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Glite Dictionary
to have a go at it

to have a go at it

1 9.9
To have sex with someone
  • phrasal verb
  • Offensive
translation icon : echar un polvo (vulg.)
  • They decided to have a go at it last night.
  • wanna have a go at it

Examples

  • After a few drinks, he tried to have a go at it but she wasn't interested.

  • He bragged to his friends that he would have a go at it before the night was over.

  • People gossiping said she let him have a go at it during the party.

  • Why don't you have a go at it with Sarah?

  • He smiled and asked, "Ready to have a go at it tonight?"

  • After their romantic dinner, they decided to have a go at it in the hotel.

  • She playfully said, "Do you think we should have a go at it before the evening ends?"

Synonyms

to fuck
vsto have a go at it
  • Offensive
∞ 9.9

To have sex with someone

is an intentionally softened euphemism and less offensive
to have sex
vsto have a go at it
  • NSFW
∞ 3.0

To touch each other's private parts for physical pleasure

is more euphemistic and less clinical or direct in wording
to do it
vsto have a go at it
  • NSFW
999 9.8

To have sex with someone

is more euphemistic and less direct in plainness
to love
vsto have a go at it
  • NSFW
698 8.6

To have sex with another person

is an informal euphemism that feels even softer and milder
to know
vsto have a go at it
  • NSFW
675 9.9

To have sex with someone

is modern informal euphemism rather than archaic or literary term
to sleep with
vsto have a go at it
  • NSFW
652 7.4

To have sex with someone

is more playful and less literal in everyday speech
to make love
vsto have a go at it
  • NSFW
296 5.3

Have sex with someone you love or care about

is a neutral euphemism not necessarily implying emotional meaning
to screw
vsto have a go at it
  • Offensive
205 9.9

To have sex with someone, said as a rude word

is a gentler euphemism and avoids direct vulgarity
to get it on
vsto have a go at it
  • Offensive
125 9.3

To have sex with someone

is more euphemistic and avoids focusing on the act starting
to bang
vsto have a go at it
  • Offensive
122 9.9

To have sex with someone

is a softened euphemism and far less offensive in tone
to get laid
vsto have a go at it
  • Offensive
95 9.9

To have sex with someone, usually in a short, casual way

is a softer euphemism that does not imply casualness
to sleep together
vsto have a go at it
  • NSFW
69 7.4

Have sex with another person, often when not married

is more slangy and less tied to relationship context
to hump
vsto have a go at it
  • Offensive
58 9.9

To have sex with someone, used as a rude word

is much softer and avoids coarse physical wording
to have intercourse
vsto have a go at it
  • NSFW
23 8.1

To have sex with someone

is informal and euphemistic rather than formal clinical language
to be intimate
vsto have a go at it
  • NSFW
16 7.9

Have sex with someone

is more informal and conversational rather than polite or formal
to bed
vsto have a go at it
  • NSFW
12 9.0

To have sex with someone

is a milder euphemism that avoids straightforward phrasing
to lie with
vsto have a go at it
  • NSFW
6 9.1

To have sex with someone

is informal and euphemistic rather than formal or legalistic
to sex
vsto have a go at it
  • NSFW
5 5.1

To have physical contact with someone for pleasure, usually in a casual way

is more euphemistic and avoids the casual bluntness of this term
to do the nasty
vsto have a go at it
  • NSFW
4 9.5

To have sex with someone

is more euphemistic and less overtly humorous
to eff
vsto have a go at it
  • Offensive
2 9.9

To have sex with someone

is a more casual euphemism that sounds less explicit
to bonk
vsto have a go at it
  • NSFW
2 9.9

To have sex with someone

is calmer and more euphemistic than playful slang
to have it off
vsto have a go at it
  • NSFW
1 9.9

To have sex with someone, used in informal British English

is a milder euphemism used more generally across varieties
to jazz
vsto have a go at it
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To have sex with someone

is a milder euphemism avoiding blunt slang usage
to have it away
vsto have a go at it
  • NSFW
9.9

To have sex with someone

is more euphemistic and less imageable or playful
to roll in the hay
vsto have a go at it
  • NSFW
9.2

To have sex briefly in a casual way

is a more neutral euphemism without playful imagery
to jump each other's bones
vsto have a go at it
  • Offensive
9.9

To have sex with someone because you really want them

is more neutral and focuses on gentler, vague wording

Antonyms

to avoid
∞ 1.0

To stay away from something or not do it to stop something bad from happening

to reject
839 1.9

Refuse to accept someone or something

Surface Forms

have a go at it infinitive
had a go at it past
had a go at it past participle
having a go at it present participle
has a go at it third person singular

Morphology

have + a + go + at + it

The literal composition 'have' + 'a go' + 'at it' clearly yields 'make an attempt at it' and a B1 learner who knows the constituents would most likely infer a non-sexual sense of ‘try it’. The sexual meaning is a pragmatic/euphemistic extension that cannot be reliably derived from the parts without contextual or cultural exposure, so it is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Have a go at it comes from the common phrase have a go, which simply means 'to try' something. People started using it as a softer or joking way to say someone tried to be sexual with another person, so it came to mean 'to have sex'.