[Origin: bef. 900; ME folwen, OE folgian; c. OS folgon, OHG folgén, folgōn (G folgen)]
—Related forms
fol·low·a·ble, adjective
—Synonyms 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.
To come or go after; proceed behind: Follow the usher to your seat.
To go after in or as if in pursuit: "The wrong she had done followed her and haunted her dream"(Katherine Anne Porter).
To keep under surveillance: followed the suspect around town.
To move along the course of; take: We followed a path to the shore.
To go in the direction of; be guided by: followed the sun westward across the plains; followed the signs to the zoo.
To act in agreement or compliance with; obey: follow the rules; follow one's instincts.
To keep to or stick to: followed the recipe; follow a diet.
To watch or observe closely: followed the bird through binoculars.
To be attentive to; pay close heed to: too sleepy to follow the sermon.
To keep oneself informed of the course, progress, or fortunes of: follow the stock market; followed the local teams.
To move along the course of; take: We followed a path to the shore.
To go in the direction of; be guided by: followed the sun westward across the plains; followed the signs to the zoo.
To act in agreement or compliance with; obey: follow the rules; follow one's instincts.
To keep to or stick to: followed the recipe; follow a diet.
To watch or observe closely: followed the bird through binoculars.
To be attentive to; pay close heed to: too sleepy to follow the sermon.
To keep oneself informed of the course, progress, or fortunes of: follow the stock market; followed the local teams.
To accept the guidance, command, or leadership of: follow a spiritual master; rebels who refused to follow their commander.
To adhere to; practice: followed family traditions.
To take as a model or precedent; imitate: followed my example and resigned.
To act in agreement or compliance with; obey: follow the rules; follow one's instincts.
To keep to or stick to: followed the recipe; follow a diet.
To watch or observe closely: followed the bird through binoculars.
To be attentive to; pay close heed to: too sleepy to follow the sermon.
To keep oneself informed of the course, progress, or fortunes of: follow the stock market; followed the local teams.
To engage in (a trade or occupation); work at.
To come after in order, time, or position: Night follows day.
To bring something about at a later time than or as a consequence of: She followed her lecture with a question-and-answer period. The band followed its hit record with a tour.
To occur or be evident as a consequence of: Your conclusion does not follow your premise.
To watch or observe closely: followed the bird through binoculars.
To be attentive to; pay close heed to: too sleepy to follow the sermon.
To keep oneself informed of the course, progress, or fortunes of: follow the stock market; followed the local teams.
To grasp the meaning or logic of; understand: Do you follow my argument?
v.
intr.
To come, move, or take place after another person or thing in order or time.
To occur or be evident as a consequence; result: If you ignore your diet, trouble will follow.
To grasp the meaning or reasoning of something; understand.
n.
The act or an instance of following.
Games A billiards shot in which the cue ball is struck above center so that it follows the path of the object ball after impact.
Sports To carry a stroke to natural completion after hitting or releasing a ball or other object.
To carry an act, project, or intention to completion; pursue fully: followed through on her promise to reorganize the department.
To carry to completion; follow through on: followed up their recommendations with concrete proposals.
To increase the effectiveness or enhance the success of by further action: followed up her interview with an e-mail.
Phrasal Verb(s): follow along
To move or proceed in unison or in accord with an example: followed along with the song. follow through
Sports To carry a stroke to natural completion after hitting or releasing a ball or other object.
To carry an act, project, or intention to completion; pursue fully: followed through on her promise to reorganize the department.
follow up
To carry to completion; follow through on: followed up their recommendations with concrete proposals.
To increase the effectiveness or enhance the success of by further action: followed up her interview with an e-mail.
Idiom(s):
as follows
As will be stated next. Used to introduce a specified enumeration, explanation, or command.
Idiom(s):
follow (one's) nose
To move straight ahead or in a direct path.
Informal To be guided by instinct: had no formal training but became a success by following his nose.
Idiom(s):
follow suit
Games To play a card of the same suit as the one led.
