The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  glass ceiling An unacknowledged discriminatory barrier to advancement, especially for women and minorities. For example, Harriet knew she’d never be promoted—she would never get through the glass ceiling. [1980s]

  glasses → See SEE THROUGH ROSE-COLORED GLASSES.

  glass is half full, the A person views the situation optimistically or hopefully. For example, Betty was not upset by the last-minute change, since it gave her extra time—she always sees the glass as half full. The opposite—that is, the pessimistic view—is put as the glass is half empty. Also see BRIGHT SIDE.

  glitter → See ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD.

  glory → See IN ONE’S GLORY.

  gloss over Make attractive or acceptable by deception or superficial treatment. For example, His resumé glossed over his lack of experience, or She tried to gloss over the mistake by insisting it would make no difference. [Mid-1600s]

  glove → See FIT LIKE A GLOVE; HAND IN GLOVE; HANDLE WITH (KID) GLOVES; HANG UP (ONE’S GLOVES); WITH THE GLOVES OFF.

  glutton for punishment Someone who habitually takes on burdensome or unpleasant tasks or unreasonable amounts of work. For example, Rose agreed to organize the church fair for the third year in a row—she’s a glutton for punishment. This expression originated as a glutton for work in the late 1800s, punishment being substituted about a century later.

  gnash one’s teeth Express a strong emotion, usually rage, as in When Jonah found out he was not going to be promoted, he gnashed his teeth. This expression is actually redundant, since gnash means “to strike the teeth together.” Edmund Spenser used it in The Faerie Queene (1590): “And both did gnash their teeth.” [Late 1500s]

  go, goes, going → In addition to the idioms beginning with GO, GOES, and GOING, also see ALL OUT, GO; ALL SYSTEMS GO; ANYTHING GOES; AS FAR AS THAT GOES; BEST-LAID PLANS GO ASTRAY; COME AND GO; COMING AND GOING; COMING OR GOING; COMINGS AND GOINGS; DOWN THE DRAIN, GO; DUTCH TREAT (GO DUTCH); EASY COME, EASY GO; FROM THE WORD GO; GET A MOVE ON (GOING); GET GOING; HAVE A CRACK (GO) AT; HAVE A GOOD THING GOING; HAVE GOING FOR ONE; HEART GOES OUT TO; HEAVY GOING; HERE GOES; HERE ONE GOES AGAIN; IN (GO INTO) EFFECT; LET GO; MAKE A GO OF; NO DICE (NO GO); ON THE GO; PAY AS YOU GO; RARING TO GO; SHOW MUST GO ON; TOUCH AND GO; WAY TO GO; WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND; WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE. Also see under GONE.

  go about 1. Also, go around. Move here and there, to and fro; also, circulate. For example, She’s been going about telling everyone the news, or A report went around that the dollar was dropping. [c. 1300] 2. Set about, undertake, as in I’m not sure how to go about making a pie. [Late 1600s] 3. go about one’s business. Proceed with one’s own proper occupation or concern. For example, Don’t bother with that—just go about your business. [Late 1600s]

  go after Pursue, try to get, as in The officer went after the burglar, or Ed was going after a new job with a vengeance. [Mid-1400s]

  go against Oppose, be in conflict with, as in Does this legislation go against their best interest? [c. 1600] Also see AGAINST THE GRAIN.

  go ahead 1. Move forward rapidly or act without restraint; also, continue something. For example, If you want to borrow the tractor, go ahead. This expression is often put as go ahead with, as in Are you going ahead with the house party? The term dates from the mid-1600s and gave rise to give the go-ahead, meaning “give permission to move or act in some way.” 2. go ahead of. Make one’s way to the front of, as in They went ahead of me to see the purser. [Mid-1700s]

  go all out → See ALL OUT.

