| / English Dictionary |
FOLLOW
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (verb)
Verb forms
Present simple: I / you / we / they follow ... he / she / it follows
Past simple: followed
Past participle: followed
-ing form: following
Sense 1
Meaning:
Keep informed
Example:
He kept up on his country's foreign policies
Synonyms:
follow; keep abreast; keep up
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Verb group:
follow; trace (follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Sense 2
Meaning:
Behave in accordance or in agreement with
Example:
Follow my example
Synonyms:
conform to; follow
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
copy; imitate; simulate (reproduce someone's behavior or looks)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "follow"):
go by (be or act in accordance with)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Sense 3
Meaning:
Keep to
Example:
stick to the diet
Synonyms:
follow; stick to; stick with
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
hang in; hang on; hold on; persevere; persist (be persistent, refuse to stop)
Verb group:
abide by; comply; follow (act in accordance with someone's rules, commands, or wishes)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s VERB-ing
Sense 4
Meaning:
Grasp the meaning
Example:
When he lectures, I cannot follow
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
understand (know and comprehend the nature or meaning of)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Sentence example:
Sam and Sue follow the movie
Sense 5
Meaning:
Follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something
Example:
trace one's ancestry
Synonyms:
follow; trace
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
analyse; analyze; canvass; examine; study (consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning)
Verb group:
follow; keep abreast; keep up (keep informed)
follow; keep an eye on; observe; watch; watch over (follow with the eyes or the mind)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Sense 6
Meaning:
Perform an accompaniment to
Example:
The orchestra could barely follow the frequent pitch changes of the soprano
Synonyms:
accompany; follow; play along
Classified under:
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
play (play on an instrument)
Domain category:
music (musical activity (singing or whistling etc.))
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Sense 7
Meaning:
Imitate in behavior; take as a model
Example:
Teenagers follow their friends in everything
Synonyms:
follow; take after
Classified under:
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
copy; imitate; simulate (reproduce someone's behavior or looks)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
Sentence example:
Sam cannot follow Sue
Sense 8
Meaning:
Travel along a certain course
Example:
follow the trail
Synonyms:
follow; travel along
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "follow"):
heel (follow at the heels of a person)
ascend (go along towards (a river's) source)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Sense 9
Meaning:
To travel behind, go after, come after
Example:
Please follow the guide through the museum
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "follow"):
dawdle; fall back; fall behind; lag (hang (back) or fall (behind) in movement, progress, development, etc.)
tailgate (follow at a dangerously close distance)
shadow (follow, usually without the person's knowledge)
carry (pursue a line of scent or be a bearer)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Sentence examples:
They follow the car down the avenue
Sam cannot follow Sue
Antonym:
precede (move ahead (of others) in time or space)
Derivation:
follower (someone who travels behind or pursues another)
following (the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture)
Sense 10
Meaning:
Follow in or as if in pursuit
Example:
Her bad deed followed her and haunted her dreams all her life
Synonyms:
follow; pursue
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)
Verb group:
follow; surveil; survey (keep under surveillance)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "follow"):
stalk (go through (an area) in search of prey)
chase; chase after; dog; give chase; go after; tag; tail; track; trail (go after with the intent to catch)
haunt; stalk (follow stealthily or recur constantly and spontaneously to)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Sentence example:
They follow the car down the avenue
Derivation:
follower (someone who travels behind or pursues another)
following (the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture)
Sense 11
Meaning:
Keep under surveillance
Example:
The police had been following him for weeks but they could not prove his involvement in the bombing
Synonyms:
follow; surveil; survey
Classified under:
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling
Verb group:
follow; pursue (follow in or as if in pursuit)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Sentence example:
They want to follow the prisoners
Sense 12
Meaning:
Choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans
Example:
The candidate espouses Republican ideals
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
choose; pick out; select; take (pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives)
Verb group:
abide by; comply; follow (act in accordance with someone's rules, commands, or wishes)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "follow"):
adhere; stick (be a devoted follower or supporter)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Derivation:
following (a group of followers or enthusiasts)
Sense 13
Meaning:
Be the successor (of)
Example:
Will Charles succeed to the throne?
