent and that everything they say can be held against them in a court of law; that they have the right to the presence of an attorney during questioning and that if they can’t afford one and request it, an attorney will be appointed for them by the State. •/The cops gave Smith his rights immediately after the arrest./ 2. To sever a relationship by telling someone that he or she can go and see a divorce lawyer or the like. •/Sue gave Mike his rights before she slammed the door in his face./ Compare: READ THE RIOT ACT.

[give the air] See: GIVE THE BOUNCE(1).

[give the ax]{v. phr.}, {colloquial} 1. Abruptly to finish a relationship. •/She gave me the ax last night./ 2. To fire an employee in a curt manner. •/His boss gave John the ax last Friday./

[give the benefit of the doubt]{v. phr.} To believe (a person) is innocent rather than guilty when you are not sure. •/The money was stolen and John was the only boy who had known where it was, but the teacher gave him the benefit of the doubt./ •/George’s grade was higher than usual and he might have cheated, but his teacher gave him the benefit of the doubt./

[give the bounce] or [give the gate]{v. phr.}, {slang} 1. or [give the air] To stop being a friend or lover to (a person); separate from. •/Mary gave John the bounce after she saw him dating another girl./ •/Bill and Jane had an argument and Bill is giving her the gate./ 2. or [give the sack] also [give the hook] To fire from a job; dismiss. •/The ball team gave Joe the gate because he never came to practice./ Contrast: GET THE BOUNCE.

[give the creeps] See: THE CREEPS.

[give the devil his due]{v. phr.} To be fair, even to someone who is bad; tell the truth about a person even though you don’t like him, •/I don’t like Mr. Jones, but to give the devil his due, I must admit that he is a good teacher./

[give the gate] See: GIVE THE BOUNCE.

[give the glad eye]{v. phr.}, {slang} To give (someone) a welcoming look as if saying «come over here, I want to talk to you.» •/I was surprised when Joe gave me the glad eye./

[give the go-by]{v. phr.} To pay no attention to a person; avoid. •/John fell in love with Mary, but she gave him the go-by./ •/The boy raised his hand to answer the question, but the teacher gave him the go-by./ Compare: THE RUNAROUND.

[give the high sign] See: HIGH SIGN.

[give the hook] See: GIVE THE BOUNCE(2).

[give the lie to]{v. phr.}, {literary} 1. To call (someone) a liar. •/The police gave the lie to the man who said that he had been at home during the robbery./ 2. To show (something) to be false; prove untrue. •/The boy’s dirty face gave the lie to his answer that he had washed./

[give the sack] See: GIVE THE BOUNCE(2).

[give the shirt off one’s back]{v. phr.}, {informal} To give away something or everything that you own. •/He’d give you the shirt off his back./

[give the show away]{v. phr.} To reveal a plan or information that is supposed to be secret. •/You have read further in the book than I have, but please don’t tell me where the treasure was buried; otherwise you’d be giving the show away./

[give the slip]{v.} To escape from (someone); run away from unexpectedly; sneak away from. •/An Indian was following, but Boone gave him the slip by running down a hill./ •/Some boys were waiting outside the school to beat up Jack, but he gave them the slip./

[give signs of] See: SHOW SIGN(S) OF; SHOW NO SIGN OF.

[give the willies]{v. phr.} To cause someone to be uncomfortable, fearful, or nervous. •/Sue hates to camp out in a tent; the buzzing of the mosquitoes gives her the willies./

[give thought to]{v. phr.} To consider; think about. •/Have you given any thought to the question of how to sell Grandpa’s old house?/ Contrast: GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT.

