fol·low 
/ˈfɑ:loʊ/ verb
fol·lows; fol·lowed; fol·low·ing /ˈfɑ:loʊ/ verb 1 a : to go or come after or behind (someone or something) [+ obj] ▪ She followed us into the kitchen. ▪ The dog followed the children home. ▪ The exit is right this way. Just follow me. [no obj] ▪ The children went home and the dog followed behind. ▪ If one sheep goes through the gate, the rest will follow.
b [+ obj] : to go after or behind (someone) secretly and watch to find out what happens
▪ He hired a private detective to follow his wife everywhere. [=to secretly find out where she went and what she did] ▪ follow a suspect ▪ I think that someone is following us. = I think we're being followed. 2 a : to come after (something) in time or place or as part of a series [+ obj] ▪ Spring follows winter. = Winter is followed by spring. ▪ The number 15 follows 14. ▪ Her accident was followed by a long period of recovery. [no obj] ▪ First came the student speeches, and the presentation of awards followed. ▪ (formal) The war ended. There followed [=then came; then there was] a long period of rebuilding.
b [+ obj] : to have or do something after (something else) — + with ▪ I followed my dinner with a liqueur. [=I had a liqueur after dinner] ▪ The actor followed his success as Othello with a triumph as Macbeth. 3 a : to happen after and as a result of (something) [+ obj] ▪ Rioting followed the unjust verdict. [no obj] ▪ If you work hard, success will/must surely follow.
b [no obj] : to be true or seem to be true because of something
▪ From the evidence given, several conclusions follow. = Several conclusions follow from the evidence given. [=we can make several conclusions based on the evidence given] — often + that ▪ From the evidence given, it follows that the accused is guilty. ▪ Just because he's done some bad things, does/must it follow that he's a bad person? [=does it mean that he is a bad person?] 4 [+ obj] a : to be guided by (something)
▪ You should follow [=obey] your conscience. ▪ follow your instincts ▪ follow my advice ▪ She must learn to follow instructions. ▪ We must follow the evidence wherever it leads. ▪ You should follow her example. = You should follow the example she set. [=you should do what she did]
b : to do the same thing as (someone)
▪ She followed her father (by going) into medicine. = She followed her father by becoming a doctor. 5 [+ obj] : to move forward on (a road, a path, etc.)
▪ Follow that path, and you will come to a log cabin. ▪ You should follow the main highway until you see signs for the stadium. — often used figuratively ▪ His friends all went to college, but he chose to follow a different path. [=to do something different] ▪ Do recessions follow a predictable cycle/pattern? 6 [+ obj] of a road, path, etc. : to be on or next to (something) for a distance
▪ The path follows the river pretty closely. ▪ The road follows the curve of the hill. 7 [+ obj] a : to keep your eyes or attention on (something)
▪ Follow the bouncing ball.
b : to give close attention to what happens in (something)
▪ He followed her career with interest. ▪ follow football ▪ The book follows his political career from its humble beginnings to his election as president.
c Brit : to be a fan of (a team) : support
▪ He follows Manchester United. 8 : to understand the sense or logic of (something or someone) [+ obj] ▪ I found it hard to follow the twists and turns of the movie's complicated plot. ▪ I'm sorry—I don't follow your argument/reasoning. = I'm sorry—I don't follow you. [=I don't understand you] [no obj] ▪ I'm sorry—I don't follow. [=I don't understand]
b [+ obj] : to go after or behind (someone) secretly and watch to find out what happens
▪ He hired a private detective to follow his wife everywhere. [=to secretly find out where she went and what she did] ▪ follow a suspect ▪ I think that someone is following us. = I think we're being followed.
b [+ obj] : to have or do something after (something else) — + with ▪ I followed my dinner with a liqueur. [=I had a liqueur after dinner] ▪ The actor followed his success as Othello with a triumph as Macbeth.
b [no obj] : to be true or seem to be true because of something
▪ From the evidence given, several conclusions follow. = Several conclusions follow from the evidence given. [=we can make several conclusions based on the evidence given] — often + that ▪ From the evidence given, it follows that the accused is guilty. ▪ Just because he's done some bad things, does/must it follow that he's a bad person? [=does it mean that he is a bad person?]
▪ You should follow [=obey] your conscience. ▪ follow your instincts ▪ follow my advice ▪ She must learn to follow instructions. ▪ We must follow the evidence wherever it leads. ▪ You should follow her example. = You should follow the example she set. [=you should do what she did]
b : to do the same thing as (someone)
▪ She followed her father (by going) into medicine. = She followed her father by becoming a doctor.
