go on
[verb]
Synonyms: persevere, carry on, hang on, persist, behave, acquit, act, bear, carry, comport, conduct, demean, deport, quit

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English Thesaurus: continue, last, go on, carry on, drag on, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

go on phrasal verb (see also go)

1. CONTINUE
a) to continue doing something or being in a situation
go on doing something
He went on working until he was 91.
go on with
One of the actors was unwell and couldn’t go on with the performance.
I can’t go on like this for much longer.
b) to continue without stopping:
The noise goes on 24 hours a day.
The screaming went on and on (=continued for a long time). ⇒ ongoing

2. HAPPEN to happen:
I don’t know what’s going on.
What were the children doing while all this was going on?
Like all good resorts, there is plenty going on. ⇒ goings-on

3. DO SOMETHING NEXT to do something after you have finished doing something else
go on to do something
She went on to become a successful surgeon.
go on to
Go on to the next question when you’ve finished.

4. CONTINUE TALKING to continue talking, especially after stopping or changing to a different subject:
Go on, I’m listening.
‘But,’ he went on, ‘we have to deal with the problems we’re facing.’
go on with
After a short pause Maria went on with her story.

5. go on spoken
a) used to encourage someone to do something:
Go on, have another piece of cake.
b) used when you are agreeing to do something or giving permission for something:
‘Are you sure you won’t have another drink?’ ‘Oh, go on then.’
‘Can I go outside, Dad?’ ‘Yeah, go on then.’
c) (also go on with you) British English old-fashioned used to tell someone that you do not believe them

6. USE AS PROOF go on something to base an opinion or judgment on something:
Police haven’t much to go on in their hunt for the killer.

7. START TO WORK if a machine or piece of equipment goes on, it starts to work:
The heat goes on automatically at 6 o'clock.

8. TIME to pass:
As time went on, I grew fond of him.

9. BEHAVE British English informal the way someone goes on is the way they behave:
The way she’s going on, she’ll have a nervous breakdown.

10. be going on (for) 5 o'clock/60/25 etc to be nearly a particular time, age, number etc:
Nancy must be going on for 60.
She’s one of those wise teenagers who’s 16 going on 70 (=she behaves as though she is older than she is).

11. GO IN FRONT (also go on ahead) to go somewhere before the other people you are with:
Bill went on in the car and I followed on foot.

12. TALK TOO MUCH informal to talk too much:
I really like Clare but she does go on.
go on about
I got tired of him going on about all his problems.
He just went on and on about his new girlfriend.

13. CRITICIZE British English informal to continue to criticize someone or ask them to do something in a way that annoys them:
The way she went on, you would have thought it was all my fault.
go on at
Stop going on at me!
go on at somebody to do something
My wife’s always going on at me to dress better.
go on at somebody about something
He’s always going on at me about fixing the door.

14. DEVELOP British English spoken informal to develop or make progress

15. to be going on with/to go on with British English informal if you have enough of something to be going on with, you have enough for now:
Have you got enough money to be going on with?

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

continue to happen without stopping:
The good weather seems likely to continue.
Unless there are serious negotiations, the fighting will continue.
Some people have lost work, and this will continue to happen until the computer system is fixed.
The review process is expected to continue for several weeks.
last to continue – use this to say how long something continues for:
I know my good luck won’t last forever.
It’s not certain how long the ceasefire will last.
The trial lasted for six days.
The meeting lasted until lunchtime.
The training period lasted from July 2 to August 25.
go on to continue, especially for a long time:
Disputes between neighbours can go on for years.
carry on British English to continue, especially when there are problems:
The game carried on despite the injury of two players.
drag on to continue for much longer than necessary or for longer than you want:
The meeting dragged on for another hour.
The talks dragged on, with no apparent hope of achieving a peaceful solution.
persist formal if something bad persists, it continues to exist or happen:
See your doctor if the symptoms persist.
If adverse weather conditions persist, the game will be cancelled.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