[give to understand]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To make a person think that something is true but not tell him; suggest; hint. •/Mr. Johnson gave Billy to understand that he would pay him if he helped him clean the yard./ 2. To make a person understand by telling him very plainly or boldly. •/Frank was given to understand in a short note from the boss that he was fired./

[give up]{v.} 1a. To stop trying to keep; surrender; yield. •/The dog had the ball in his mouth and wouldn’t give it up./ •/Jimmy is giving up his job as a newsboy when he goes back to school./ Compare: GIVE ONESELF UP, HAND OVER, LET GO(1a). Contrast: HOLD ON TO. 1b. To allow; permit. •/Ford gave up two walks in the first inning./ 2. To stop doing or having; abandon; quit. •/The doctor told Mr. Harris to give up smoking./ •/Jane hated to give up her friends when she moved away./ Compare: LEAVE OFF, PART WITH. 3. To stop hoping for, waiting for, or trying to do. •/Johnny was given up by the doctors after the accident, but he lived just the same./ •/When Mary didn’t come by nine o’clock, we gave her up./ •/I couldn’t do the puzzle so I gave it up./ 4. To stop trying; quit; surrender. •/The war will be over when one of the countries gives up./ •/The other team gave up after we scored three touchdowns./ Compare: GIVE IN(2), RESIGN ONESELF, THROW IN THE SPONGE.

[give (one) up for]{v. phr.} To abandon hope for someone or something. •/After Larry had not returned to base camp for three nights, his fellow mountain climbers gave him up for dead./

[give up the ghost]{v. phr.} To die; stop going. •/After a long illness, the old woman gave up the ghost./ •/The motor turned over a few times and gave up the ghost./

[give up the ship]{v. phr.} To stop fighting and surrender; stop trying or hoping to do something. •/«Don’t give up the ship, John,» said his father when John failed a test./

[give voice]{v. phr.}, {formal} To tell what you feel or think; especially when you are angry or want to object. – Used with «to». •/The students gave voice to their pleasure over the new building./ •/Little Willie gave voice to his pain when the dog bit him by crying loudly./ Compare: CRY OUT, SPEAK OUT.

[give way]{v.} 1. To go back; retreat. •/The enemy army is giving way before the cannon fire./ Compare: FALL BACK. 2. To make room, get out of the way. •/The children gave way and let their mother through the door./ Compare: MAKE WAY. 3. To lose control of yourself; lose your courage or hope; yield. •/Mrs. Jones didn’t give way during the flood, but she was very frightened./ Compare: GIVE UP, LOSE ONE’S HEAD. 4. To collapse; fail. •/The river was so high that the dam gave way./ •/Mary’s legs gave way and she fainted./ Compare: GIVE OUT(4), LET GO(1a). 5. To let yourself be persuaded; give permission. •/Billy kept asking his mother if he could go to the movies and she finally gave way./ Compare: GIVE IN.

[give way to]{v. phr.} 1a. To make room for; allow to go or pass; yield to. •/John gave way to the old lady and let her pass./ 1b. To allow to decide. •/Mrs. Rogers gave way lo her husband in buying the car./ 1c. To lose control of (your feelings), not hold back. •/Timmy gave way to his feelings when his dog died./ 2. or [give place to]. To be replaced by. •/Radio has given way to television in popularity./ •/When she saw the clowns, the little girl’s tears gave way lo laughter./

[glad hand]{n.}, {informal} A friendly handshake; a warm greeting. •/Father went to the front door to give Uncle Fred the glad hand when he arrived./ •/The politician went down the street on election day giving everyone the glad hand./

[glad rags]{n.}, {slang} Clothes worn to parties or on special occasions; best clothes. •/Mrs. Owens put on her glad rags for the party./ Compare: BEST BIB AND TUCKER.

[glance] See: AT FIRST GLANCE or AT FIRST SIGHT.

[glance off]{v. phr.} To ricochet. •/The bullet glanced off the wall and wounded an innocent bystander./

[glass] See: PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSES SHOULD NOT THROW STONES, SAFETY GLASS.

[glasses] See: LOOK AT THE WORLD THROUGH ROSE-COLORED GLASSES.

[glass jaw]{n.}, {slang} The inability of a boxer to get a hard punch on the jaw without being knocked out; a tendency to be knocked out easily. •/He would have been champion except for his glass jaw./

[globe-trotter]{n.} One who has travelled far and wide. •/Tim and Nancy are regular globe-trotters; there are few countries they haven’t been to./

[glory] See: IN ONE’S GLORY.

