follow meaning and definition

FOLLOW verb

Definition of follow (verb)

1. to travel behind, go after, come after
   • "The ducklings followed their mother around the pond"; "Please follow the guide through the museum"
   • antonym: lead
2. be later in time
   • "Tuesday always follows Monday"
   • synonyms: postdate
   • antonym: antecede
3. come as a logical consequence; follow logically
   • "It follows that your assertion is false"; "the theorem falls out nicely"
   • synonyms: fall out
4. travel along a certain course
   • "follow the road"; "follow the trail"
   • synonyms: travel along
5. act in accordance with someone's rules, commands, or wishes
   • "He complied with my instructions"; "You must comply or else!"; "Follow these simple rules"; "abide by the rules"
   • synonyms: abide by, comply
6. come after in time, as a result
   • "A terrible tsunami followed the earthquake"
   • synonyms: come after
7. behave in accordance or in agreement with
   • "Follow a pattern"; "Follow my example"
   • synonyms: conform to
8. be next
   • "Mary plays best, with John and Sue following"
9. choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans
   • "She followed the feminist movement"; "The candidate espouses Republican ideals"
   • synonyms: adopt, espouse
10. to bring something about at a later time than
    • "She followed dinner with a brandy"; "He followed his lecture with a question and answer period"
11. imitate in behavior; take as a model
    • "Teenagers follow their friends in everything"
    • synonyms: take after
12. follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something
    • "We must follow closely the economic development is Cuba" ; "trace the student's progress"
    • synonyms: trace
13. follow with the eyes or the mind
    • "Keep an eye on the baby, please!"; "The world is watching Sarajevo"; "She followed the men with the binoculars"
    • synonyms: keep an eye on, observe, watch, watch over
14. be the successor (of)
    • "Carter followed Ford"; "Will Charles succeed to the throne?"
    • synonyms: come after, succeed
    • antonym: come before
15. perform an accompaniment to
    • "The orchestra could barely follow the frequent pitch changes of the soprano"
    • synonyms: accompany, play along
16. keep informed
    • "He kept up on his country's foreign policies"
    • synonyms: keep abreast, keep up
17. to be the product or result
    • "Melons come from a vine"; "Understanding comes from experience"
    • synonyms: come
18. accept and follow the leadership or command or guidance of
    • "Let's follow our great helmsman!"; "She followed a guru for years"
19. adhere to or practice
    • "These people still follow the laws of their ancient religion"
20. work in a specific place, with a specific subject, or in a specific function
    • "He is a herpetologist"; "She is our resident philosopher"
    • synonyms: be
21. keep under surveillance
    • "The police had been following him for weeks but they could not prove his involvement in the bombing"
    • synonyms: surveil, survey
22. follow in or as if in pursuit
    • "The police car pursued the suspected attacker"; "Her bad deed followed her and haunted her dreams all her life"
    • synonyms: pursue
23. grasp the meaning
    • "Can you follow her argument?"; "When he lectures, I cannot follow"
24. keep to
    • "Stick to your principles"; "stick to the diet"
    • synonyms: stick to, stick with