I'm reading a novel set in the UK (I'm in Maryland, USA). In the novel, someone asks the time; the reply is, "gone eight." What does this mean, please? Thank you.
2
-
gone eight = past eight [o'clock] – FumbleFingers Jan 25 '15 at 17:08
-
Oxford Dictionary – Andrew Leach♦ Jan 25 '15 at 18:16
-
@Andrew Leach Have you found anything to touch the answer below in a dictionary? – Edwin Ashworth Jan 25 '15 at 23:28
5
gone with a time means later than, so gone eight means after eight o'clock.
You'd more often use it in circumstances to emphasise the lateness -
It's already gone 9.30, I was supposed to be in work half an hour ago.
and although you can use it for things which have not yet happened
I don't think he'll arrive 'till gone midnight
... you wouldn't use it to make plans:
Let's meet up gone lunchtime
you'd use after in this case.
-
I was about to say this is genref. Then I read your answer. Much better than the bare bones in Collins. At least I agree with their classification as an adverb here (makes a change). But it's almost certainly the remains of a verbal construction. – Edwin Ashworth Jan 25 '15 at 23:25