  go all the way 1. Continue on a course to the end, as in The town agreed to put in a sewer but would not go all the way with widening the street. [First half of 1900s] Also see GO THE DISTANCE. 2. Engage in sexual intercourse, as in Her mother told her some boys will always try to make her go all the way. [Slang; second half of 1900s]

  go along 1. Move on, proceed, as in She was going along, singing a little song. This expression is also used as an imperative meaning “be off” or “get away from here,” as in The police ordered them to go along. [First half of 1500s] 2. Also, go along with. Cooperate, acquiesce, agree. For example, Don’t worry about enough votes—we’ll go along, or I’ll go along with you on that issue. [c. 1600] 3. Accompany someone, as in I’ll go along with you until we reach the gate. [c. 1600] This usage gave rise to the phrase go along for the ride, meaning “to accompany someone but without playing an active part,” as in I won’t be allowed to vote at this meeting so I’m just going along for the ride.

  go a long way → See GO FAR.

  go a long way toward Have considerable effect or influence on. For example, This argument goes a long way toward proving the scientists are wrong, or, as Eudora Welty put it in The Ponder Heart (1954): “It went a long way toward making him touchy about what Uncle Daniel had gone and done.” This idiom, then put as go a great way toward, was first recorded in 1697.

  go and This phrase is an intensifier, that is, it heightens the action indicated by the verb that follows it. For example, Don’t go and eat all the leftover chicken is stronger than “Don’t eat all the leftover chicken.” Similarly, Thomas Gray put it in a letter (1760): “But now she has gone... and married that Monsieur de Wolmar.” Sometimes the and is omitted, as in Go tell Dad dinner is ready, or Go fly a kite, colloquial imperatives telling someone to do something. [c. 1300]

  go ape Become wildly excited or enthusiastic. For example, The audience went ape over the band. This idiom is a modern version of the older GO BERSERK. It fancifully equates frenzy with an ape’s behavior. [Second half of 1900s] Also see GO BANANAS.

  go around 1. Also, go round. Satisfy a demand or need, as in Is there enough food to go around? [Mid-1800s] 2. Same as GO ABOUT, def. 1. 3. go around with. Same as GO WITH, def. 1. 4. go or run around in circles. Engage in excited but useless activity. For example, Bill ran around in circles trying organize us but to no avail. This idiom was first recorded in 1933. For what goes around comes around, see under FULL CIRCLE.

  go astray Wander off the right path or subject; also, wander into evil or error. For example, it was hard to follow the lecturer’s gist, since he kept going astray, or The gang members made him go astray, and he ended up in court. This expression alludes to sheep or other animals that stray from the rest of the flock. Indeed, Handel’s oratorio Messiah (1741) has this chorus: “All we like sheep have gone astray, Every one to his own way.” [c. 1300]

  goat → See GET SOMEONE’S GOAT; SEPARATE THE SHEEP FROM THE GOATS.

  go at Attack, especially with energy; also, proceed vigorously. For example, The dog went at the postman’s legs, or Tom went at the woodpile, chopping away. This idiom is sometimes put as go at it, as in When the audience had settled down, the lecturer went at it with renewed vigor. [First half of 1800s]

  go away Depart, leave a place, travel somewhere. For example, They went away this morning, or Are you going away this winter? This expression also can be used as an imperative ordering someone to leave: Go away! It can also be used figuratively to mean “disappear,” as in This fever just doesn’t go away. [c. 1200]

  go back 1. Return, retrace one’s steps; also, return to a former condition. For example, I’m going back to the haunts of my youth, or We want to go back to the old way of doing things. [First half of 1500s] 2. Extend backward in space or time, as in Our land goes back to the stone wall, or The family name goes back to Norman times. [Second half of 1600s] Also see GO BACK ON.

  go back on Fail to honor or keep, as in You can’t go back on your word, or One should never go back on a promise. [Mid-1800s]

  go bad Spoil, decay; also, turn to crime. For example, You can tell from the smell that this milk has gone bad, or If he keeps running around with that street gang, he’s sure to go bad. [Late 1800s]

  go ballistic Become extremely upset or angry, as in Dad will go ballistic when he sees you dented the new car. This expression, a variation on GO BESERK, originally alluded to a guided missile going out of control. [Slang; mid-1980s]

  go bana
nas Act crazy, as in When it comes to animal rights, some people go bananas. According to the lexicographer J. E. Lighter, this expression may allude to the similar GO APE, in that apes and other primates are closely associated with eating bananas. [Slang; second half of 1900s]

  go begging Be in little or no demand, as in At this time of year barrels of apples go begging. [Late 1500s]

  go belly-up Fail, go bankrupt, as in This company’s about to go belly-up. This expression alludes to the posture of a dead fish in the water. [Slang; early 1900s] Also see GO BROKE.