[gloss over]{v.} To try to make what is wrong or bad seem right or not important; try to make a thing look easy; pretend about; hide. •/Billy broke a window and Mother tried to gloss it over by saying it wouldn’t cost much to have it fixed, but Father spanked Billy anyway./ •/John glossed over his mistake by saying that everybody did the same thing./

[glove] See: FIT LIKE A GLOVE, HAND IN GLOVE or HAND AND GLOVE, HANDLE WITH GLOVES.

[glutton for punishment]{n. phr.} A greedy person; someone who wants too much of something, such as food or drink, which will make him sick. •/Fred eats so much red meat that he is a regular glutton for punishment./

[go] See: HERE GOES, HERE GOES NOTHING, BEST BIB AND TUCKER or SUNDAY-GO-TO-MEETING CLOTHES, COMINGS AND GOINGS, EASY COME EASY GO, GET GOING, GET-UP-AND-GO, HAVE A GO AT, HEART GOES OUT TO, KNOW WHETHER ONE IS COMING OR GOING, LET GO, MAKE A GO OF, NO DEAL or NO GO, ON THE GO, PAY AS ONE GOES, TOUCH AND GO.

[go about]{v.} 1. To be busy with; keep busy at or working on; start working on; do. •/Bobby is going about his homework very seriously tonight./ •/Just go about your business and don’t keep looking out of the window./ •/How will you go about building the bird house?/ Syn.: GO AT(2). 2a. To move from one place or person to another. •/Some people go about telling untrue stories./ 2b. To go together. – Usually used with «with». •/Mother doesn’t want me to go about with Jane and her friends any more./ Syn.: GO AROUND(1b).

[go about one’s business]{v. phr.} To mind one’s own affairs. •/Fred kept bothering me with his questions all day, so I finally told him to go about his business and leave me alone./

[go after]{v.} To try to get. •/«First find out what job you want and then go after it,» said Jim’s father./

[go against the grain] See: AGAINST THE GRAIN(2).

[go ahead]{v.} To begin to do something; not wait. •/The teacher told the students not to write on the paper yet, but John went ahead and wrote his name./ •/«May I ask you a question?» «Go ahead.»/ Compare: GO ON(1).

[go astray]{v. phr.} To become lost. •/The letter has obviously gone astray; otherwise it would have been delivered a long time ago./

[goal] See: FIELD GOAL.

[goal line]{n.} A line that marks the goal in a game (as football.) •/The fullback went over the goal line from five yards out./

[goal line stand]{n.} A strong defensive effort right in front of the goal line. •/A goal line stand by the home team held the visitors on the two-yard line./

[go all the way with] See: ALL THE WAY.

[go along]{v.} 1. To move along; continue. •/Uncle Bill made up the story as he went along./ Compare: GO ON(1). 2. To go together or as company; go for fun. – Often used with «with». /Mary went along with us to Jane’s house./ •/John just went along for the ride to the ball game. He didn’t want to play./ •/When one filling station cuts gasoline prices, the others usually go along./ 3. To agree; cooperate. – Often used with «with». •/«Jane is a nice girl.» «I’ll go along with that,» said Bill./ •/Just because the other boys do something bad, you don’t have to go along with it./

[go ape]{v. phr.}, {slang} To become highly excited or behave in a crazy way. •/Amy went ape over the hotel and beautiful beaches./ •/The electric door opener malfunctioned and caused the garage door to go ape./

[go around]{v.} 1a. To go from one place or person to another. •/Mr. Smith is going around looking for work./ •/Don’t go around telling lies like that./ •/Chicken pox is going around the neighborhood./ •/A rumor is going around school that we will get the afternoon off./ 1b. To go together; keep company. – Usually used with «with». •/Bill goes around with boys older than he is because he is big for his age./ Syn.: GO ABOUT(2b). 2. To be enough to give to everyone; be enough for all. •/There are not enough desks to go around in the classroom./

[go around in circles] See: IN A CIRCLE.

[goat] See: GET ONE’S GOAT.

[go at]{v.} 1. To start to fight with; attack. •/The dog and the cat are going at each other again./ 2. To make a beginning on; approach; tackle. •/How are you going to go at the job of fixing the roof?/ Compare: START IN. Syn.: GO ABOUT(1).

