GO A LONG WAY

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does go a long way mean? 

• GO A LONG WAY (verb)
  The verb GO A LONG WAY has 1 sense:

1. suffice or be adequate for a while or to a certain extent

  Familiarity information: GO A LONG WAY used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GO A LONG WAY (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Suffice or be adequate for a while or to a certain extent

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "go a long way" is one way to...):

answer; do; serve; suffice (be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

 Context examples 

Ah, if I could give it a name it might go a long way towards solving the case.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"Oh," said the Professor, "then you are nearer the beginning, both of you, than friend John here, who has to go a long way back before he can even get so far as to begin."

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)