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Glite Dictionary
going away

going away

109 3.2
Leaving a place or people to live somewhere else for a long time
  • noun
translation icon : partida
  • "I thought she was going away in the fall," Milo said.

It was his, it was his going away money.

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Examples

  • Have you thought of going away for a few days?

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Ronnie had a little going-away party.

    Menace II Society (1993)

  • After all, we were supposed to be going away for only a few days.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Then, the sound of steps going away, and at last... silence.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • - I got a going-away present for you.

    The Boost (1988)

  • Angus told everyone I was going away to a hospital in Chicago.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • It's probably best you're going away for a few days.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • And this is a fine going-away present I'm giving you for Christmas.

    Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

  • I loved my students there, who threw a huge going-away party for me in the Student Union.

    Academic text (2014)

  • We organized a special going away party for her because she was moving to another country.

Synonyms

withdrawal
vsgoing away
281 4.1

Removing people or things from a place

focuses on personal long term absence rather than general removal actions
departure
vsgoing away
201 2.3

The time a train, plane, or bus leaves

covers leaving for an extended time or permanently, not only travel
exit
vsgoing away
129 1.0

The act of leaving a place or situation

covers longer or permanent leaving rather than the immediate act of leaving
parting
vsgoing away
30 3.2

To leave or say goodbye to someone

focuses on longer or permanent absence rather than the goodbye ritual
pullout
vsgoing away
18 5.8

Moving people or soldiers out of a place, often quickly, for example troops leaving a war area

refers to extended or permanent personal absence rather than an abrupt departure
breaking away
vsgoing away
5 5.0

An act of leaving a group suddenly to be on your own

covers leaving more generally, not only sudden group separation
leaving
vsgoing away
4 1.0

The act of going away from a place or person

is used for longer or permanent absence rather than brief moves
going
vsgoing away
4 1.0

A departure from a place or job

stresses an extended or permanent departure rather than a simple move
leave-taking
vsgoing away
  • Formal
1 7.0

To say goodbye in a polite or formal way

emphasizes longer absence or permanent departure rather than formality
outmigration
vsgoing away
  • Specialized
1 7.2

A movement of people leaving a place to live somewhere else

is broader and can apply to single persons as well as groups

Antonyms

to stay
∞ 1.0

To remain in one place and not leave

returning
2.9

Coming back after being gone

How Long

emigration
13 4.5
going away
109 3.2
move
259 1.1
absence
186 1.3
day return
  • UK
1 2.3

Surface Forms

going away singular
going aways plural

Morphology

going + away

The meaning 'the act of leaving' is directly and compositionally derived from 'going' (an act of departing) combined with 'away' (to another place). This motion verb + particle pattern is common and cross-linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The noun going away comes from the simple image of someone going away from their home or friends. People would give a gift or a party when someone was leaving, so today the phrase means the act of 'leaving' or a farewell celebration.