Dictionary

go by en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To pass or go past without much interaction.
   • I like to sit and watch the world go by. The rest of the day went by quickly.
2. (transitive) To be called, to use as a name.
   • His full name is Ernest Tinkleton, but he goes by Ernie.
3. (transitive, with gender pronouns as object) To suggest or request that other people use a specific set of gender pronouns when referring to the subject.
   • I go by they/them pronouns.
4. (transitive) To follow; to assume as true for the purposes of making a decision, taking an action, etc.
   • The uncared-for external appearance of the tanks is nothing to go by, for the glass-lined tanks are kept in perfect condition. 1959 March, R. C. Riley, “Home with the Milk”, in Trains Illustrated, page 155:
   • Martin says Rhymes with Reason is still in the testing phase. It's used in only a handful of classes, and he doesn't yet have reliable data to show that it actually improves test scores or vocabulary. ¶ But if the kids in Eddie Moyé's eighth-grade class are anything to go by, Austin Martin is on to something. 2015 December 23, Joe Palca, “Hip-Hop Vocab: The Lexicon Is In The Lyrics”, in NPR:
   • Or perhaps we will sink back into our culture of complacent exceptionalism and await the next plague that will surely arrive. To go by recent history, that moment will come sooner than we think. 2020 April 9, Richard Horton, “Coronavirus is the greatest global science policy failure in a generation”, in The Guardian:
   • I'm only going by what my teacher said.
   • a good rule to go by

Forms

Synonyms

forpass · pass by · slip by · pass by · forthglide · use · roll on · go by · transpass · pass · overgo · fly by · go off

Translations (40)

sh mimoići (to pass by without paying attention to) · es seguir (to follow; to assume as true for the purposes of making a decision, taking an action, etc.) · la praetereo (to pass by without paying attention to) · pl osądzać po (to follow; to assume as true for the purposes of making a decision, taking an action, etc.) · es fiarse de (to follow; to assume as true for the purposes of making a decision, taking an action, etc.) · es inferir a partir de/según (to follow; to assume as true for the purposes of making a decision, taking an action, etc.) · pl mieć na imię (to be called, to use as a name) · la praeterbito (to pass by without paying attention to) · pl osądzić po (to follow; to assume as true for the purposes of making a decision, taking an action, etc.) · eo nomiĝi (to be called, to use as a name) · fr ignorer (to pass by without paying attention to) · cmn 路過 /路过 (to pass by without paying attention to) · eo sekvi (to follow; to assume as true for the purposes of making a decision, taking an action, etc.) · pl sądzić po (to follow; to assume as true for the purposes of making a decision, taking an action, etc.) · ru проходи́ть (to pass by without paying attention to) · ja 擦れ違う (to pass by without paying attention to) · pl mijać (to pass by without paying attention to) · fr se fier à (to follow; to assume as true for the purposes of making a decision, taking an action, etc.) · cst nitkókni wá̄ka (to pass by without paying attention to) · pl mieć na nazwisko (to be called, to use as a name) · pl minąć (to pass by without paying attention to) · es llamarlo (to be called, to use as a name) · cmn 称呼 (to be called, to use as a name) · fi noudattaa (to follow; to assume as true for the purposes of making a decision, taking an action, etc.) · eo pasi (to pass by without paying attention to) · fr se faire appeler (to be called, to use as a name) · fr passer (to pass by without paying attention to) · fr suivre (to follow; to assume as true for the purposes of making a decision, taking an action, etc.) · es hacerse llamar (to be called, to use as a name) · pt passar (to pass by without paying attention to) · fi mennä ohi (to pass by without paying attention to) · ru проходи́ть ми́мо (to pass by without paying attention to) · ru сле́довать (to follow; to assume as true for the purposes of making a decision, taking an action, etc.) · mn өнгөрөх (to pass by without paying attention to) · es guiarse por (to follow; to assume as true for the purposes of making a decision, taking an action, etc.) · de vorbeifahren (to pass by without paying attention to) · yue 路過 /路过 (to pass by without paying attention to) · de vorbeigehen (to pass by without paying attention to) · fi kutsua (to be called, to use as a name) · ceb labay (to pass by without paying attention to)