[go at it hammer and tongs]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To attack or fight with great strength or energy; have a bad argument. •/Bill slapped George’s face and now they’re going at it hammer and tongs in back of the house./ •/Helen and Mary have been arguing all day, and now they are going at it hammer and tongs again./ 2. To start or do something with much strength, energy, or enthusiasm. •/The farmer had to chop down a tree and he went at it hammer and tongs./ •/Charles had a lot of homework to do and he went at it hammer and tongs till bedtime./ Compare: IN EARNEST, WITH MIGHT AND MAIN.

[go AWOL] See: ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE.

[go back on]{v. phr.} 1. To turn against; not be faithful or loyal to. •/Many of the man’s friends went back on him when he was sent to prison./ •/The boy’s father told him not to go back on his promise./ Compare: BACK DOWN, TURN ONE’S BACK. 2. To fail to do necessary work; not work. •/Grandfather’s eyes are going back on him./ Compare: BREAK DOWN(4), GIVE OUT.

[go back on one’s word]{v. phr.} To renege; break a promise. •/Patrick went back on his word when he refused to marry Karen in spite of his earlier promise./

[go] or [be on the rocks] See: ON THE ROCKS.

[go] or [be on the wagon] See: ON THE WAGON. Contrast: FALL OFF THE WAGON.

[go bail for]{v. phr.} To advance the necessary money as security in order to release an accused person until trial. •/The arrested driver had no trouble finding someone to go bail for him./

[go begging]{v. phr.} To be not needed or wanted. •/Many old homes in the city go begging./ •/Most of the apples on the market went begging./

[go broke]{v. phr.}, {slang} To lose all one’s money; especially by taking a chance; owe more than you can pay. •/The inventor went broke because nobody would buy his machine./ •/Dan had a quarter but he went broke matching pennies with Fred./

[go-between]{n.} An intermediary. •/They expect Mr. Smith to act as a go-between in the dispute between management and labor./

[go bust]{v. phr.}, {slang} To become bankrupt. •/Our company lost a lot of money and went bust./ Compare: BELLY UP.

[go-by] See: GIVE THE GO-BY.

[go by]{v.} 1. To go or move past; pass. •/Bob had to go by the post office on his way to school, so he mailed the letter./ 2. To follow; copy; obey. •/Mother goes by a pattern when she makes a dress./ •/You will find Main Street without trouble if you go by Father’s directions./ •/If you ride a bicycle, you must go by the rules of the road./ 3. To be known by; be called. •/Many actors do not go by their real names./ •/Fred goes by the nickname of Chubby./ 4. To pass; be over; end. •/Time goes by quickly on vacation./ •/The horse and buggy days have gone by./ •/The flowers have all gone by. What will I do for a bouquet?/ 5. To stop for a short visit; go to someone’s house for a short while. •/«Have you seen Bill lately?» «Yes, I went by his house last week.»/ Compare: STOP BY.

[go by the board] also [pass by the board]{v. phr.} To go away or disappear forever, be forgotten or not used. •/Tom had several chances to go to college, but he let them go by the board./ •/Grandfather said he was too old to go to the beach. «Those days have passed by the board,» he said./ Compare: DOWN THE DRAIN.

[go by the name of]{v. phr.} To be called. •/Adolf Schicklegruber went by the name of Adolf Hitler./

[go chase oneself]{v. phr.}, {slang} Go away and stop being a nuisance. •/John’s father was busy and told him to go chase himself./ •/The owner of the store told the boys in front to go chase themselves./ Compare: BEAT IT, GO JUMP IN THE LAKE.

[God] See: IN THE LAP OP THE GODS also ON THE KNEES OP THE GODS, MY GOD or MY GOODNESS, WOULD THAT or WOULD GOD.

[God forbid]{interj.} May God prevent (something from happening); I hope that will not happen or is not true. •/Someone told the worried mother that her son might have drowned. She said, «God forbid!»/ •/God forbid that the dam break and flood the valley!/ Compare: PERISH THE THOUGHT.

[Godfrey] See: GREAT GODFREY.

