go out

If you do this, you leave home to enjoy yourself in places such as restaurants, cinemas, or clubs.

• We go out every Friday.
• They went out for dinner yesterday.
• Would you like to go out with us tonight?

How to use it: go out for something (We are going out for a meal.); go out with someone (She goes out with her friends on Fridays.); go out doing something (They went out dancing last night.)

Opposites: stay in

Common phrases: go out for dinner, go out with friends, go out dancing

If you do this, you leave a building or move into an outside space.

• He went out into the garden.
• Please go out through that door.
• Did anyone see her go out of the building?

How to use it: go out of something (She went out of the room quietly.); go out through something (Please go out through the side door.)

Similar words: leave, exit

Opposites: come in

Common phrases: go out the door, go out into rain, go out into sunlight

If a light or fire does this, it stops shining or burning.

• The candle went out.
• All the lights went out during the storm.
• Will the fire go out if we leave it?

Similar words: die out, be extinguished

Common phrases: lights go out, candles go out, go out suddenly

If a player or team does this, they lose and cannot continue in a competition.

• Our team went out early.
• She went out in the second round.
• Did they go out of the cup on penalties?

How to use it: go out of something (They went out of the tournament yesterday.); go out in + round (Our team went out in the first round.); go out to someone (They went out to last year’s champions.)

Similar words: be eliminated, be knocked out

Opposites: advance

Common phrases: go out on penalties, go out early

If a quality does this, it disappears from a person, voice, situation, or activity.

• The anger went out of her voice.
• All the excitement had gone out of the campaign.
• His confidence seemed to go out of him after that mistake.

How to use it: something goes out of someone/something (All the warmth went out of his voice.)

Similar words: disappear, fade, drain away

Common phrases: go out of someone, go out of something

If someone does this, they become unable to see, hear, or respond because they are unconscious.

• He went out after the punch.
• The boxer went out cold and fell to the floor.
• She went out for a few seconds after hitting her head.

Similar words: pass out, lose consciousness

Opposites: come round

Common phrases: go out cold, go out completely