following Meaning, Definition & Usage

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

WordNet


Fol"low*ing noun
Definitions
  1. One's followers, adherents, or dependents, collectively. Macaulay.
  2. Vocation; business; profession.
Fol"low*ing adjective
Definitions
  1. Next after; succeeding; ensuing; as, the assembly was held on the following day.
  2. (Astron.) (In the field of a telescope) In the direction from which stars are apparently moving (in consequence of the erth's rotation); as, a small star, north following or south following. In the direction toward which stars appear to move is called preceding. ✍ The four principal directions in the field of a telescope are north, south, following, preceding.

Webster 1913