  go berserk Erupt in furious rage, become crazily violent. For example, When they announced the gymnast’s score, her coach went berserk. This expression is believed to allude to the name of Norse warriors renowned for their ferocity in battle and for wearing no armor but a bearskin shirt (or berserkar). [Late 1800s] Also see GO APE.

  go broke Also, go bust. Undergo financial collapse, lose most or all of one’s money. For example, The company’s about to go broke, or The producer of that movie went bust. The first expression dates from the mid-1600s; the second, slangier variant dates from the mid-1800s.

  go by 1. Elapse, pass, as in the popular song, “As Time Goes By” (by Herman Hupfeld, 1931), or He just went by our house. [c. 1600] 2. Ignore, fail to notice or take advantage of, as in You shouldn’t let this opportunity go by. [Early 1500s] For the related go by the board, see BY THE BOARD. 3. Rely on, believe, as in I’m going by the numbers on this list, or We’ll have to go by what she tells us. 4. go by the name of. Be known by or use a specific name. For example, She continued to go by her maiden name, Mary Smith. [Late 1500s]

  God → In addition to the idioms beginning with GOD, also see ACT OF GOD; FOR GOD’S SAKE; HONEST TO GOD; LAP OF THE GODS; MILLS OF THE GODS GRIND SLOWLY; MY GOD; PUT THE FEAR OF GOD INTO; SO HELP ME (GOD); THANK GOD; THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD GO I; TIN GOD.

  God forbid → Also, heaven forbid. May God prevent something from happening or being the case. For example, God forbid that they actually encounter a bear, or Heaven forbid that the tornado pulls off the roof. This term, in which heaven also stands for “God,” does not necessarily imply a belief in God’s direct intervention but merely expresses a strong wish. [c. 1225] For a synonym, see PERISH THE THOUGHT.

  God knows Also, goodness knows; heaven knows.1. Truly, certainly, definitely, as in God knows I need a winter coat. This expression, which originated about 1300 as God wot, does not necessarily imply that God is all-knowing but merely emphasizes the truth of the statement it accompanies. The variants using goodness and heaven are euphemisms that avoid taking God’s name in vain. [Second half of 1500s] 2. Also, God only knows. Only God knows, that is, neither I nor anyone else knows, as in God knows where I’ve stored those photos, or God only knows how many people will join the march. [Second half of 1500s]

  go down 1. Descend to a lower level; drop below the horizon, fall to the ground, or sink. For example, Don’t let the baby go down the stairs alone, or The sun went down behind the hill, or I was afraid the plane would go down, or The ship went down and all hands were lost. [c. 1300] 2. Experience defeat or ruin, as in They went down fighting, or The boxer went down in the first round. [Late 1500s] 3. Decrease, subside, as in After Christmas prices will go down, or As soon as the swelling goes down it won’t hurt as much. [Second half of 1600s] 4. Be swallowed, as in This huge pill just won’t go down, or Your wine goes down very smoothly. [Second half of 1500s] 5. Be accepted or believed, as in How did your speech at the convention go down? When it takes an object, it is put as go down with, as in It’s hardly the truth but it still goes down with many voters. [c. 1600] 6. Also, go down in history. Be recorded or remembered, as in This event must go down in her book as one of the highlights of the year, or This debate will go down in history. [Late 1800s] 7. Occur, take place, as in Really crazy behavior was going down in the sixties. [Slang; mid-1900s] Also see COME DOWN, def. 4. 8. Be sent to prison, as in He went down for a five-year term. [Slang; c. 1900] 9. In the game of bridge, fail to fulfill one’s contract (that is, take fewer than the required number of tricks), as in We had bid four hearts and the bad distribution made us go down. [Early 1900s] Also see the subsequent idioms beginning with GO DOWN.

  go downhill Deteriorate, worsen, as in Ever since the recession began, the business has been going downhill. The figurative use of downhill for “decline” dates from the mid-1800s. Also see DOWNHILL ALL THE WAY.

  go down in history → See GO DOWN, def. 6.

  go down the drain → See DOWN THE DRAIN.

