follow
VERB:
of accepting or obeying:
1. to accept as a guide or leader; accept the authority of or give allegiance to:
Many Germans followed Hitler.
2. to accept as authority; obey:
followed his conscience.
3. to conform to, comply with, or act in accordance with; obey:
to follow orders; to follow advice.
4. to act in accordance with; obey:
to follow instructions.
5. to accept the ideas or beliefs of (a previous authority, etc):
he followed Donne in most of his teachings.
6. to help in the cause of or accept the leadership of:
the men who followed Napoleon.
of copying:
1. to imitate or copy; use as an exemplar:
They follow the latest fads.
2. to copy after; imitate:
the new building follows the facades and roof lines of the original buildings. — Maxwell Mays.
of results:
1. to come after as a result or consequence; result from:
Reprisals often follow victory.
2. to come into existence or take place as a result or consequence of:
disaster followed the blunder.
3. to result or occur as a consequence, effect, or inference:
Just because he's done some bad things, does it follow that he is a bad person?
4. to result as an effect; occur as a consequence:
It follows then that he must be innocent.
of watching:
1. to watch the movements, progress, or course of:
to follow a bird in flight.
2. to watch the development of or keep up with:
to follow the news.
3. to watch closely or continuously:
she followed his progress carefully.
4. to watch steadily:
followed the flight of the ball.
of the mind and understanding:
1. to keep up with and understand (an argument, story, etc.):
Do you follow me?
2. to understand (an explanation, argument, etc):
the lesson was difficult to follow.
3. to understand the sense or logic of (something, such as a line of thought):
I don't quite follow your thinking.
4. to keep the mind on: follow a speech.
of pursuits and interests:
1. to engage in or be concerned with as a pursuit:
He followed the sea as his true calling.
2. to engage in as a calling or way of life; pursue:
wheat-growing is generally followed here.
3. to have a keen interest in:
to follow athletics.
4. to attend closely to; keep abreast of:
followed his career with interest.
of pursuing to defeat:
1. to go in pursuit of:
to follow an enemy.
2. to pursue in an effort to overtake:
Police followed the robbers attempting to escape.
of attaining:
1. to try for or attain to:
to follow an ideal.
2. to seek to attain:
follow knowledge.
of attending, direction, and company:
1. to attend or serve.
2. to accompany; attend:
she followed her sister everywhere.
3. to go after or along with (a person) as companion.
4. to go, proceed, or come after:
followed the guide.
5. to go or come after; move behind in the same direction:
Drive ahead, and I'll follow you.
6. to go or come after in the same direction:
he followed his friend home.
of a path:
1. to move forward along (a road, path, etc.):
Follow this road for a mile.
2. to walk or proceed along:
follow a path.
3. to keep to the course or track of:
she followed the towpath.
of social media and the web:
1. to choose to receive messages posted by (a blogger or microblogger):
I've been following her online.
2. to subscribe to the feed of (someone or something) especially on social media:
Follow us on Facebook/Twitter.
of time, logic, and events:
1. to come next after something else in sequence, order of time, etc.:
The speech follows the dinner.
2. to come or take place after in time, sequence, or order:
A juggling act followed the singer.
3. to go or come after a person or thing in place, time, or sequence:
If one sheep goes through the gate, the rest will follow.
4. to happen or occur after something else; come next as an event:
After the defeat great disorder followed.
5. to come after as a logical or natural consequence.
other verbs:
1. to go or come after a person or thing in motion.
2. follow-up.
3. to be or act in accordance with:
follow directions.
4. to cause to be followed:
followed dinner with a liqueur.
Origin:
before 900; Middle English folwen, Old English folgian; cognate with Old Saxon folgon, Old High German folgēn, folgōn (German folgen). Old English folgian; related to Old Frisian folgia, Old Saxon folgōn, Old High German folgēn. —Dictionary.com. // First Known Use: Verb: before the 12th century. Noun: 1661. History and Etymology: Verb and Noun: Middle English folwen, from Old English folgian; akin to Old High German folgēn to follow. —Merriam-Webster.
Sources: 1, 2.
