"go both ways" meaning in English

See go both ways in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

Forms: goes both ways [present, singular, third-person], going both ways [participle, present], went both ways [past], gone both ways [participle, past]
Head templates: {{en-verb|go<goes,,went,gone> both ways}} go both ways (third-person singular simple present goes both ways, present participle going both ways, simple past went both ways, past participle gone both ways)
  1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see go, both, ways. Related terms: swing both ways, cut both ways, have it both ways
    Sense id: en-go_both_ways-en-verb-KL3WNLBU Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with topic categories using raw markup, English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 43 16 20 20 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 51 13 15 21 Disambiguation of English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys: 55 12 16 18
  2. (informal) To be, or be in, a mutual or reciprocal relationship or obligation. Tags: informal
    Sense id: en-go_both_ways-en-verb-5bsId35l
  3. (informal) To be bisexual. Tags: informal Synonyms: be bisexual
    Sense id: en-go_both_ways-en-verb-RzNoBNT6
  4. (informal, especially of a gay man) To be versatile, able to act as either a top or a bottom. Tags: especially, informal Categories (topical): LGBT
    Sense id: en-go_both_ways-en-verb-ONWRN5YP Disambiguation of LGBT: 21 3 0 76

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for go both ways meaning in English (3.8kB)

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "goes both ways",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "going both ways",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "went both ways",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "gone both ways",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "go<goes,,went,gone> both ways"
      },
      "expansion": "go both ways (third-person singular simple present goes both ways, present participle going both ways, simple past went both ways, past participle gone both ways)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "43 16 20 20",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 13 15 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with topic categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "55 12 16 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
          "parents": [
            "Terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1907, The Southwestern Reporter, page 571",
          "text": "[...] people generally went by the railroad; that is, decidedly more than went on the dirt road. Witness had seen men go both ways.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see go, both, ways."
      ],
      "id": "en-go_both_ways-en-verb-KL3WNLBU",
      "links": [
        [
          "go",
          "go#English"
        ],
        [
          "both",
          "both#English"
        ],
        [
          "ways",
          "ways#English"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "87 1 0 12",
          "word": "swing both ways"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 1 0 12",
          "word": "cut both ways"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 1 0 12",
          "word": "have it both ways"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "empathy goes both ways"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To be, or be in, a mutual or reciprocal relationship or obligation."
      ],
      "id": "en-go_both_ways-en-verb-5bsId35l",
      "links": [
        [
          "mutual",
          "mutual"
        ],
        [
          "reciprocal",
          "reciprocal"
        ],
        [
          "relationship",
          "relationship"
        ],
        [
          "obligation",
          "obligation"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) To be, or be in, a mutual or reciprocal relationship or obligation."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2004, “How We Do”, in Jayceon Taylor, Mike Elizondo, Curtis J. Jackson, Andre R. Young (lyrics), Andre R. Young and Mike Elizondo (music), The Documentary, performed by The Game (featuring 50 Cent), G-Unit Records",
          "text": "I have a straight bitch in the telly going both ways.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To be bisexual."
      ],
      "id": "en-go_both_ways-en-verb-RzNoBNT6",
      "links": [
        [
          "bisexual",
          "bisexual"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) To be bisexual."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "be bisexual"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "21 3 0 76",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "LGBT",
          "orig": "en:LGBT",
          "parents": [
            "Sexuality",
            "Human behaviour",
            "Sex",
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Reproduction",
            "Fundamental",
            "Life",
            "Nature"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2011, Joe Kort, Gay Affirmative Therapy for the Straight Clinician, W. W. Norton & Company, page 180",
          "text": "When Mark sought my supervision, I taught him the terms top and bottom and explained that gay men usually self-identify as either one or the other. Some men go both ways—calling themselves \"versatile\"—[…]",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To be versatile, able to act as either a top or a bottom."
      ],
      "id": "en-go_both_ways-en-verb-ONWRN5YP",
      "links": [
        [
          "versatile",
          "versatile"
        ],
        [
          "top",
          "top"
        ],
        [
          "bottom",
          "bottom"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal, especially of a gay man) To be versatile, able to act as either a top or a bottom."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "of a gay man"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "especially",
        "informal"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "go both ways"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
    "English verbs",
    "en:LGBT"
  ],
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "goes both ways",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "going both ways",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "went both ways",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "gone both ways",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "go<goes,,went,gone> both ways"
      },
      "expansion": "go both ways (third-person singular simple present goes both ways, present participle going both ways, simple past went both ways, past participle gone both ways)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "swing both ways"
    },
    {
      "word": "cut both ways"
    },
    {
      "word": "have it both ways"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1907, The Southwestern Reporter, page 571",
          "text": "[...] people generally went by the railroad; that is, decidedly more than went on the dirt road. Witness had seen men go both ways.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see go, both, ways."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "go",
          "go#English"
        ],
        [
          "both",
          "both#English"
        ],
        [
          "ways",
          "ways#English"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English informal terms"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "empathy goes both ways"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To be, or be in, a mutual or reciprocal relationship or obligation."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "mutual",
          "mutual"
        ],
        [
          "reciprocal",
          "reciprocal"
        ],
        [
          "relationship",
          "relationship"
        ],
        [
          "obligation",
          "obligation"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) To be, or be in, a mutual or reciprocal relationship or obligation."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English informal terms",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2004, “How We Do”, in Jayceon Taylor, Mike Elizondo, Curtis J. Jackson, Andre R. Young (lyrics), Andre R. Young and Mike Elizondo (music), The Documentary, performed by The Game (featuring 50 Cent), G-Unit Records",
          "text": "I have a straight bitch in the telly going both ways.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To be bisexual."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "bisexual",
          "bisexual"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) To be bisexual."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "be bisexual"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English informal terms",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2011, Joe Kort, Gay Affirmative Therapy for the Straight Clinician, W. W. Norton & Company, page 180",
          "text": "When Mark sought my supervision, I taught him the terms top and bottom and explained that gay men usually self-identify as either one or the other. Some men go both ways—calling themselves \"versatile\"—[…]",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To be versatile, able to act as either a top or a bottom."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "versatile",
          "versatile"
        ],
        [
          "top",
          "top"
        ],
        [
          "bottom",
          "bottom"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal, especially of a gay man) To be versatile, able to act as either a top or a bottom."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "of a gay man"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "especially",
        "informal"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "go both ways"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-03 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.