• (RP) IPA: /ˈfɒləʊ/
• (America) IPA: /ˈfɑloʊ/

follow (follows, present participle following; past and past participle followed)

1. (ambitransitive) To go after; to pursue; to move behind in the same path or direction.

   Follow that car!

   She left the room and I followed.

2. (ambitransitive) To go or come after in a sequence.

   B follows A in the alphabet.

   We both ordered the soup, with roast beef to follow.

3. (transitive) To carry out (orders, instructions, etc.).

   Follow these instructions to the letter.

4. (transitive) To live one's life according to (religion, teachings, etc).
5. (transitive) To understand, to pay attention to.

   Do you follow me?

6. (transitive) To watch, to keep track of (reports of) some event or person.

   I followed the incumbent throughout the election.

   My friends don't regularly follow the news.

7. (internet, transitive) To subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform.

   If you want to see more of our articles, follow us on Twitter.

8. (ambitransitive) To be a logical consequence of something.

   It follows that if two numbers are not equal then one is larger than the other.

   If you don't practise proper hygiene, illness is sure to follow.

9. (transitive) To walk in, as a road or course; to attend upon closely, as a profession or calling.
   • c. 1601–1602, William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or VVhat You VVill”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act I, scene iii]:

     O, had I but followed the arts!

• (go after in a physical space) trail, tail
• (in a sequence) succeed; see also Thesaurus:succeed
• (carry out) pursue
• (be a consequence) ensue

• (go after in a physical space) guide, lead
• (go after in a sequence) precede; see also Thesaurus:precede
• unfollow

• French: suivre
• German: folgen
• Italian: seguire
• Portuguese: seguir
• Russian: сле́довать
• Spanish: seguir

• French: suivre
• German: folgen (auf)
• Portuguese: seguir
• Russian: сле́довать
• Spanish: seguir

• German: folgen
• Portuguese: seguir
• Russian: соблюда́ть
• Spanish: seguir

• French: se plier à, suivre
• German: folgen, verschreiben (reflexive, usually past perfect), befolgen
• Portuguese: seguir
• Russian: сле́довать

• French: suivre
• German: folgen
• Portuguese: captar
• Russian: понима́ть

• French: suivre
• Portuguese: acompanhar
• Russian: следи́ть

• French: découler
• German: folgen
• Portuguese: seguir
• Russian: сле́довать

follow (plural follows)

1. (sometimes, attributive) In billiards and similar games, a stroke causing a ball to follow another ball after hitting it.

   a follow shot

2. (internet) The act of following another user's online activity.
   • 2012, Brett Petersel, ‎Esther Schindler, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Twitter Marketing

     It doesn't take too many follows to become overwhelmed with the deluge of content on Twitter.