1887. Paton, Down the Islands. Barbadian may therefore be said to mean a man with go and grit, energy and vim. 1889. Sportsman, 19 Jan. It all lent a certain zest and go to the proceedings. 1890. Pall Mall Gaz., 21 Feb., p. 7, c. 1. There was so much heartiness and go (so to speak) in the work that it reminded me of what I had read about peasant proprietors labouring in Switzerland and elsewhere under a Home Rule Government. 5. (colloquial).—A turn; an attempt; a chance. Cf., No go. To have a go at, verb. phr. = to make essay of anything: as a man in a fight, a shot at billiards, and (specifically) a woman. 1836. C. Dickens, Pickwick Papers (about 1827), p. 377 (ed. 1857). Wot do you think o’ that for a go? 1877. Five Years’ Penal Servitude, ch. III., p. 221. I’ve twelve this go. I did a lagging of seven, and was at the Gib. three out of it. 1878. Jas. Payn, By Proxy, ch. iii. ‘I would practise that in the seclusion of my own apartments,’ observed Pennicuick; ‘and after a few goes at it, I’ll bet a guinea I’d shake the right stick out first.’ 1888. Haggard, Mr. Meeson’s Will, ch. x. You have had seven goes and I have only had six. 6. (American).—A success. To make a go of it = to bring things to a satisfactory termination. 1888. Harper’s Mag., vol. LXXVII., p. 689. Determination to make the venture a go. 7. (gaming). The last card at cribbage, or the last piece at dominoes. When a player is unable to follow the lead, he calls a go! 8. (old.)—A dandy (q.v. for synonyms); a very heavy swell indeed, one in the extreme of fashion. 1821. Egan, Tom and Jerry [people’s ed.], p. 35. In the parks, Tom was the go among the goes. Verb (American political).—1. To vote; to be in favour of. Cf., Go for. 2. (colloquial).—To succeed; to achieve. Cf., Go down. 1866. Public Opinion, 13 Jan., p. 51, c. 1. His London-street railway scheme didn’t go. 1870. H. D. Traill, ‘On the Watch.’ Sat. Songs, p. 22. Eh, waddyer say? Don’t it go? Ho, yes! my right honnerble friend. It’s go and go over the left, it’s go with a hook at the end. 3. (colloquial).—To wager; to risk. Hence to stand treat; to afford. 1768. Goldsmith, Good Natured Man, Act iii. Men that would go forty guineas on a game of cribbage. 1876. Besant and Rice, Golden Butterfly, Prologue ii. The very dice on the counter with which the bar-keeper used to go the miners for drinks. 1877. S. L. Clemens (M. Twain), Life on the Mississippi, ch. xliii., p. 390. There’s one thing in this world which a person won’t take in pine if he can go walnut; and won’t take in walnut if he can go mahogany.... That’s a coffin. c. 1882. Comic Song, ‘The West End Boys,’ verse 3. Another bitter I really can’t go. 1887. World, 20 Apr., p. 8. While making up his mind, apparently whether he would go ‘three’ or ‘Nap.’ 4. (racing).—To ride to hounds.