continue to not stop doing something that you are already doing:
We need the money to continue our work.
They continued arguing for a long time.
Despite all the warnings, many people continue to smoke.
Sometimes she just couldn’t see the point of continuing.
My teacher advised me to continue with my studies.
go on (also carry on especially British English) to continue doing something. Go on is less formal than continue, and is the phrase that people usually use in everyday English:
Dan went on talking but she was no longer listening.
He carried on with his day job.
Sheehan has carried on with her campaign.
keep (on) doing something [not in progressive] to continue doing something for a long time – especially so that you feel tired or annoyed:
We kept on walking until we got to the top of the hill.
The man kept staring at me.
persevere /ˌpɜːsəˈvɪə, ˌpɜːsɪˈvɪə $ ˌpɜːrsəˈvɪr/ to continue trying to do something in a very patient and determined way, in spite of difficulties. Persevere sounds rather formal:
He didn’t know any English, but he persevered and became a good student.
Her health was rapidly declining but she persevered with her duties.
Stevenson persevered in his efforts to discover what had really happened.
Children today seem less willing to seek out challenges and persevere in the face of adversity.
last to continue – use this to say how long something continues for:
I know my good luck won’t last forever.
It’s not certain how long the ceasefire will last.
The trial lasted for six days.
The meeting lasted until lunchtime.
The training period lasted from July 2 to August 25.
carry on British English to continue, especially when there are problems:
The game carried on despite the injury of two players.
drag on to continue for much longer than necessary or for longer than you want:
The meeting dragged on for another hour.
The talks dragged on, with no apparent hope of achieving a peaceful solution.
persist formal if something bad persists, it continues to exist or happen:
See your doctor if the symptoms persist.
If adverse weather conditions persist, the game will be cancelled.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

last most recent or nearest to the present time:
His last film was much better.
It rained all day last Saturday.
The last time I saw her was two years ago.
previous before this one, or before the one that you are talking about:
See the diagram in the previous chapter.
His previous records had all been jazz records.
How much were you earning in your previous job?
former [only before noun] formal existing or having a particular position in the past, but not now:
the former Soviet Union
the former US president
Interest rates are unlikely to return to their former level.
the former Chief Executive
old [only before noun] used about a person or thing that existed in the past, but has been replaced by a newer one:
an old boyfriend
The old model was much slower.
final [only before noun] last in a series of actions, events, parts of a story etc:
It’s the final game of the championship tomorrow.
the final scene of the film
closing [only before noun] used about the last part of a long period of time, or of an event, book etc that has been exciting or interesting:
the closing years of the twentieth century
Barnes scored the winning goal in the closing minutes of the game.
concluding [only before noun] used about the last part of a piece of writing, a speech, or an organized event, that ends it in a definite way:
the concluding section of the report
the judge’s concluding remarks
penultimate /peˈnʌltəmət, peˈnʌltɪmət, pə-/ [only before noun] the one before the last one:
the penultimate chapter
continue to happen without stopping:
The good weather seems likely to continue.
Unless there are serious negotiations, the fighting will continue.
Some people have lost work, and this will continue to happen until the computer system is fixed.
The review process is expected to continue for several weeks.
go on to continue, especially for a long time:
Disputes between neighbours can go on for years.
carry on British English to continue, especially when there are problems:
The game carried on despite the injury of two players.
drag on to continue for much longer than necessary or for longer than you want:
The meeting dragged on for another hour.
The talks dragged on, with no apparent hope of achieving a peaceful solution.
persist formal if something bad persists, it continues to exist or happen:
See your doctor if the symptoms persist.
If adverse weather conditions persist, the game will be cancelled.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

go on
1. to be put on something, to fit on something
The top of the jar would not go on so I threw it in the garbage.

2. to continue
The game will probably go on for an hour after we leave.

3. to talk for too long
My friend started to go on about his problems so I decided to leave.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

go on
v.
1a. To continue; not stop.
After he was hit by the ball, Billy quit pitching and went home, but the game went on.
The TV picture began to jump, and it went on like that until Father turned a knob.
I asked Jane a question but she went on reading and didn't answer.
Mother told Jim to stop, but he went on hitting Susan.
Synonym: KEEP ON.
1b. To continue after a pause; begin with the next thing.
"Go on! I'm listening," said Mother.
The teacher pointed to the map, and went on, "But the land that Columbus came to was not India."
■ Often used before an infinitive.
Father said Mother had gone to the hospital, and went on to say that Grandmother was coming to take care of us.
1c. (Of time:) To pass.
As time went on, Mary began to wonder if John had forgotten their date.
The years went on, and Betty's classmates became gray-haired men and women.
2. To happen.
Mr. Scott heard the noise and went to see what was going on in the hall.
The teacher knows what goes on when she leaves the room.
Synonym: TAKE PLACE.
3. To talk for too long, often angrily.
We thought Jane would never finish going on about the amount of homework she had.
4. To fit on; be able to be worn.
My little brother's coat wouldn't go on me. It was too small.
5. Stop trying to fool me; I don't believe you.
■ Used as a command, sometimes with "with".
When Father told Mother she was the prettiest girl in the world. Mother just said, "Oh, go on, Charles."
"Aunt May, your picture is in the paper." "Go on with you, boy!"

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