Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

have a go

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.93 in modern English

Syllables: have a -go
IPA

14

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To make an attempt; to try.

Australian usage; British usage; Informal; Intransitive verb

verb

To attack someone physically; to have a fight.

Australian usage; British usage; Informal; Intransitive verb

verb

To tell off (especially unnecessarily or excessively), to criticise.

Australian usage; British usage; Informal; Intransitive verb

Example Sentences

"I've never tried karate before, but I'm willing to have a go."
"I heard you had a go at Jack the other night."
"'Yes, me and Marty had a go when he didn't believe me about the girl.'"
"But there were occasions when someone or other had a go — when I was going to have a drink from the fountain, for instance, and had to stand on tiptoe at the side to reach the jet of water. Then it was that the clever dogs saw their chance to do something tough atmy expense […]"
"My teacher had a go at me earlier, just for missing one sodding homework. I was fuming."
"Except her dad had a go last time, the last time she'd brought home a detention slip for him to sign."

Usage

Inflected Forms

has a go (present, singular) having a go (participle, present) had a go (participle, past) had a go (past)

Phrases

have-a-go hero

Synonyms

give it a try

Questions

What does have a go mean?: To make an attempt; to try.

How to pronounce have a go

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “have a go”.
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