Definition

1. Intransitive Verb:

   • To begin operating or functioning: To start working, often referring to machines, lights, or systems.
   • To continue or proceed: To keep doing something or to proceed with an action or state.
   • To happen or take place: To occur; to be the event that is happening.
   • To talk for a long time, often excessively: To continue speaking, sometimes in a way that others find tedious.

2. Phrasal Verb:

   • "Go on" functions as a multi-word verb where the combination of "go" and "on" creates meanings distinct from the individual words.

Examples of Usage

• Intransitive Verb (Begin operating):

  • As soon as the power was restored, the lights went on.
  • The engine went on after a few tries.

• Intransitive Verb (Continue):

  • Please go on with your story; I'm listening.
  • Despite the noise, she went on reading her book.

• Intransitive Verb (Happen):

  • What's going on in the next room?
  • A strange ceremony was going on in the village square.

• Intransitive Verb (Talk at length):

  • He went on about his vacation for nearly an hour.
  • Once she starts talking about her garden, she just goes on and on.

Advanced Usage

• "To go on doing something": To persist in an activity without stopping.

  • She went on working despite feeling unwell.

• "To go on with something": To continue a particular task or narrative.

  • He decided to go on with the project despite the setbacks.

• "To go on and on": To talk or continue for an excessively long time (often used disapprovingly).

  • The lecture went on and on until everyone was bored.

• "To go on about something/someone": To talk repeatedly or tiresomely about a particular subject.

  • He's always going on about the good old days.

Variants and Related Words

• Ongoing (Adjective): Currently happening or continuing.

  • The negotiations are an ongoing process.

• Goings-on (Noun, plural): Events or activities, especially those that are unusual or suspicious.

  • I don't trust the strange goings-on in that old house.

Synonyms

• Continue: To persist in an activity or state.
• Proceed: To begin or continue a course of action.
• Occur: To happen; to take place.
• Operate: To function or work (for machines).

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Go on at someone: To criticize or nag someone persistently.

  • My parents are always going on at me to clean my room.

• Go on to something: To proceed to a new stage, topic, or action.

  • After discussing the problem, we went on to propose solutions.

Related Idioms

• "Go on, then": An expression of encouragement or permission to do something.

  • You want to try? Go on, then.

• "As time goes on": As time passes; progressively.

  • As time goes on, the pain will lessen.

• "A going concern": A business that is actively operating and successful.

  • The cafe they bought was already a going concern.

Verb

1. start running, functioning, or operating
   • the lights went on
   • the computer came up
2. continue talking
   • I know it's hard, he continued, but there is no choice
   • carry on--pretend we are not in the room
3. move forward, also in the metaphorical sense
   • Time marches on
4. come to pass
   • What is happening?
   • The meeting took place off without an incidence
   • Nothing occurred that seemed important
5. continue a certain state, condition, or activity
   • Keep on working!
   • We continued to work into the night
   • Keep smiling
   • We went on working until well past midnight