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go wrong

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go wrong

to fail; [for something bad] to happen. The project failed. I don't know what went wrong. I'm afraid that everything will go wrong.

See also: wrong

go wrong

1. to make a mistake or a bad decision With so many great players to choose from, there was no way I could go wrong. If you follow the signs to the park, you can't go wrong. You can't go wrong with the Italian restaurants in this neighborhood.

2. to experience problems or have a bad result I don't know what I would have done if anything had gone wrong. They tried to find out what went wrong with the science experiment.

3. to start to behave very badly He was a kid who went wrong, although he came from a very good family. Has something gone wrong with nature?

Usage notes: often used for all three meanings in the form something goes wrong with something, as in the examples

See also: wrong

go wrong

1. Go astray, make a mistake. For example, We made a left turn and somehow went wrong from then on, or You won't go wrong if you follow the directions in the dress pattern. [c. 1300]

2. Take to evil ways, become a criminal, as in As soon as he turned thirteen, Billy fell in with a gang and began to go wrong. [c. 1500]

3. Fail, turn out badly, as in Everything about this party has gone wrong. [Late 1500s]

4. Fail to work properly, as in The car starts fine, but as soon as you put it in gear, the transmission goes wrong. [Late 1800s]

See also: wrong

go wrong

1. To go amiss; turn out badly: What went wrong with their business?

2. To make a mistake or mistakes: parents wondering where they went wrong raising their child.

3. To behave immorally after a period of innocence or moral behavior: a young man who went wrong.

See also: wrong