Phrasal verb
go below
Definition
phrasal verb. to move from the deck of a ship to the rooms or areas underneath it.
phrasal verb. to descend from the upper deck of a vessel to the lower decks or cabins; primarily used in nautical contexts.
Examples
“The captain told the crew to go below during the storm.”
“As the sun began to set, the passengers decided to go below to prepare for dinner.”
“The sailors were ordered to go below and secure the cargo before the heavy swells reached the ship's hull.”
Examples
simple
“The captain told the crew to go below during the storm.”
contextual
“As the sun began to set, the passengers decided to go below to prepare for dinner.”
complex
“The sailors were ordered to go below and secure the cargo before the heavy swells reached the ship's hull.”
Usage
usually functions as an intransitive verb in a maritime setting.
Teaching tip
anchor this in a nautical context to help students remember it; contrast with 'go downstairs' which is used for buildings.
Pitfall
He went to below to find his cabin.
He went below to find his cabin.
'below' acts as an adverb of direction here, so the preposition 'to' is unnecessary and incorrect.
Phrasal verb
Particles
below
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
go + below
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/go-below