Definition

1. Verb:
   • To move from one side to the other side of something; to traverse: The primary meaning is to physically move across a space, boundary, or obstacle.
   • To be understood or accepted; to be communicated successfully: A figurative meaning where an idea, message, or feeling passes from one person or place to another.

Usage

• As a verb, "go across" is typically used with a direct object (what is being crossed) or can be used intransitively when the location is clear from context.
• It often implies a completed movement from a starting point to a finishing point on the other side.

Examples

• Literal Movement:
  • You must look both ways before you go across the street.
  • The bridge is the safest way to go across the river.
• Figurative Communication:
  • I'm not sure if my main point went across during the presentation.
  • The urgency of the message finally went across to the team.

Advanced Usage

• "to go across well/badly": To be received favorably or unfavorably by an audience.
  • His joke did not go across well with the serious crowd.
• "to go across to": Can imply switching allegiance or moving to a different place or group.
  • After the debate, several voters went across to the other candidate.

Variants and Related Words

• Cross (verb): A more common single-word synonym for the literal meaning of traversing.
• Traverse (verb): A more formal synonym meaning to travel across.
• Go over: Can be a synonym in some contexts, especially for figurative understanding (e.g., ).

Synonyms

• Traverse
• Cross
• Pass over
• Navigate (implies skill in crossing)

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Go over: To review or examine; can also mean to be received (similar to "go across").
  • Let's go over the plan one more time.
• Get across: To successfully communicate an idea (more common than "go across" in this figurative sense).
  • It's hard to get the concept across to beginners.

Related Idioms

• Go across the board: Applying to everyone or everything equally.
  • The pay raise will go across the board for all employees.
• Go across the grain: To act contrary to the natural tendency or norm.
  • His decision to resign went across the grain of everyone's expectations.

Verb

1. go across or through
   • We passed the point where the police car had parked
   • A terrible thought went through his mind