ENGLISH
REFERENCE

go out for

phrasal verb.
A2 Elementary Oxford General-service
Definition

phrasal verb. to leave your home to do a specific activity, usually for fun or to eat.

phrasal verb. to depart from one's residence for the purpose of engaging in a specific social activity or meal; often used with a gerund or a noun phrase.


SIMPLE

Let's go out for dinner tonight.

CONTEXTUAL

They usually go out for a walk in the park after they finish work.

COMPLEX

The department decided to go out for drinks to celebrate the successful completion of the quarterly audit.

  • go for
  • head out for
  • leave for
Particles
out for
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
go + out + for + object
Usage

commonly followed by nouns like 'dinner', 'drinks', 'coffee', or 'a walk'.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'go out' (general socialising) by highlighting that 'for' introduces the specific purpose or destination of the trip.

Pitfall

We go out for eat.We go out for a meal.the preposition 'for' must be followed by a noun or a gerund, not a base verb.

Last updated April 24, 2026