Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to move at great speed.

1689		in Arber Eng. Garner (VII) 365: When these had shared their cargo, they parted company: the French, with their shares went it for Petty Guavas in the Grand Gustaphus [F&H].
1831		‘Gallery of 140 Comicalities’ Bell’s Life in London 24 June 1/3: Go it, Bob! pull away! here’s the b----y Traps!
1838		C. Selby Jacques Strop II i: Oh, you impudent rascal! You are going it too much – put on the drag.
1849		G.G. Foster N.Y. in Slices 46: Calling with whip and voice upon his ‘crab’ to ‘go it or break a leg!’.
1851		M. Reid Scalp-Hunters I 90: Go it hoe and toe! Old Virginny neber tire!
1858		Northern Whig (Antrim) 18 June 4/4: Bendizzy [a train driver] was rather going it and some expressed a hint thjat he would burst his boiler.
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor I 252/2: There’s nothing to smell or feel but bugs [...] if you turn down the coverlet, you’ll see them a-going it like Cheapside when it’s throngest.
1878		‘’Arry to the Front!’ in Punch 9 Mar. 100/2: Steam’s hup, and we go it like blazes.
1897		H. Lawson ‘The Green-hand Rouseabout’ in Roderick (1967–9) I 322: Engine whistles. ‘Go it, tigers!’ and the agony begins.
1918		C.J. Dennis ‘Sawin’ Wood’ in Digger Smith 87: The way she’s caperin’, an’ goin’ it.
1955		‘Blackie’ Audett Rap Sheet 150: The dogs was howling and yapping through the woods and me and Fitz was picking them up and laying them down as fast as we could go it.

2. (also go it hot) to commit oneself fully, usu. to a course of self-indulgent pleasure or as in a fight.

1795		Sporting Mag. Dec. VII 163/1: To kick up a row or beat up a breeze, / I never sit quamp, like a mouse in a cheese, / But I go it and gag it, as loud as I please.
1821		Egan Life in London (1869) 74: Prime of Life to ‘go it!’ where’s the place like London. [Ibid.] 236: Logic, under the domino, had been ‘going it’ upon a few of his friends with much humour.
1832		Egan Bk of Sports 34: The effervescence of his wit may be seen to rise like sparkling champagne when Jack is about to ‘go it!’.
1847		A. Smith Natural History of the Gent 52: You will find them [...] overstepping all bounds of ordinary behaviour —‘going it,’ to use their own words.
1849		Thackeray Pendennis I 181: You’re going too fast, and can’t keep up the pace [...] I tell you, you’re going it with fellers beyond your weight.
1853		‘Cuthbert Bede’ Adventures of Mr Verdant Green (1982) I 84: Why, you got on pretty well till old Slowcoach came in, and then you certainly did go it, and no mistake!
1858		W. Pratt Ten Nights in a Bar-Room II ii: But I say, Green, I’m beginning to go it a little too steep. I’ll reform; I’ll give it up!
1859		‘Timothy Titcomb’ Letters to Young People 141: If you imagine that you may ‘go it while you are young, for when you are old you can’t,’ you won’t ‘come it,’ ‘by a long chalk.’.
1866		Sportsman 13 Sept. 2/1: Notes on News [...] The teetotallers have been ‘going it’ at Chester.
1872		Schele De Vere Americanisms 605: To go and to go it is common gamblers’ slang, as much English as American.
1877		‘’Arry on His ’Oliday’ in Punch 13 Oct. 160/2: Just go it tip-top while you’re at it, and blow the expense, is my plan.
1877		H. Hartigan Stray Leaves (1st ser.) 57: [A] blooming damsel who had ventured from the lower regions to have a look at the dashing sergeant-major who was ‘a goin’ it’.
1882		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 18 Nov. 6/3: This youngster [...] has been going it at a pretty lively rate for over a year past .
1884		Ally Sloper’s Half Holiday 31 May35/3: ‘I think Paris is a stunning lark. At Paris you can go it well’.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 5 Sept. 11/4: Lord St Leonards is undoubtedly ‘going it,’ but they ought not to have rushed his name into the papers in connection with such a plebeian bit of business as a bar riot.
a.1889		‘My Berty’ (broadside ballad) Berty isn’t bad-tempered, though he’s such a fiery lot; / And he’s cool, though when he’s spreeing, he’s a boy that goes it hot.
1892		H. Nisbet Bushranger’s Sweetheart 119: We are going it [...] oh, we are established on a firm basis now.
1898		Binstead & Wells Pink ’Un and Pelican 221: Well, well, there’s nothing like ‘going it’ while the pocket-money lasts.
1909		‘Henry Green’ Mr. Jackson 3: ‘Gee, I feel just like goin’ it all night,’ confessed John.
1922		Joyce Ulysses 405: Steve boy, you’re going it some.
1924		Rosa Henderson ‘Do That Thing’ 🎵 Go it stiff.
1936		G. Greene Gun for Sale (1973) 14: Go it, Alice, what an ugly pair you are.
1943		R. Llewellyn None But the Lonely Heart 141: I could go it a treat.
1947		N. Marsh Final Curtain (1958) 9: ‘You are going it,’ she added, squinting at Miss Bostock’s canvas.
1960		(con. 1930s) R. Barber Night They Raided Minsky’s (1968) 223: I’m Cleo. Curtain up we’re on the barge, goin’ it hot and heavy.
1995		B. James Detective is Dead (1996) 77: Poise? That’s going it a bit.

3. to work as a prostitute.

1823

‘Jon Bee’ Dict. of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, etc. 89: Go it ‘Does she go it?’ said of a doubtful whore.

4. to fight physically or verbally.

1833		Poor Man’s Guardian 25 May 6/1: A man rushed out from the body of the police, and violently struck about him, having said to those behind him, ‘Now, go it, boys’.
1880		G.R. Sims Three Brass Balls 50: The one-legged gentleman and his good lady were [...] going it hammer and tongs.
1890		(con. 1860s) W. Goss Recollections of a Private 293: One time, when we were ‘going it’ hot and heavy, a reb stuck up his gray or white hat on his bayonet.
1895		Mirror of Life 19 Jan. 11/3: Her mother went out washing at a fosheroon [sic] a day, / And couldn’t she go it with her mawleys.

5. constr. with for, to offer one’s support.

1842

‘Come, Rouse Up, Ye Bold Hearted Whigs of Kentucky’ in Littell Clay Minstrel (1844) 334: There are many Republicans, old men and new; / To all such we say [...] ‘go it’ for Harry.

6. to have sexual intercourse.

1848

Boston Blade 10 June n.p.: To go it again I must get up more steam / [...] / When again she entreated, Once more, Dr M— !

7. (Aus.) to accept, to believe in.

1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 15 Aug. 17/2: We can’t believe your yarn, oh! Ballie – / Pray, do forgive our little sally; / List to us now while we holloa it – / We’ll see you hanged before we ‘go’ it.
1959		G. Slatter Gun in My Hand 98: I’ve watched professional soccer in England [...] Couldn’t go it at all. Hosed me off completely.

8. to masturbate.

1966

P. Willmott Adolescent Boys of East London (1969) 54: There were boys at school who used to do it underneath the desk. Glassy looking and going it like mad, they were.