Follow \Fol"low\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Followed; p. pr. & vb.
n. Following.]
[OE. foluwen, folwen, folgen, AS. folgian,
fylgean, fylgan; akin to D. volgen, OHG. folg?n, G. folgen,
Icel. fylgja, Sw. f["o]lja, Dan. f["o]lge, and perh. to E.
folk.]
1. To go or come after; to move behind in the same path or
direction; hence, to go with (a leader, guide, etc.); to
accompany; to attend.
It waves me forth again; I'll follow it. --Shak.
2. To endeavor to overtake; to go in pursuit of; to chase; to
pursue; to prosecute.
I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they
shall follow them. --Ex. xiv. 17.
3. To accept as authority; to adopt the opinions of; to obey;
to yield to; to take as a rule of action; as, to follow
good advice.
Approve the best, and follow what I approve.
--Milton.
Follow peace with all men. --Heb. xii.
14.
It is most agreeable to some men to follow their
reason; and to others to follow their appetites.
--J. Edwards.
4. To copy after; to take as an example.
We had rather follow the perfections of them whom we
like not, than in defects resemble them whom we
love. --Hooker.
5. To succeed in order of time, rank, or office.
6. To result from, as an effect from a cause, or an inference
from a premise.
7. To watch, as a receding object; to keep the eyes fixed
upon while in motion; to keep the mind upon while in
progress, as a speech, musical performance, etc.; also, to
keep up with; to understand the meaning, connection, or
force of, as of a course of thought or argument.
He followed with his eyes the flitting shade.
--Dryden.
8. To walk in, as a road or course; to attend upon closely,
as a profession or calling.
O, had I but followed the arts! --Shak.
O Antony! I have followed thee to this. --Shak.
Follow board (Founding), a board on which the pattern and
the flask lie while the sand is rammed into the flask.
--Knight.
To follow the hounds, to hunt with dogs.
To follow suit (Card Playing), to play a card of the same
suit as the leading card; hence, colloquially, to follow
an example set.
To follow up, to pursue indefatigably.
Syn: Syn.- To pursue; chase; go after; attend; accompany;
succeed; imitate; copy; embrace; maintain.
Usage: - To Follow, Pursue. To follow (v.t.) denotes
simply to go after; to pursue denotes to follow with
earnestness, and with a view to attain some definite
object; as, a hound pursues the deer. So a person
follows a companion whom he wishes to overtake on a
journey; the officers of justice pursue a felon who
has escaped from prison.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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