Definition of follow
transitive verb
1
:to go, proceed, or come after
- followed the guide
2 a
:to engage in as a calling or way of life :pursue
- wheat-growing is generally followed here
b
:to walk or proceed along
- follow a path
3 a
:to be or act in accordance with
- follow directions
b
:to accept as authority :obey
- followed his conscience
4 a
:to pursue in an effort to overtake
- Police followed the robbers attempting to escape.
b
:to seek to attain
- follow knowledge
5
:to come into existence or take place as a result or consequence of
- disaster followed the blunder
6 a
:to come or take place after in time, sequence, or order
- A juggling act followed the singer.
b
:to cause to be followed
- followed dinner with a liqueur
7
:to copy after :imitate
- the new building follows the facades and roof lines of the original buildings
- —Maxwell Mays
8 a
:to watch steadily
- followed the flight of the ball
b
:to keep the mind on
- follow a speech
c
:to attend closely to :keep abreast of
- followed his career with interest
d
:to understand the sense or logic of (something, such as a line of thought)
- I don't quite follow your thinking.
intransitive verb
1
:to go or come after a person or thing in place, time, or sequence
- If one sheep goes through the gate, the rest will follow.
2
:to result or occur as a consequence, effect, or inference
- Just because he's done some bad things, does it follow that he is a bad person?
—
as follows
:as comes next
—used impersonally
- The names of the winners are as follows: Mary, James, and Sylvia.
—
follow one's nose
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 plan or reflection :obey one's instincts
- You don't need my advice—just follow your nose.
—
follow suit
1
:to play a card of the same suit as the card led
2
:to follow an example set
- When one airline lowers its fares, the others usually follow suit.
Writing? Check your grammar now!