Synonyms:
come after; follow; succeed
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "follow"):
accede; enter (take on duties or office)
replace; supersede; supervene upon; supplant (take the place or move into the position of)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s PP
Sense 14
Meaning:
Work in a specific place, with a specific subject, or in a specific function
Example:
She is our resident philosopher
Synonyms:
be; follow
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "follow"):
vet (work as a veterinarian)
cox (act as the coxswain, in a boat race)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s PP
Sense 15
Meaning:
Follow with the eyes or the mind
Example:
She followed the men with the binoculars
Synonyms:
follow; keep an eye on; observe; watch; watch over
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
check; check into; check out; check over; check up on; go over; look into; suss out (examine so as to determine accuracy, quality, or condition)
Verb group:
follow; trace (follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "follow"):
keep tabs on (keep a record on or watch attentively)
guard (to keep watch over)
invigilate; proctor (watch over (students taking an exam, to prevent cheating))
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Sentence example:
The children follow the ball
Sense 16
Meaning:
Act in accordance with someone's rules, commands, or wishes
Example:
abide by the rules
Synonyms:
abide by; comply; follow
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
obey (be obedient to)
Verb group:
adopt; espouse; follow (choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans)
follow; stick to; stick with (keep to)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "follow"):
accommodate; oblige (provide a service or favor for someone)
toe the line (do what is expected)
conform to (observe)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s PP
Sense 17
Meaning:
Adhere to or practice
Example:
These people still follow the laws of their ancient religion
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
apply; practice; use (avail oneself to)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Sense 18
Meaning:
Accept and follow the leadership or command or guidance of
Example:
She followed a guru for years
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
act; behave; do (behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Derivation:
follower (a person who accepts the leadership of another)
following (a group of followers or enthusiasts)
Sense 19
Meaning:
To be the product or result
Example:
Understanding comes from experience
Synonyms:
come; follow
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
arise; develop; grow; originate; rise; spring up; uprise (come into existence; take on form or shape)
Verb group:
come (exist or occur in a certain point in a series)
Sentence frame:
Something is ----ing PP
Sense 20
Meaning:
Be later in time
Example:
Tuesday always follows Monday
Synonyms:
follow; postdate
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Verb group:
come after; follow (come after in time, as a result)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s something
Sense 21
Meaning:
Come as a logical consequence; follow logically
Example:
the theorem falls out nicely
Synonyms:
fall out; follow
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
ensue; result (issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
It ----s that CLAUSE
Sense 22
Meaning:
Come after in time, as a result
Example:
A terrible tsunami followed the earthquake
Synonyms:
come after; follow
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
ensue; result (issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end)
Verb group:
follow; postdate (be later in time)
follow (be next)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s something
Sense 23
Meaning:
Be next
Example:
Mary plays best, with John and Sue following
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Hypernyms (to "follow" is one way to...):
be (occupy a certain position or area; be somewhere)
Verb group:
come after; follow (come after in time, as a result)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Sense 24
Meaning:
To bring something about at a later time than
Example:
He followed his lecture with a question and answer period
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Cause:
follow (be next)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Context examples:
A disorder which limits movement of the eye following ocular surgery.
(Adherence Syndrome, NCI Thesaurus)
Almost before I could let down the steps, my aunt sprang in, I don't know how, and the man followed.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
I spent the following day roaming through the valley.
(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)
His dream was merging into something else—he knew not what; but through it all, following him, persisted the howling.
(White Fang, by Jack London)
Like sunshine after a storm were the peaceful weeks which followed.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
Their language is more than half signs, and it was not hard to follow them.
(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
The system of methods followed in a particular discipline.
(Methodology, NCI Thesaurus)
The patient receives psoralen (a drug that becomes active when it is exposed to light) by mouth or applied to the skin, followed by ultraviolet A radiation.
(Methoxsalen With Ultraviolet A Therapy, NCI Dictionary)
A natural number following 999999 and preceding 1000001 and the quantity that it denotes: one thousand thousands.
(Million, NCI Thesaurus)
A Hodgkin lymphoma that has metastasized to the cerebral hemisphere following the initial presentation in another nodal or extranodal site.
(Metastatic Hodgkin Lymphoma to Cerebral Hemisphere, NCI Thesaurus)
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