To do as another has done; follow an example.
[Middle English folowen, from Old English folgian.]
Synonyms: These verbs mean to come after something or someone. Follow, which has the widest application, can refer to coming after in time or order, as a consequence or result, or by the operation of logic: Night follows day. He disregarded doctor's orders, and a relapse followed. Because she decries violence, it follows that she won't carry a gun. To succeed is to come next after another, especially in planned order determined by considerations such as rank, inheritance, or election: The heir apparent succeeded to the throne. Ensue usually applies to what is a consequence or logical development: After the government was toppled, chaos ensued. Result implies that what follows is caused by what has preceded: Failure to file an income tax return can result in a fine. Supervene, in contrast, refers to something that is often unexpected and that has little relation to what has preceded: "A bad harvest supervened" (Charlotte Brontë).
Usage Note: As follows (not as follow) is the established form of the idiom regardless of whether the noun that precedes it is singular or plural: The regulations are as follows.
O.E. folgian, fylgan "follow, pursue," also "obey, apply oneself to a practice or calling," from W.Gmc. *fulg- (cf. O.Fris. folgia, M.Du. volghen, Ger. folgen "to follow"). Probably originally a compound of *full-gan with a sense of "full-going;" the sense then shifting to "serve, go with as an attendant" (cf. fulfill). To follow one's nose "go straight on" first attested 1650. Follow-up (n.) is from 1923, originally in the argot of personnel management.
to travel behind, go after, come after; "The ducklings followed their mother around the pond"; "Please follow the guide through the museum" [ant: lead]
2.
be later in time; "Tuesday always follows Monday" [syn: postdate] [ant: antecede]
3.
come as a logical consequence; follow logically; "It follows that your assertion is false"; "the theorem falls out nicely"
4.
travel along a certain course; "follow the road"; "follow the trail"
5.
act in accordance with someone's rules, commands, or wishes; "He complied with my instructions"; "You must comply or else!"; "Follow these simple rules"; "abide by the rules" [syn: comply]
6.
come after in time, as a result; "A terrible tsunami followed the earthquake"
7.
behave in accordance or in agreement with; "Follow a pattern"; "Follow my example"
8.
be next; "Mary plays best, with John and Sue following"
9.
choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans; "She followed the feminist movement"; "The candidate espouses Republican ideals" [syn: adopt]
10.
to bring something about at a later time than; "She followed dinner with a brandy"; "He followed his lecture with a question and answer period"
11.
imitate in behavior; take as a model; "Teenagers follow their friends in everything" [syn: take after]
12.
follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something; "We must follow closely the economic development is Cuba" ; "trace the student's progress" [syn: trace]
13.
follow with the eyes or the mind; "Keep an eye on the baby, please!"; "The world is watching Sarajevo"; "She followed the men with the binoculars" [syn: watch]
14.
be the successor (of); "Carter followed Ford"; "Will Charles succeed to the throne?" [syn: succeed] [ant: come before]
15.
perform an accompaniment to; "The orchestra could barely follow the frequent pitch changes of the soprano" [syn: play along]
16.
keep informed; "He kept up on his country's foreign policies" [syn: keep up]
17.
to be the product or result; "Melons come from a vine"; "Understanding comes from experience" [syn: come]
18.
accept and follow the leadership or command or guidance of; "Let's follow our great helmsman!"; "She followed a guru for years"
19.
adhere to or practice; "These people still follow the laws of their ancient religion"
20.
work in a specific place, with a specific subject, or in a specific function; "He is a herpetologist"; "She is our resident philosopher" [syn: be]
21.
keep under surveillance; "The police had been following him for weeks but they could not prove his involvement in the bombing" [syn: surveil]
22.
follow in or as if in pursuit; "The police car pursued the suspected attacker"; "Her bad deed followed her and haunted her dreams all her life" [syn: pursue]
23.
grasp the meaning; "Can you follow her argument?"; "When he lectures, I cannot follow"
24.
