To follow suit

To follow suit
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[=e]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. [1913 Webster]

It waves me forth again; I'll follow it. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. To endeavor to overtake; to go in pursuit of; to chase; to pursue; to prosecute. [1913 Webster]

I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. --Ex. xiv. 17. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

Approve the best, and follow what I approve. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

Follow peace with all men. --Heb. xii. 14. [1913 Webster]

It is most agreeable to some men to follow their reason; and to others to follow their appetites. --J. Edwards. [1913 Webster]

4. To copy after; to take as an example. [1913 Webster]

We had rather follow the perfections of them whom we like not, than in defects resemble them whom we love. --Hooker. [1913 Webster]

5. To succeed in order of time, rank, or office. [1913 Webster]

6. To result from, as an effect from a cause, or an inference from a premise. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

He followed with his eyes the flitting shade. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

8. To walk in, as a road or course; to attend upon closely, as a profession or calling. [1913 Webster]

O, had I but followed the arts! --Shak. [1913 Webster]

O Antony! I have followed thee to this. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

{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. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • follow suit — {v. phr.} 1. To play a card of the same color and kind that another player has put down. * /When diamonds were led, I had to follow suit./ 2. To do as someone else has done; follow someone s example. * /When the others went swimming, I followed… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • follow suit — {v. phr.} 1. To play a card of the same color and kind that another player has put down. * /When diamonds were led, I had to follow suit./ 2. To do as someone else has done; follow someone s example. * /When the others went swimming, I followed… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • follow suit — ► to do the same as someone else: »We expect that fund managers will take a lead by coming out in favour of one of the banks, at which point undecided investors will follow suit. Main Entry: ↑follow …   Financial and business terms

  • follow suit — ► follow suit 1) conform to another s actions. 2) (in bridge, whist, and other card games) play a card of the suit led. Main Entry: ↑follow …   English terms dictionary

  • follow suit — index copy, mock (imitate) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • follow suit — verb a) To play a card of the same suit as the previous or leading card If you are not sure of the proper etiquette, watch what others do and follow suit. b) To follow an example; to imitate …   Wiktionary

  • follow\ suit — v. phr. 1. To play a card of the same color and kind that another player has put down. When diamonds were led, I had to follow suit. 2. To do as someone else has done; follow someone s example. When the others went swimming, I followed suit …   Словарь американских идиом

  • follow suit —    If you follow suit, you do the same as another person has just done.     The first robber held up his hands, then the other two followed suit …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • follow suit — to do the same as someone else has just done. If other companies lower their prices, we shall have to follow suit …   New idioms dictionary

  • To follow suit — Suit Suit (s[=u]t), n. [OE. suite, F. suite, OF. suite, sieute, fr. suivre to follow, OF. sivre; perhaps influenced by L. secta. See {Sue} to follow, and cf. {Sect}, {Suite}.] 1. The act of following or pursuing, as game; pursuit. [Obs.] [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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