▪ Follow that path, and you will come to a log cabin. ▪ You should follow the main highway until you see signs for the stadium. — often used figuratively ▪ His friends all went to college, but he chose to follow a different path. [=to do something different] ▪ Do recessions follow a predictable cycle/pattern?
▪ The path follows the river pretty closely. ▪ The road follows the curve of the hill.
▪ Follow the bouncing ball.
b : to give close attention to what happens in (something)
▪ He followed her career with interest. ▪ follow football ▪ The book follows his political career from its humble beginnings to his election as president.
c Brit : to be a fan of (a team) : support
▪ He follows Manchester United.
a hard/tough act to follow
: someone or something that has been so successful that it is very difficult for the person or thing coming next to be as good
▪ Yesterday's thrilling victory will be a tough act to follow.
▪ Yesterday's thrilling victory will be a tough act to follow.
as follows
— used to introduce a list, a statement, instructions, etc. ▪ The names of the finalists are as follows: Mary, James, and George. ▪ Proceed as follows: go straight ahead to Martin Street and then turn left.
follow around or Brit follow about [phrasal verb]
follow (someone) around/about : to go wherever (someone) goes
▪ The little boy followed his mother around all day.
▪ The little boy followed his mother around all day.
follow in someone's footsteps — see footstep
follow someone's lead — see 2lead
follow suit 1 in card games : to play a card of the same suit (such as hearts or spades) as the card that was played just before
▪ Jane played a spade, and Roger followed suit. 2 : to do the same thing that someone else has just done
▪ His brother went to medical school, and he followed suit. ▪ After one airline lowers their fares, the other airlines usually follow suit.
▪ Jane played a spade, and Roger followed suit.
▪ His brother went to medical school, and he followed suit. ▪ After one airline lowers their fares, the other airlines usually follow suit.
follow the path/line of least resistance — see resistance
follow through [phrasal verb] 1 follow through or follow (something) through : to complete an activity or process that has been started
▪ He always starts the school year off studying and working hard, but he doesn't follow through. [=he doesn't continue to study and work hard] ▪ He doesn't follow his good intentions through. [=although he makes plans to do things, he doesn't actually do them] — often + on or with ▪ He doesn't follow through on his good intentions. ▪ We feared they would follow through on/with their threat. [=we feared that they would do what they threatened to do] 2 sports : to keep your arms, legs, etc., moving after you hit or kick a ball : to complete a stroke or swing
▪ You should follow through on your backhand. ▪ Don't forget to follow through when you putt. — see also follow-through
▪ He always starts the school year off studying and working hard, but he doesn't follow through. [=he doesn't continue to study and work hard] ▪ He doesn't follow his good intentions through. [=although he makes plans to do things, he doesn't actually do them] — often + on or with ▪ He doesn't follow through on his good intentions. ▪ We feared they would follow through on/with their threat. [=we feared that they would do what they threatened to do]
▪ You should follow through on your backhand. ▪ Don't forget to follow through when you putt. — see also follow-through
follow up [phrasal verb] 1 follow up (something) or follow (something) up or follow up : to follow (something) with something similar, related, or additional — + with or by ▪ He followed up his early findings with another study. ▪ After you submit your job application, you should follow it up by making a phone call. ▪ Her first book was a big success, and she followed up with another best seller. 2 follow up (something) or follow (something) up or follow up or chiefly US follow up on (something) a : to try to get more information about (something)
▪ The police followed up (on) the leads. ▪ The references in the book were too vague to follow up.
b : to do something in response to (something) : to take appropriate action about (something)
▪ Police followed up the complaints with several arrests. ▪ He complained several times, but the police never followed up. ▪ He says that the police failed to follow up on his complaints. — see also follow-up
▪ The police followed up (on) the leads. ▪ The references in the book were too vague to follow up.
b : to do something in response to (something) : to take appropriate action about (something)
▪ Police followed up the complaints with several arrests. ▪ He complained several times, but the police never followed up. ▪ He says that the police failed to follow up on his complaints. — see also follow-up
follow your nose
informal 1 : to go in a straight or obvious course
▪ Just follow your nose until you get there; you can't miss it. 2 : to proceed without a definite plan : to do what seems right or best without careful planning
▪ You don't need my advice—just follow your nose. 3 : to go toward the place where a smell is coming from
▪ I followed my nose to the kitchen, where dinner was cooking.
▪ Just follow your nose until you get there; you can't miss it.
▪ You don't need my advice—just follow your nose.
▪ I followed my nose to the kitchen, where dinner was cooking.