keep to; "Stick to your principles"; "stick to the diet" [syn: stick to]
Main Entry: fol·low Function: transitive verb : to be in accordance with (a prior decision) : accept as authoritative —see also PRECEDENT —compare OVERRULE
En*sue"\, v. i. To follow or come afterward; to follow as a consequence or in chronological succession; to result; as, an ensuing conclusion or effect; the year ensuing was a cold one. So spoke the Dame, but no applause ensued. --Pope. Damage to the mind or the body, or to both, ensues, unless the exciting cause be presently removed. --I. Taylor. Syn: To follow; pursue; succeed. See Follow.
Fol"low\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Followed; p. pr. & vb. n. Following.][OE. foluwen, folwen, folgen, AS. folgian, fylgean, fylgan; akin to D. volgen, OHG. folg?n, G. folgen, Icel. fylgja, Sw. f["o]lja, Dan. f["o]lge, and perh. to E. folk.]1. To go or come after; to move behind in the same path or direction; hence, to go with (a leader, guide, etc.); to accompany; to attend. It waves me forth again; I'll follow it. --Shak. 2. To endeavor to overtake; to go in pursuit of; to chase; to pursue; to prosecute. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. --Ex. xiv. 17. 3. To accept as authority; to adopt the opinions of; to obey; to yield to; to take as a rule of action; as, to follow good advice. Approve the best, and follow what I approve. --Milton. Follow peace with all men. --Heb. xii. 14. It is most agreeable to some men to follow their reason; and to others to follow their appetites. --J. Edwards. 4. To copy after; to take as an example. We had rather follow the perfections of them whom we like not, than in defects resemble them whom we love. --Hooker. 5. To succeed in order of time, rank, or office. 6. To result from, as an effect from a cause, or an inference from a premise. 7. To watch, as a receding object; to keep the eyes fixed upon while in motion; to keep the mind upon while in progress, as a speech, musical performance, etc.; also, to keep up with; to understand the meaning, connection, or force of, as of a course of thought or argument. He followed with his eyes the flitting shade. --Dryden. 8. To walk in, as a road or course; to attend upon closely, as a profession or calling. O, had I but followed the arts! --Shak. O Antony! I have followed thee to this. --Shak. Follow board (Founding), a board on which the pattern and the flask lie while the sand is rammed into the flask. --Knight. To follow the hounds, to hunt with dogs. To follow suit (Card Playing), to play a card of the same suit as the leading card; hence, colloquially, to follow an example set. To follow up, to pursue indefatigably. Syn: Syn.- To pursue; chase; go after; attend; accompany; succeed; imitate; copy; embrace; maintain. Usage: - To Follow, Pursue. To follow (v.t.) denotes simply to go after; to pursue denotes to follow with earnestness, and with a view to attain some definite object; as, a hound pursues the deer. So a person follows a companion whom he wishes to overtake on a journey; the officers of justice pursue a felon who has escaped from prison.
