Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [goh eyp]
- /goʊ eɪp/
- /ɡəʊ eɪp/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [goh eyp]
- /goʊ eɪp/
Definitions of go ape words
- noun go ape any of a group of anthropoid primates characterized by long arms, a broad chest, and the absence of a tail, comprising the family Pongidae (great ape) which includes the chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan, and the family Hylobatidae (lesser ape) which includes the gibbon and siamang. 1
- noun go ape (loosely) any primate except humans. 1
- noun go ape an imitator; mimic. 1
- noun go ape Informal. a big, ugly, clumsy person. 1
- verb with object go ape to imitate; mimic: to ape another's style of writing. 1
- idioms go ape go ape, Slang. to become violently emotional: When she threatened to leave him, he went ape. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of go ape
First appearance:
before 900 One of the 4% oldest English words
before 900; Middle English; Old English apa; cognate with Old Saxon apo, Old Norse api, Old High German affo (German Affe)
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Go ape
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
go ape popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 94% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
go ape usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for go ape
verb go ape
- crack up — If someone cracks up, they are under such a lot of emotional strain that they become mentally ill.
- freak out — any abnormal phenomenon or product or unusual object; anomaly; aberration.
- hit the ceiling — the overhead interior surface of a room.
- wig out — an artificial covering of hair for all or most of the head, of either synthetic or natural hair, worn to be stylish or more attractive.
- blow a gasket — to burst out in anger
Antonyms for go ape
verb go ape
- denounce — If you denounce a person or an action, you criticize them severely and publicly because you feel strongly that they are wrong or evil.
- discourage — to deprive of courage, hope, or confidence; dishearten; dispirit.