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Glite Dictionary
to go about

to go about

200 3.5
To begin doing something in a certain way
  • phrasal verb
  • /ɡoʊ əˈbaʊt/
translation icon : abordar
  • Let's look at now how to go about solving these problems.
  • go about one's business
  • a way to go about
  • go about solving

Let's look at now how to go about solving these problems.

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Examples

  • OK, so how will you go about paying for this?

  • When you came over, how did you go about building your team?

  • All right, so how, how do we go about this?

  • And so how do we go about doing it?

  • So how do we go about developing our soft skills?

  • How are you going to go about finding this young Russian?

    Enemy at the Gates (2001)

  • And how do you expect us to go about doing that?

    Another Stakeout (1993)

  • So, how does one go about getting a room?

    Joy of Sex (1984)

  • We have to help them decide how to go about helping us.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Can you explain how we should go about organizing the event?

Synonyms

to proceed
vsto go about
763 3.0

Begin or continue an action after a pause, often as planned

is about beginning to act in a chosen way rather than resuming or continuing
to approach
vsto go about
159 2.6

To begin to deal with a problem or task

is about starting action without implying a specific method or plan
to set out
vsto go about
150 3.2

To start doing something with a clear aim

is about beginning in a chosen way rather than only having a clear aim
to see about
vsto go about
  • Informal
91 3.0

To arrange and take care of something

is about actually beginning to do something rather than only arranging or preparing
to set about
vsto go about
21 3.4

To start doing something in a determined way

is less about strong determination and more about starting in a particular way

Antonyms

to neglect
256 3.8

Fail to care for someone or something you should look after

Surface Forms

go about infinitive
went about past
gone about past participle
going about present participle
goes about third person singular

Morphology

go + about

The sense 'to begin to do or deal with something' is related to combining 'go' (to move or proceed) with 'about' (around/about), so a learner could infer a meaning of proceeding to carry out an action. However, the particle construction's specific sense of 'approach/undertake' is somewhat idiomatic and not fully predictable from the constituents without exposure, so it is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Go about comes from the image of someone who goes about a task, walking around it to check what needs doing before starting. So, to go about something means to 'begin' it or to 'deal with' it in a particular way.