Fol"low\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Followed; p. pr. & vb. n. Following.][OE. foluwen, folwen, folgen, AS. folgian, fylgean, fylgan; akin to D. volgen, OHG. folg?n, G. folgen, Icel. fylgja, Sw. f["o]lja, Dan. f["o]lge, and perh. to E. folk.]1. To go or come after; to move behind in the same path or direction; hence, to go with (a leader, guide, etc.); to accompany; to attend. It waves me forth again; I'll follow it. --Shak. 2. To endeavor to overtake; to go in pursuit of; to chase; to pursue; to prosecute. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. --Ex. xiv. 17. 3. To accept as authority; to adopt the opinions of; to obey; to yield to; to take as a rule of action; as, to follow good advice. Approve the best, and follow what I approve. --Milton. Follow peace with all men. --Heb. xii. 14. It is most agreeable to some men to follow their reason; and to others to follow their appetites. --J. Edwards. 4. To copy after; to take as an example. We had rather follow the perfections of them whom we like not, than in defects resemble them whom we love. --Hooker. 5. To succeed in order of time, rank, or office. 6. To result from, as an effect from a cause, or an inference from a premise. 7. To watch, as a receding object; to keep the eyes fixed upon while in motion; to keep the mind upon while in progress, as a speech, musical performance, etc.; also, to keep up with; to understand the meaning, connection, or force of, as of a course of thought or argument. He followed with his eyes the flitting shade. --Dryden. 8. To walk in, as a road or course; to attend upon closely, as a profession or calling. O, had I but followed the arts! --Shak. O Antony! I have followed thee to this. --Shak. Follow board (Founding), a board on which the pattern and the flask lie while the sand is rammed into the flask. --Knight. To follow the hounds, to hunt with dogs. To follow suit (Card Playing), to play a card of the same suit as the leading card; hence, colloquially, to follow an example set. To follow up, to pursue indefatigably. Syn: Syn.- To pursue; chase; go after; attend; accompany; succeed; imitate; copy; embrace; maintain. Usage: - To Follow, Pursue. To follow (v.t.) denotes simply to go after; to pursue denotes to follow with earnestness, and with a view to attain some definite object; as, a hound pursues the deer. So a person follows a companion whom he wishes to overtake on a journey; the officers of justice pursue a felon who has escaped from prison.
Fol"low\, v. i. To go or come after; -- used in the various senses of the transitive verb: To pursue; to attend; to accompany; to be a result; to imitate. Syn: Syn.- To Follow, Succeed, Ensue. Usage: To follow (v.i.) means simply to come after; as, a crowd followed. To succeed means to come after in some regular series or succession; as, day succeeds to day, and night to night. To ensue means to follow by some established connection or principle of sequence. As wave follows wave, revolution succeeds to revolution; and nothing ensues but accumulated wretchedness.
Fol"low\, v. i. To go or come after; -- used in the various senses of the transitive verb: To pursue; to attend; to accompany; to be a result; to imitate. Syn: Syn.- To Follow, Succeed, Ensue. Usage: To follow (v.i.) means simply to come after; as, a crowd followed. To succeed means to come after in some regular series or succession; as, day succeeds to day, and night to night. To ensue means to follow by some established connection or principle of sequence. As wave follows wave, revolution succeeds to revolution; and nothing ensues but accumulated wretchedness.
Mold"ing\, Moulding \Mould"ing\, p.a. Used in making a mold or moldings; used in shaping anything according to a pattern. Molding, or Moulding, board. (a) See Follow board, under Follow, v. t. (b) A board on which bread or pastry is kneaded and shaped. Molding, or Moulding, machine. (a) (Woodworking) A planing machine for making moldings. ( b ) (Founding) A machine to assist in making molds for castings. Molding, or Moulding, mill, a mill for shaping timber. Molding, or Moulding, sand (Founding), a kind of sand containing clay, used in making molds.
Fol"low\, n. The art or process of following; specif., in some games, as billiards, a stroke causing a ball to follow another ball after hitting it. Also used adjectively; as, follow shot.
Pur*sue"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pursued; p. pr. & vb. n. Pursuing.] [OE. pursuen, porsuen, OF. porsivre, poursuivre, poursuir, F. poursuivre, fr. L. prosequi; pro forward + sequi to follow. See Sue, and cf. Prosecute, Pursuivant.]1. To follow with a view to overtake; to follow eagerly, or with haste; to chase; as, to pursue a hare. We happiness pursue; we fly from pain. --Prior. The happiness of men lies in purswing, Not in possessing. --Longfellow. 2. To seek; to use or adopt measures to obtain; as, to pursue a remedy at law. The fame of ancient matrons you pursue. --Dryden. 3. To proceed along, with a view to some and or object; to follow; to go in; as, Captain Cook pursued a new route; the administration pursued a wise course. 4. To prosecute; to be engaged in; to continue. " Insatiate to pursue vain war." --Milton. 5. To follow as an example; to imitate. 6. To follow with enmity; to persecute; to call to account. The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have pursued me, they shall pursue you also. --Wyclif (John xv. 20). Syn: To follow; chase; seek; persist. See Follow.
