Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a share in.

1852

A. Smith Comic Tales 2: Will you have a go-in at a drag to Epsom? It won’t come to much – about 2l. 10s. each, including feed.

2. a good time.

1847		‘Epistle from Joe Muggins’s Dog’ in Era (London) 15 Aug. 3/3: We shall have a grand go-in at York.
1866		Wild Boys of London I 127/2: ‘Jolly!’ cried the Dolphin. ‘Won’t we have a go-in?’.

3. (Aus.) an attempt; a try at.

1857		Bell’s Life in Victoria (Melbourne) 11 Apr. 3/5: Sammy Isaacs, hearing that Jemmy of the Lightning Hotel is anxious to have a ‘go in,’ is willing to fight him for £25 or £50, and will give Jemmy half a stone.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 30 May 11/1: ‘Paper impracticable; failed.’ […] You are sure to have another go in, for starting papers is a disease.

4. an attack or onslaught upon; also, a spell of work upon.

1863		T. Taylor Ticket-Of-Leave Man Act IV: I had an awful go in of it last night at the balls, and dropped into a lot of ’em like a three-year-old.
1883		Entr’acte April in Ware (1909) 143/1: The person who jumped on the communion table at St Paul’s Cathedral the other day, pulling down the crucifix, knocking over the flowers and other adornments, may be said to have had a very inexpensive ‘go in’. He had been fined £5.
1890		‘Rolf Boldrewood’ Colonial Reformer III 2: I was having a go-in at the garden.
1905		H. Green Actors’ Boarding House (1906) 5: Caroline took a last look into the mirror [...] then rustled out sure that no female guest had her beaten on the go-in.
1930		L. Lower Here’s Luck 4: We had a bit of a session - a ‘go in’ as they call it.

5. (Aus. Und.) a criminal attack or onslaught upon, e.g. an act of bush-ranging; also in fig. (non-criminal) use.

1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 17 Jan. 12/1: Dampier and the ‘fairy actresses’ are still having a go-in at Newcastle with ‘The Workman,’ and we are glad to see – for he is a charming fellow – that he is making a pile. [Ibid.] 2 May 23/3: This time they were evidently not properly sorted out, and we expect that the ‘Biblical Essay,’ and ‘Sunshine for Children’ crowd are having a go-in just now.
1920		Bulletin (Sydney) 12 Feb. 18/3: A couple of the sundries got fresh and had a go-in at one end of the carriage.
1939		J. Campbell Babe is Wise 312: You couldn’t blame ’im really for answering back, like. But I did [...] and lor, didn’t we have some ding-dong go-ins!
1953		K. Tennant Joyful Condemned 12: She had a bit of a go in with Sergeant Nace and he got her three months.
1982		N. Keesing Lily on the Dustbin 97: Now it is ‘on for young and old’. Sister had ‘a go in’ with her arch enemy from Accounts, the one with ‘a face like the back of a tram smash’ and a ‘nit picker’ of note.

6. (UK Und.) an escape (attempt).

1939

V. Davis Gentlemen of the Broad Arrows 97: He had pinched the servant’s clothes to have a go-in.