[God knows] or [goodness knows] or [heaven knows]{informal} 1. Maybe God knows but I don’t know and no one else knows. – Often used with «only». •/Do you know where Susan is? God only knows!/ 2. Surely; certainly. •/Goodness knows, the poor man needs the money./ •/Heaven only knows, I have tried hard enough./

[Godmother] See: FAIRY GODMOTHER.

[go down]{v. phr.} 1. To deteriorate in quality. •/This hotel, which used to be one of the best, has gone down during the past few years./ 2. To become lower in price. •/It is said that the price of milk is expected to go down soon./ 3. To sink. •/The Titanic went down with a lot of people aboard./

[go down in history] or [go down in the records]{v. phr.} To be remembered or recorded for always. •/The lives of great men go down in history./ •/Babe Ruth went down in history as a home run hitter./ •/The boy’s straight A’s for four years of college went down in the records./ •/The President said that the day the war ended would go down in history./

[go down the drain]{v. phr.} To be lost or wasted forever. •/If he doesn’t pass the bar examination tomorrow, his best efforts to become a lawyer will go down the drain./

[God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb]{literary} A person who is already helpless will not have more trouble; you will not have more trouble than you can bear. •/After Mr. Smith lost his job, the Smith’s house caught fire, but the fire was put out before much harm was done. Mr. Smith said, «God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb.»/ Contrast: IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS.

[go Dutch]{v. phr.}, {informal} To go out for fun together but have each person pay for himself. •/High school students often go Dutch to basketball games./ •/Sometimes boys and girls go Dutch on dates./ •/The girl knew her boyfriend had little money, so she offered to go Dutch./ Compare: DUTCH TREAT.

[go easy] See: TAKE IT EASY(1).

[go fly a kite]{v. phr.}, {slang} To go away; leave. Usually used as a command, to show that you do not accept someone’s ideas. •/Harry was tired of John’s advice and told him to go fly a kite./ •/After Mary stood around telling Sue what was wrong with her dress. Sue told her to go fly a kite./ Compare: DROP DEAD, GO JUMP IN THE LAKE.

[go for]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To try to get; aim for; try for. •/Our team is going for the championship in the game tonight./ •/The dog went for Bob’s leg./ 2. To favor; support; like. •/Little Susie really goes for ice cream./ •/Bob goes for Jane in a big way./ 3. To attack; begin to fight or argue with. •/The Indian jumped out of the *hush and went for Daniel./ •/Molly went for James about being late as soon as he got home./

[go for a spin]{v. phr.} To go for a ride in a car. •/Billy has invited us to go for a spin in his new car./

[go for broke]{v. phr.}, {slang} To risk everything on one big effort; use all your energy and skill; try as hard as possible. •/The racing car driver decided to go for broke in the biggest race of the year./ Compare: ALL-OUT.

[go for nothing] also {formal}[go for naught]{v. phr.} To count for nothing; be useless; be wasted. •/What the teacher said went for nothing because the pupils did not pay attention./ •/I hope that all your good work doesn’t go for naught./ Compare: IN VAIN.

[go from bad to worse]{adv. phr.} To change from a bad position or condition to a worse one; become worse. •/Dick’s typing went from bad to worse when he was tired./ •/Jack’s conduct in school has gone from bad to worse./ Compare: OUT OF THE PRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE.

[go from strength to strength]{v. phr.} To move forward, increasing one’s fame, power, or fortune in a series of successful achievements. •/Our basketball team has gone from strength to strength./

[go-getter]{n.} A person who works hard to become successful; an active, ambitious person who usually gets what he wants. •/The governor of the state has always been a go-getter./ •/The best salesmen are the go-getters./

[go-go]{adj.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. Vigorous youthful, unusually active. •/Joe is a go-go kind of guy./ 2. Of a discotheque or the music or dances performed there. 3a. Unrestrained. 3b. Very up-to-date, hip. •/Mary wore handsome go-go boots to the discotheque last night./

[go great guns] See: GREAT GUNS.

