(a) To go, advance, make one’s way, move onward; also, move about; refl. betake oneself; (b) to pierce, penetrate; of a sword: pierce (sb.), cleave [quot. c1380]; ~ in (on), penetrate into (flesh, a part of the body, the earth, etc.); of knots: cut into (flesh); (c) ~ depe, to become deeply involved (in love, the art of love); (d) to proceed in an act;—used with adv. or prep. phrase: ~ afishing, ~ in (to) fishing, to go fishing.

(a) To walk in water; wade (in, into, or through water, a body of water, a wet or watery place, a liquid substance, etc.), wallow or flounder (in filth); also fig. & in fig. context; ~ on the lie, fig. of the tongue: flounder in the lees, speak thickly out of drunkenness; ~ to knes, ~ up to the hamme, wade up to the depth of (one’s) knees (the hock); (b) to wade (over or across a body of water), cross on foot (through water) [sometimes difficult to distinguish from (a)]; also, cross (a body of water) by wading, ford (a river, stream, etc.); ~ over; (c) to engage (in a matter); wade (in a vice, sin), wallow; flounder about (in words, a matter, etc.); ~ oute of, leave (a theme or narrative), depart from; ~ up of, extricate oneself from (evil habits).

Of a structure: to extend (out into a body of water).

Of the color of the face: to become pale, fade; of the sun: grow dim or vanish in clouds, be obscured.