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follow definition

fol·low (fälō)

transitive verb

  1. to come or go after
  2. to go after in order to catch; chase; pursue
  3. to go along follow the right road
  4. to come or occur after in time, in a series, etc.
  5. to provide with something that comes after to follow praise with blame
  6. to take the place of in rank, position, etc. Monroe followed Madison as president
  7. to take up; engage in to follow a trade
  8. to come or happen as a result of disease often follows malnutrition
  9. to take as a model; act in accordance with; imitate
  10. to accept the authority of; obey to follow rules
  11. to support or advocate the ideas, opinions, etc. of
  12. to watch or listen to closely; observe to follow a conversation intently
  13. to be interested in or attentive to current developments in to follow local politics
  14. to understand the continuity or logic of do you follow me?

Etymology: ME folwen < OE folgian, akin to Ger folgen & (?) Welsh olafiad, follower

intransitive verb

  1. to come, go, or happen after or next after some thing or person in place, sequence, or time
  2. to occur as a natural or logical consequence; result

noun

  1. the act of following
  2. Billiards a shot that imparts a forward spin to the cue ball so that it continues rolling in the same direction after striking the object ball
follow Idioms

as follows

as will next be told or explained

follow out

to carry out fully or completely

follow through

  1. to continue and complete a stroke or swing after hitting or releasing the ball or puck
  2. to continue and complete an action

follow up

  1. to follow closely and persistently
  2. to carry out fully
  3. to add to the effectiveness of by doing something more

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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