[go halfway] or [go halfway to meet one] or [meet one halfway]{v. phr.} To give up part of what you want or to do your share in reaching an agreement with someone. •/Our neighbors are willing to go halfway to meet us and pay their share for a fence between our houses./ •/Bob wants to make up after your fight and you should meet him halfway./ •/If you’re willing to go halfway with us, we’ll be friends again./ •/Bill met Mary halfway after their argument./

[go halves]{v. phr.}, {informal} To share half or equally become partners. •/The boys went halves in raising pigs./ •/The men are going halves in a new business./ •/The girl bought a box of candy and went halves with her roommate./

[go hang]{v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To stop being of interest or importance; be forgotten. – Usually used with «let». •/Mr. Johnson let his business go hang after his wife died./ 2. To leave you alone; not bother. •/When the neighbor told Father how to manage his children, Father told him to go hang./ Compare: TELL WHERE TO GET OFF.

[go hard with]{v. phr.} To be painful, troublesome, or hard for; happen or result badly for. – Used after «it». •/It will go hard with you if I catch you smoking./

[go haywire]{v. phr.}, {informal} Mixed-up, out of order, not in regular working condition. •/My electric typewriter has gone all haywire; I have to call the repair man./

[go hog wild]{v. phr.}, {slang} To become extremely agitated and go out of control. •/After the soccer game was won, the fans went hog wild./

[go in a circle] or [go in circles] See: IN A CIRCLE.

[go in for]{v. phr.}, {informal} To try to do; take part in; take pleasure in. •/Most girls do not go in for rough games./ •/Mrs. Henry goes in for simple meals./ Compare: GO INTO(3), TAKE UP(5b).

[going and coming] See: COMING AND GOING.

[going for one]{adj. phr.} Working to help; in one’s favor. •/The young woman surely will get the job; she has everything going for her./

[going on]{adv. phr.} Almost; nearly. •/Joe is going on six years old./ •/It is going on six o’clock./

[going through changes]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To be in trouble, to have difficulties, to be trapped in unfavorable circumstances. •/«What’s the matter with Joe?» – «He’s going through changes.»/

[going to] Can be expected to; planning to. – Used after «is» (or «was», etc.), with an infinitive, in the same way «will» is used, to show future. •/Some day that big tree is going to rot and fall./ •/Look at those dark clouds. It’s going to rain./ •/The boys are going to practice football this afternoon./ •/For a minute Ben thought the car was going to hit him./ •/I was going to attend the meeting, but after supper I forgot about it./ – Sometimes used without the infinitive. •/That worn rope hasn’t broken yet, but it’s going to./ •/«Put some more wood on the fire.» – «I’m going to.»/ Compare: ABOUT TO(1).

[go in one ear and out the other]{v. phr.}, {informal} To be not really listened to or understood; be paid no attention. •/The teacher’s directions to the boy went in one ear and out the other./ •/Mother scolded Martha, but it went in one ear and out the other./

[go into]{v.} 1a. To go or fit inside of; able to be put in. •/The table is too big to go into the closet./ 1b. To be able to be divided into; be divisible into. •/Two goes into four two times./ 2. To enter a state or condition of; pass into. •/John went into a fit of temper when he didn’t get his own way./ •/The sick man went into a coma./ •/The country went into mourning when the king died./ 3. To be busy in or take part in; enter as a job or profession. •/The mayor went into politics as a very young man./ •/Mr, Johnson is going into business for himself./ •/Bill wants to go into law when he gets out of school./ Compare: GO IN FOR, TAKE UP(5b). 4. To start to talk about; bring up the subject of; examine. •/We’ll talk about the dead mouse after dinner, Billy. Let’s not go into it now./ •/The teacher went into the subject of newspapers today./ Compare: LOOK INTO.

[go into a huddle]{v. phr.} 1. To gather close together as a team in a football game, usually to find out your team’s next play. •/The football team which has the ball goes into a huddle before every play to get orders on what play they will use./ 2. {informal} To talk together privately about something; discuss something where others cannot hear. •/The man went into a huddle with his lawyers before answering the question./ •/The doctors went into a huddle and decided to operate./

[go into a nose dive] See: GO INTO A TAIL SPIN.