Updated: 20 July 2020 {8:54 PM}
of accepting or obeying:
1. to accept as a guide or leader; accept the authority of or give allegiance to:
Many Germans followed Hitler.
2. to accept as authority; obey:
followed his conscience.
3. to conform to, comply with, or act in accordance with; obey:
to follow orders; to follow advice.
4. to act in accordance with; obey:
to follow instructions.
5. to accept the ideas or beliefs of (a previous authority, etc):
he followed Donne in most of his teachings.
6. to help in the cause of or accept the leadership of:
the men who followed Napoleon.
of copying:
1. to imitate or copy; use as an exemplar:
They follow the latest fads.
2. to copy after; imitate:
the new building follows the facades and roof lines of the original buildings. — Maxwell Mays.
of results:
1. to come after as a result or consequence; result from:
Reprisals often follow victory.
2. to come into existence or take place as a result or consequence of:
disaster followed the blunder.
3. to result or occur as a consequence, effect, or inference:
Just because he's done some bad things, does it follow that he is a bad person?
4. to result as an effect; occur as a consequence:
It follows then that he must be innocent.
of watching:
1. to watch the movements, progress, or course of:
to follow a bird in flight.
2. to watch the development of or keep up with:
to follow the news.
3. to watch closely or continuously:
she followed his progress carefully.
4. to watch steadily:
followed the flight of the ball.
of the mind and understanding:
1. to keep up with and understand (an argument, story, etc.):
Do you follow me?
2. to understand (an explanation, argument, etc):
the lesson was difficult to follow.
3. to understand the sense or logic of (something, such as a line of thought):
I don't quite follow your thinking.
4. to keep the mind on: follow a speech.
of pursuits and interests:
1. to engage in or be concerned with as a pursuit:
He followed the sea as his true calling.
2. to engage in as a calling or way of life; pursue:
wheat-growing is generally followed here.
3. to have a keen interest in:
to follow athletics.
4. to attend closely to; keep abreast of:
followed his career with interest.
of pursuing to defeat:
1. to go in pursuit of:
to follow an enemy.
2. to pursue in an effort to overtake:
Police followed the robbers attempting to escape.
of attaining:
1. to try for or attain to:
to follow an ideal.
2. to seek to attain:
follow knowledge.
of attending, direction, and company:
1. to attend or serve.
2. to accompany; attend:
she followed her sister everywhere.
3. to go after or along with (a person) as companion.
4. to go, proceed, or come after:
followed the guide.
5. to go or come after; move behind in the same direction:
Drive ahead, and I'll follow you.
6. to go or come after in the same direction:
he followed his friend home.
of a path:
1. to move forward along (a road, path, etc.):
Follow this road for a mile.
2. to walk or proceed along:
follow a path.
3. to keep to the course or track of:
she followed the towpath.
of social media and the web:
1. to choose to receive messages posted by (a blogger or microblogger):
I've been following her online.
2. to subscribe to the feed of (someone or something) especially on social media:
Follow us on Facebook/Twitter.
of time, logic, and events:
1. to come next after something else in sequence, order of time, etc.:
The speech follows the dinner.
2. to come or take place after in time, sequence, or order:
A juggling act followed the singer.
3. to go or come after a person or thing in place, time, or sequence:
If one sheep goes through the gate, the rest will follow.
4. to happen or occur after something else; come next as an event:
After the defeat great disorder followed.
5. to come after as a logical or natural consequence.
other verbs:
1. to go or come after a person or thing in motion.
2. follow-up.
3. to be or act in accordance with:
follow directions.
4. to cause to be followed:
followed dinner with a liqueur.
Origin:
before 900; Middle English folwen, Old English folgian; cognate with Old Saxon folgon, Old High German folgēn, folgōn (German folgen). Old English folgian; related to Old Frisian folgia, Old Saxon folgōn, Old High German folgēn. —Dictionary.com. // First Known Use: Verb: before the 12th century. Noun: 1661. History and Etymology: Verb and Noun: Middle English folwen, from Old English folgian; akin to Old High German folgēn to follow. —Merriam-Webster.
Sources: 1, 2.
Updated: 20 July 2020 {8:54 PM}