follow
/'fɔlou/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To go or come after (a person or thing proceeding ahead); move or travel behind: The primary meaning, indicating physical movement behind someone or something.
- To come after in time or order: To happen or exist after something else.
- To act according to (an instruction, rule, or example): To obey, adhere to, or conform with something.
- To understand the logic or meaning of: To grasp the sense or reasoning of something spoken or written.
- To take a keen interest in: To monitor the progress or development of something.
- To practice or be a supporter of (a belief or way of life): To adhere to a particular doctrine, religion, or set of principles.
Examples of Usage
- Verb:
- Please follow the guide through the museum. (Move behind the guide.)
- Tuesday always follows Monday. (Comes after in time.)
- You must follow these simple rules. (Act according to the rules.)
- Can you follow her argument? (Understand her reasoning.)
- We must follow closely the economic development. (Monitor the development.)
- These people still follow the laws of their ancient religion. (Practice the laws.)
Advanced Usage
- "as follows": used to introduce a list or explanation.
- The instructions are as follows: first, turn on the machine.
- "follow suit": to do the same thing as someone else.
- One company lowered its prices, and its competitors soon followed suit.
- "follow through": to continue an action or task to its completion.
- She had a great idea but failed to follow through with the plan.
- "follow up": to pursue or investigate something further; to take subsequent action.
- The journalist followed up on the initial report with more interviews.
Variants and Related Words
- Follower (n): a person who follows, supports, or admires another person, set of ideas, etc.
- He is a follower of that political leader.
- Following (adj/n): coming after or as a result of; a group of supporters or admirers.
- In the following chapter... (adj)
- The singer has a large following. (n)
- Follow-on (adj/n): coming after or as a consequence of something.
- This is a follow-on study from the original research.
Synonyms
- Pursue: to follow in order to overtake, capture, or harm.
- Succeed: to come after in an office, position, or sequence.
- Obey: to comply with a command, law, or rule.
- Comprehend: to understand the nature or meaning of.
- Monitor: to observe and check the progress or quality of over time.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Follow on (from): to happen after and as a result of something.
- His resignation followed on from the scandal.
- Follow out: to carry out (instructions, a plan) to the end.
- It is important to follow out the director's orders precisely.
Related Idioms
- Follow in someone's footsteps: to do the same thing as someone else, especially a family member, did previously.
- She followed in her father's footsteps and became a doctor.
- Follow your nose: to go straight ahead; to be guided by instinct.
- The bakery is just down this street—just follow your nose!
- Follow like a sheep: to follow someone or do something without thinking critically.
- He doesn't have his own opinions; he just follows the crowd like a sheep.
Verb
- keep to
- Stick to your principles
- stick to the diet
- grasp the meaning
- Can you follow her argument?
- When he lectures, I cannot follow
- 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
- keep under surveillance
- The police had been following him for weeks but they could not prove his involvement in the bombing
- work in a specific place, with a specific subject, or in a specific function
- He is a herpetologist
- She is our resident philosopher
- adhere to or practice
- These people still follow the laws of their ancient religion
- accept and follow the leadership or command or guidance of
- Let's follow our great helmsman!
- She followed a guru for years
- to be the product or result
- Melons come from a vine
- Understanding comes from experience
- keep informed
- He kept up on his country's foreign policies
- perform an accompaniment to
- The orchestra could barely follow the frequent pitch changes of the soprano
- be the successor (of)
- Carter followed Ford
- Will Charles succeed to the throne?
- 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
- follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something
- We must follow closely the economic development is Cuba
- trace the student's progress
- imitate in behavior; take as a model
- Teenagers follow their friends in everything
- 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
- choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans
- She followed the feminist movement
- The candidate espouses Republican ideals
- be next
- Mary plays best, with John and Sue following
- behave in accordance or in agreement with
- Follow a pattern
- Follow my example
- come after in time, as a result
- A terrible tsunami followed the earthquake
- 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
- travel along a certain course
- follow the road
- follow the trail
- come as a logical consequence; follow logically
- It follows that your assertion is false
- the theorem falls out nicely
- be later in time
- Tuesday always follows Monday
- to travel behind, go after, come after
- The ducklings followed their mother around the pond
- Please follow the guide through the museum