follow









follow


follow [fol-oh] SynonymsExamplesWord Origin See more synonyms for follow on Thesaurus.com verb (used with object)

  1. to come after in sequence, order of time, etc.: The speech follows the dinner.
  2. to go or come after; move behind in the same direction: Drive ahead, and I’ll follow you.
  3. to accept as a guide or leader; accept the authority of or give allegiance to: Many Germans followed Hitler.
  4. to conform to, comply with, or act in accordance with; obey: to follow orders; to follow advice.
  5. to imitate or copy; use as an exemplar: They follow the latest fads.
  6. to move forward along (a road, path, etc.): Follow this road for a mile.
  7. to come after as a result or consequence; result from: Reprisals often follow victory.
  8. to go after or along with (a person) as companion.
  9. to go in pursuit of: to follow an enemy.
  10. to try for or attain to: to follow an ideal.
  11. to engage in or be concerned with as a pursuit: He followed the sea as his true calling.
  12. to watch the movements, progress, or course of: to follow a bird in flight.
  13. to watch the development of or keep up with: to follow the news.
  14. to keep up with and understand (an argument, story, etc.): Do you follow me?

verb (used without object)

  1. to come next after something else in sequence, order of time, etc.
  2. to happen or occur after something else; come next as an event: After the defeat great disorder followed.
  3. to attend or serve.
  4. to go or come after a person or thing in motion.
  5. to result as an effect; occur as a consequence: It follows then that he must be innocent.

noun

  1. the act of following.
  2. Billiards, Pool. follow shot(def 2).
  3. follow-up(def 3).

Verb Phrases

  1. follow out, to carry to a conclusion; execute: They followed out their orders to the letter.
  2. follow through,
    1. to carry out fully, as a stroke of a club in golf, a racket in tennis, etc.
    2. to continue an effort, plan, proposal, policy, etc., to its completion.
  3. follow up,
    1. to pursue closely and tenaciously.
    2. to increase the effectiveness of by further action or repetition.
    3. to pursue to a solution or conclusion.

Idioms

  1. follow suit. suit(def 21).

Origin of follow before 900; Middle English folwen, Old English folgian; cognate with Old Saxon folgon, Old High German folgēn, folgōn (German folgen)Related formsfol·low·a·ble, adjectiveun·fol·low·a·ble, adjectiveun·fol·lowed, adjectivewell-fol·lowed, adjectiveSynonyms for follow See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com 3. obey. 4. heed, observe. 8. accompany, attend. 9. pursue, chase; trail, track, trace. 19. arise, proceed. Follow, ensue, result, succeed imply coming after something else, in a natural sequence. Follow is the general word: We must wait to see what follows. A detailed account follows. Ensue implies a logical sequence, what might be expected normally to come after a given act, cause, etc.: When the power lines were cut, a paralysis of transportation ensued. Result emphasizes the connection between a cause or event and its effect, consequence, or outcome: The accident resulted in injuries to those involved. Succeed implies coming after in time, particularly coming into a title, office, etc.: Formerly the oldest son succeeded to his father’s title. Antonyms for follow 1. precede. 2, 3. lead. 4. disregard. 9. flee. Related Words for followed pursue, track, seek, accompany, attend, serve, support, adopt, watch, keep, reflect, observe, see, accept, get, supervene, supersede, displace, replace, succeed Examples from the Web for followed Contemporary Examples of followed

  • It was followed by several told-you-so articles with titles like “Have No Illusion: Islam Is the Enemy.”

    Europe’s Islam Haters Say We Told You So

    Barbie Latza Nadeau

    January 8, 2015

  • The Daily Beast has followed some of the refugees who landed in Sicily a month ago.

    Ghost Ships of the Mediterranean

    Barbie Latza Nadeau

    January 6, 2015

  • San Francisco was the first city to pass one in 2006; since then, 14 other cities and three states have followed suit.

    Christie Blames Parents for Bad Economy

    Monica Potts

    January 3, 2015

  • Some in the intelligence community seem to have followed through on that plan.

    The Dangerous Drug-Funded Secret War Between Iran and Pakistan

    Umar Farooq

    December 29, 2014

  • Vice President Joe Biden spoke, followed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, then Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner William Bratton.

    Choking Back Tears, Thousands of Cops Honor Fallen Officer Ramos

    Michael Daly

    December 28, 2014

  • Historical Examples of followed

  • There was another debate over Spring, who had followed his master as usual.

    The Armourer’s Prentices

    Charlotte M. Yonge

  • Other voices no less inspired had followed; and, living, spoke to us.

    ‘Tis Sixty Years Since

    Charles Francis Adams

  • I do not propose to speak in detail of the dinner that followed.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

  • Got on the track just before dark and followed it along a few miles.

    Explorations in Australia

    John Forrest

  • Followed up the gully about a mile, and came to a small spring, and camped.

    Explorations in Australia

    John Forrest

  • British Dictionary definitions for followed follow verb

    1. to go or come after in the same directionhe followed his friend home
    2. (tr) to accompany; attendshe followed her sister everywhere
    3. to come after as a logical or natural consequence
    4. (tr) to keep to the course or track ofshe followed the towpath
    5. (tr) to act in accordance with; obeyto follow instructions
    6. (tr) to accept the ideas or beliefs of (a previous authority, etc)he followed Donne in most of his teachings
    7. to understand (an explanation, argument, etc)the lesson was difficult to follow
    8. to watch closely or continuouslyshe followed his progress carefully
    9. (tr) to have a keen interest into follow athletics
    10. (tr) to help in the cause of or accept the leadership ofthe men who followed Napoleon
    11. (tr) to choose to receive messages posted by (a blogger or microblogger)I’ve been following her online
    12. (tr) rare to earn a living at or into follow the Navy
    13. follow suit cards
      1. to play a card of the same suit as the card played immediately before it
      2. to do the same as someone else

    noun

    1. billiards snooker
      1. a forward spin imparted to a cue ball causing it to roll after the object ball
      2. a shot made in this way

    See also follow-on, follow out, follow through, follow up Derived Formsfollowable, adjectiveWord Origin for follow Old English folgian; related to Old Frisian folgia, Old Saxon folgōn, Old High German folgēn Word Origin and History for followed follow v.

    Old English folgian, fylgan “follow, accompany; follow after, pursue,” also “obey, apply oneself to a practice or calling,” from West Germanic *fulg- (cf. Old Saxon folgon, Old Frisian folgia, Middle Dutch volghen, Dutch volgen, Old High German folgen, German folgen, Old Norse fylgja “to follow”).

    Probably originally a compound, *full-gan with a sense of “full-going;” the sense then shifting to “serve, go with as an attendant” (cf. fulfill). Related: Followed; following. To follow one’s nose “go straight on” first attested 1590s. “The full phrase is, ‘Follow your nose, and you are sure to go straight.’ ” [Farmer].

    Idioms and Phrases with followed follow

    In addition to the idioms beginning with follow

  • follow along
  • follow in someone’s footsteps
  • follow one’s nose
  • follow out
  • follow suit
  • follow the crowd
  • follow through
  • follow up
  • also see:

  • as follows
  • camp follower
  • hard act to follow
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