Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
go to great lengths. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
go to great lengths, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
go to great lengths in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
go to great lengths you have here. The definition of the word
go to great lengths will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
go to great lengths, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
Verb
go to great lengths (third-person singular simple present goes to great lengths, present participle going to great lengths, simple past went to great lengths, past participle gone to great lengths)
- (idiomatic) To make a major effort; to be very careful when doing something, especially to an extreme or excessive degree.
1944 September and October, A Former Pupil, “Some Memories of Crewe Works—I”, in Railway Magazine, page 283:The most surprising thing was to discover that each job had its little tricks, peculiarities that had been learned in the experience of years, and one of the really pleasing features was the unlimited patience and kindliness of the chargehands and fitters, who would go to great lengths to teach the budding engineer all they themselves knew.
- 2008, José Rodrigues does Santos, Codex 632: The Secret Identity of Christopher Columbus (trans. from the Portuguese by Alison Entrekin), William Morrow (2008), →ISBN, page 262:
- They said good-bye on the eleventh, and the Portuguese noblemen saw him off, going to great lengths to show him respect."
2009, Diego Gambetta, Codes of the Underworld: How Criminals Communicate, Princeton University Press, published 2009, →ISBN, page 272:Most scholars writing on the mafia were going to great lengths to demonstrate that it did not exist—and the mobsters wanted to keep their brotherhood secret.
2013, Chad R. Torgerson, Waking Up Catholic: A Guide to Catholic Beliefs for Converts, Reverts, and Anyone Becoming Catholic, Assisi Media, published 2013, →ISBN, page 62:As a father, I would go to great lengths to protect my children.
Synonyms
Translations
See also