Idioms with go

Here is a list of idiomatic expressions using the word go.

Go into overdrive

To go into overdrive is to work more intensely than normal.

• Whenever he is ready to publish a new book, his PR machinery goes into overdrive.

Go off on a tangent

To go off on a tangent is to digress – to discuss subjects that are outside the scope of the main topic.

• During his speech about international politics, he kept going off on a tangent and told stories about his military life.

Go with the flow

To go with the flow is to accept things the way they are.

• Your stress levels will go down, if you learn to live with the flow.

Go out of your way

To go out of your way is to make a special effort to do something.

• The hostess went out of her way to make everyone feel welcome.

Go through the motions

To go through the motions is to do something because you are expected to do it, and not because you want to do it.

• Now that he is quitting the firm, he isn’t working very hard. He is merely going through the motions.

Go for broke

To go for broke is to try your level best to do something.

• When you start a new business, you will have to go for broke.

Go haywire

When a machine goes haywire, it starts functioning in a crazy way.

• The car has started going haywire again.