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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Follow \Fol"low\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Followed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Following}.][OE. foluwen, folwen, folgen, AS. folgian, fylgean, fylgan; akin to D. volgen, OHG. folg[=e]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.
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Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. - KM |