Suc*ceed"\, v. i. 1. To come in the place of another person, thing, or event; to come next in the usual, natural, or prescribed course of things; to follow; hence, to come next in the possession of anything; -- often with to. If the father left only daughters, they equally succeeded to him in copartnership. --Sir M. Hale. Enjoy till I return Short pleasures; for long woes are to succeed! --Milton. 2. Specifically: To ascend the throne after the removal the death of the occupant. No woman shall succeed in Salique land. --Shak. 3. To descend, as an estate or an heirloom, in the same family; to devolve. --Shak. 4. To obtain the object desired; to accomplish what is attempted or intended; to have a prosperous issue or termination; to be successful; as, he succeeded in his plans; his plans succeeded. It is almost impossible for poets to succeed without ambition. --Dryden. Spenser endeavored it in Shepherd's Kalendar; but neither will it succeed in English. --Dryden. 5. To go under cover. [A latinism. Obs.] Will you to the cooler cave succeed! --Dryden. Syn: To follow; pursue. See Follow.
Suit\, n. [OE. suite, F. suite, OF. suite, sieute, fr. suivre to follow, OF. sivre; perhaps influenced by L. secta. See Sue to follow, and cf. Sect, Suite.]1. The act of following or pursuing, as game; pursuit. [Obs.] 2. The act of suing; the process by which one endeavors to gain an end or an object; an attempt to attain a certain result; pursuit; endeavor. Thenceforth the suit of earthly conquest shone. --Spenser. 3. The act of wooing in love; the solicitation of a woman in marriage; courtship. Rebate your loves, each rival suit suspend, Till this funereal web my labors end. --Pope. 4. (Law) The attempt to gain an end by legal process; an action or process for the recovery of a right or claim; legal application to a court for justice; prosecution of right before any tribunal; as, a civil suit; a criminal suit; a suit in chancery. I arrest thee at the suit of Count Orsino. --Shak. In England the several suits, or remedial instruments of justice, are distinguished into three kinds -- actions personal, real, and mixed. --Blackstone. 5. That which follows as a retinue; a company of attendants or followers; the assembly of persons who attend upon a prince, magistrate, or other person of distinction; -- often written suite, and pronounced sw[=e]t. 6. Things that follow in a series or succession; the individual objects, collectively considered, which constitute a series, as of rooms, buildings, compositions, etc.; -- often written suite, and pronounced sw[=e]t. 7. A number of things used together, and generally necessary to be united in order to answer their purpose; a number of things ordinarily classed or used together; a set; as, a suit of curtains; a suit of armor; a suit of clothes. "Two rogues in buckram suits." --Shak. 8. (Playing Cards) One of the four sets of cards which constitute a pack; -- each set consisting of thirteen cards bearing a particular emblem, as hearts, spades, cubs, or diamonds. To deal and shuffle, to divide and sort Her mingled suits and sequences. --Cowper. 9. Regular order; succession. [Obs.] Every five and thirty years the same kind and suit of weather comes again. --Bacon. Out of suits, having no correspondence. [Obs.] --Shak. Suit and service (Feudal Law), the duty of feudatories to attend the courts of their lords or superiors in time of peace, and in war to follow them and do military service; -- called also suit service. --Blackstone. Suit broker, one who made a trade of obtaining the suits of petitioners at court. [Obs.] Suit court (O. Eng. Law), the court in which tenants owe attendance to their lord. Suit covenant (O. Eng. Law), a covenant to sue at a certain court. Suit custom (Law), a service which is owed from time immemorial. Suit service. (Feudal Law) See Suit and service, above. To bring suit. (Law) (a) To bring secta, followers or witnesses, to prove the plaintiff's demand. [Obs.] (b) In modern usage, to institute an action. To follow suit. (Card Playing) See under Follow, v. t.
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