  go Dutch → See under DUTCH TREAT.

  go easy 1. Act or proceed with caution, as in Go easy moving that bookcase, or Go easy on the subject of layoffs. [Late 1800s] Also see EASY DOES IT; TAKE IT EASY. 2. go easy with or on; go light on. Use sparingly, as in Go easy with the makeup; a little lipstick is enough, or Go light on the salt. [Colloquial; early 1900s]

  goes to show → See GO TO SHOW.

  go far Also, go a long way. Be sufficient for nearly all that is required; also, last for a long time. For example, This turkey will go far to feed the people at the shelter, or She can really make that small amount of cash go a long way. [Early 1400s] Also see GO A LONG WAY TOWARD; GO SO FAR AS TO.

  go figure It doesn’t make sense; I can’t explain it but maybe you can. For example, They have five bathrooms and only two bedrooms—go figure. This imperative has a counterpart in Yiddish—gey rekhn for “go reckon”—or it may be a shortening of “You figure it out.” [Slang, second half of 1900s]

  go fly a kite Also, go chase yourself or climb a tree or jump in the lake or sit on a tack or soak your head. Go away and stop bothering me, as in Quit it, go fly a kite, or Go jump in the lake. All of these somewhat impolite colloquial imperatives date from the first half of the 1900s and use go as described under GO AND.

  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.

  go for nothing Be useless, serve no purpose. For example, He lost the case, so all our efforts on his behalf went for nothing. [Late 1500s] Also see GO FOR, def. 2.

  go great guns → See GREAT GUNS, def. 1.

  go halfway Also, meet someone halfway. Compromise, give up something for the sake of an agreement. For example, The Smiths are willing to go halfway and pay their share for snow-plowing, or I’ll make peace with Nancy if she’ll just meet me halfway. [Late 1500s]

  go halves Also, go fifty-fifty. Share equally. For example, Ann suggested that they go halves on the rent, or The brothers are going fifty-fifty in their new business. The first term dates from the late 1600s, the variant from the early 1900s.

  go hand in hand → See HAND IN HAND.

  go hard with
Be harmful or disadvantageous to. For example, If this case gets to a jury, it will go hard with the defendant. [First half of 1500s]

  go haywire Become wildly confused, out of control, or crazy. For example, The plans for the party have gone haywire, or His enemies accused the mayor of going haywire. This term alludes to the wire used for baling hay, which is hard to handle and readily tangled. [First half of 1900s]

  go hog wild Become crazy with excitement, as in The crowd went hog wild as soon as the band began to play. Why this expression should allude to the craziness of hogs is no longer known. [Colloquial; c. 1900]

  go in 1. Enter, especially into a building. For example, It’s cold out here, so can we go in? [Tenth century A.D.] 2. Be obscured, as in After the sun went in, it got quite chilly. [Late 1800s] 3. go in with. Join others in some venture. For example, He went in with the others to buy her a present. [Late 1800s] Also see the subsequent idioms beginning with GO IN.

  go in for 1. Have a particular interest in or liking for, as in He really goes in for classical music. [Mid-1800s] 2. Take part in, especially as a specialty. For example, She’s going in for tennis this year. [Mid-1800s]

  going for one → See HAVE GOING FOR ONE.

  going, going, gone No longer available, as in If you want this last doughnut speak up—going, going, gone! This expression, used by auctioneers to indicate the acceptance of a final bid for an item, is occasionally used more loosely, as in the example. It is beloved by baseball announcers when describing a home run as it approaches and clears the outfield wall. [c. 1800]

  going my way → See GO ONE’S WAY, def. 2.

  going on Also, going on for. Approaching, especially an age or time. For example, She’s twelve, going on thirteen, or It’s going on for midnight. The first term dates from the late 1500s, the variant from the mid-1800s. Also see GO ON.

  going to About to, will, as in I’m going to start planting now, or Do you think it’s going to rain? or We thought the train was going to stop here. This phrase is used with a verb (start, rain, stop in the examples) to show the future tense. Occasionally the verb is omitted because it is understood. For example, That wood hasn’t dried out yet but it’s going to soon, or Will you set the table?—Yes, I’m going to. [1400s] Also see GO TO.