[go into a tailspin] or [go into a nose dive]{v. phr.}, {informal} To fall or go down badly; collapse; give up trying. •/The team went into a tailspin after their captain was hurt, and they were badly beaten./ 2. {informal} To become very anxious, confused, or mentally sick; give up hope. •/The man went into a tailspin after his wife died and he never got over it./

[go into orbit]{v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To become very happy or successful. •/Our team has gone into orbit./ Compare: FLY HIGH. 2. To lose one’s temper or control completely; become very angry. •/John was afraid his father would go into orbit when he found out about the car accident./ Compare: HIT THE CEILING.

[go it]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To go fast; run hard; not to spare yourself. – Often used as a command. •/The coach yelled to the runner to go it./ •/At the party the girls cheered for their partners to go it./ •/The boys called, «Go it!» to the dog chasing the cat./ 2. To live; continue to do or work. •/John wants to leave home and go it alone./ Compare: ON ONE’S OWN.

[go jump in the lake]{v. phr.}, {informal} To go away and quit being a bother. •/George was tired of Tom’s advice and told him to go jump in the lake./ Compare: GO CHASE YOURSELF, GO FLY A KITE.

[gold] See: HEART OF GOLD.

[golden] See: KILL THE GOOSE THAT LAID THE GOLDEN EGG.

[goldfish bowl]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. A situation in which it is not possible to keep things secret for any length of time. •/Washington Society is a goldfish bowl./ 2. An apartment or place that provides no privacy for its occupant, e.g., an office that has too many windows. •/Joe’s office is a goldfish bowl, that’s why I didn’t let him kiss me there./

[golf widow]{n.}, {informal} A woman whose husband is often away from home playing golf. •/Mrs. Thompson didn’t like being a golf widow./

[go legit]{v. phr.} To start practicing a legitimate business after having been operating outside of the law. •/«The old days are over,» the crime boss said to his friends. «We are going legit as of right now.»/

[go like clockwork] or [go off like clockwork]{v. phr.}, {informal} To run smoothly and regularly like the workings of a clock; go smoothly and without difficulty; go on time or as planned. •/The car’s motor went like clockwork after Bob fixed it./ •/The birthday party went off like clockwork and everyone had a good time./

[go native]{v. phr.} To behave like a native (said of European Americans in tropical countries). •/Mainlanders often go native in Hawaii./

[gone goose] also [gone gosling]{n.}, {slang} A person for whom there is no hope. •/Herbert’s grades have been so low that he is a gone goose for the year./ •/The man was a gone gosling when a policeman caught him breaking the store window./

[gone with the wind]{adj. phr.} Gone forever; past; vanished. •/All the Indians who used to live here are gone with the wind./ •/Joe knew that his chance to get an "A" was gone with the wind when he saw how hard the test was./ Compare: DOWN THE DRAIN.

[good] See: AS GOOD AS, AS GOOD AS ONE GETS, BUT GOOD, DO ONE GOOD, FOR GOOD, FOR GOOD MEASURE, GET THE GOODS ON, HOLD GOOD, IN GOOD, IN GOOD FAITH, IN GOOD TIME, IN ONE’S GOOD GRACES, IT’S AN ILL WIND THAT BLOWS NOBODY GOOD, MAKE GOOD, MISS IS AS GOOD AS A MILE, NO GOOD, ON ONE’S GOOD BEHAVIOR, ON ONE’S GOOD SIDE, SO FAR, SO GOOD, STAND IN GOOD STEAD, TO THE GOOD, WELL AND GOOD, WITH GOOD GRACE.

[good and –]{adv.}, {informal} Very; completely. •/John’s father was good and mad when John came home late./ •/Jack knew good and well that Tom had thrown the snowball at him./ •/I pushed Bill good and hard./ •/Susan wouldn’t come out till she was good and ready./ •/I beat Joe good and proper in the game of marbles./

[good as] See: AS GOOD AS.

[good as one’s promise] See: AS GOOD AS ONE’S WORD.

[good as one’s word] See: AS GOOD AS ONE’S WORD.

[good buddy]{n.}, {slang}, {citizen’s hand radio jargon} Salutation used by truckers and automobile drivers who have CB radios. •/What’s the Smokey situation, good buddy?/

[good command] See: HAVE A GOOD COMMAND OF.