First recorded in 1920–25; shortened from dialectal gooney, variant of obsolete gony “a simpleton” (of unknown origin); influenced by the comic-strip character Alice the Goon in the series Thimble Theatre by E. C. Segar (1894–1938), American cartoonist
Words nearby goon
Goolagong Cawley, Goole, goolie, goombah, goombay, goon, go on and on, goon bag, goonda, go one better, go one's way
Happen, take place, as in What's going on here? [Early 1700s]
2
Continue, as in The show must go on. [Late 1500s]
3
Keep on doing; also, proceed, as in He went on talking, or She may go on to become a partner. [Second half of 1600s]
4
Act, behave, especially badly. For example, Don't go on like that; stop kicking the dog. [Second half of 1700s]
5
Also, go on and on; run on. Talk volubly, chatter, especially tiresomely. For example, How she does go on! The first usage dates from the mid-1800s; run on appeared in Nicholas Udall's Ralph Roister Doister (c. 1553): “Yet your tongue can run on.“
6
An interjection expressing disbelief, surprise, or the like, as in Go on, you must be joking! [Late 1800s]
7
Approach; see going on.
8
Use as a starting point or as evidence, as in The investigator doesn't have much to go on in this case. [Mid-1900s]
9
go on something. Begin something, as in go on line, meaning “start to use a computer,” or go on a binge, meaning “begin to overdo, especially drink or eat too much.”