GO BACK

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does go back mean? 

• GO BACK (verb)
  The verb GO BACK has 3 senses:

1. belong to an earlier time

2. return in thought or speech to something

3. regain a former condition after a financial loss

  Familiarity information: GO BACK used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GO BACK (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Belong to an earlier time

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

date back; date from; go back

Context example:

This story dates back 200 years

Hypernyms (to "go back" is one way to...):

initiate; originate; start (bring into being)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "go back"):

ascend (go back in order of genealogical succession)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Return in thought or speech to something

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

go back; recur

Hypernyms (to "go back" is one way to...):

come back; hark back; recall; return (go back to something earlier)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 3

Meaning:

Regain a former condition after a financial loss

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

go back; recover; recuperate

Context example:

The company managed to recuperate

Hypernyms (to "go back" is one way to...):

regress; retrovert; return; revert; turn back (go back to a previous state)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "go back"):

rally; rebound (return to a former condition)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP

 Context examples 

Now let’s go back to the dates when Mars will contact other planets in the solar system.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

He raised a warning hand for silence as he whispered to me:—Hush! go back to bed; it is all right.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

You would like to go back to the land, which is a favourable place for your kind of piggishness.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

If he does, I will go back to the Munchkin maiden and marry her.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

She forced herself to go back into a reconsideration of the problem.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

I must go back a bit.

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

He could not bring them back, nor could he go back to them.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

On the contrary, we both go back to London by the night train.

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

But do you think she would be prevailed upon to go back with us?

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

I had almost overcome my pride so far as to go back to the agency and inquire whether the place was still open when I received this letter from the gentleman himself.

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