❓ To happen ➡️ To continue 🗣️ To keep speaking 💡 To start working

to go on

136 1.1

Start working, like lights or an alarm

phrasal verb
/ɡoʊ ɑn/

: encenderse

The light of the lamp by his bed goes on, and he sleepily opens his eyes.
lights go on
go on the air

And so when all the lights went on, Oh my God, this is it.

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Examples

As soon as the machine goes on, it starts to hum quietly in the background.
There's a click and the light goes on in the cellar.

Fiction book (1997)
Because late last night I saw a light go on.

House at the End of the Street (2012)
For two hours, she sat on her bed watching the lights go on and off in the town.

Fiction book (1990)
Electric lights went on automatically at 6 AM and went off automatically two hours later.

Academic text (1997)
The emergency light goes on; the alarm sounds; lab assistants are running...

Fiction book (1998)
Suddenly, the green light on the lock goes on and it unlocks with a clunk.

Fiction book (1991)
The windows rattle, Lex screams, the flashlight goes on again, and the tyrannosaur strikes.

Fiction book (1993)
When the power was restored, the lights go on immediately, illuminating the entire room.
She pressed the button, and the display screen goes on, showing the startup menu.

Synonyms

to start

vsto go on

∞ 1.0

To begin an action, event or process

is specific to machines, devices, or systems rather than any action

to run

vsto go on

∞ 2.2

To make a machine or device work

focuses on beginning operation rather than the ongoing functioning

to turn on

vsto go on

723 1.0

To make a machine or device start working

describes starting operation but not the specific physical action to do so

to go to work

vsto go on

193 2.0

To start operating and do the job it was made for

focuses on starting to do the device's intended task rather than mere activation

to come on

vsto go on

144 2.5

Start to work, like lights or heating

is used more widely for machines and systems rather than just availability

to start up

vsto go on

86 3.0

To make a machine or system begin to work

is the general phrase for beginning operation of machines and devices

to switch on

vsto go on

57 1.6

To make a device like a light start working by pressing a button or moving a switch

refers to beginning operation in general without specifying a manual action

to boot

vsto go on

Specialized

46 4.5

To start a computer and load its operating system

is the wider term for beginning devices and systems outside computing

to come up

vsto go on

Specialized

30 3.5

To start working after being switched on

is the broader general term for machines beginning to function

to bring up

vsto go on

Specialized

7 5.5

Start a computer's operating system so it can run

applies to computers specifically while the general phrase covers devices broadly

to spin up

vsto go on

Specialized

1 5.2

Start a computer system or service so it is ready to use

is a more general term for beginning operation across many device types

Antonyms

to break down

200 3.2

To stop working because of a problem

stop

117 1.0

An act when something ends or pauses

to go off

115 2.5

Stop working or lose power, for example lights

How Quickly

to spring to life

6 4.0

to get going

598 2.3

to go on

136 1.1

to start

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

go on infinitive

going on present participle

goes on third person singular

went on past

gone on past participle

Morphology

go + on

The sense 'to start running/operating' is directly derivable from combining 'go' (begin to run or be in action) with 'on' (into an active/operational state); a learner who knows both constituents can infer this meaning. The verb+on composition pattern signaling change into an active/working state is common in English and relatively transparent cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner is likely to understand it.

Etymology

Go on for machines comes from lights or engines that 'go on' when switched, like a lamp that suddenly shines. That clear start is why go on means 'to start working' for a device.