Ago
Pronunciation
- enPR: É™-gÅ', IPA: /əˈɡəʊ/
- Rhymes: -əʊ
Origin
From Middle English ago, agon ("passed"), past participle of agon ("to depart, escape, pass"), from Old English ÄgÄn ("to go away, pass away, go forth, come to pass"), from Proto-Germanic *uz- ("out"), *gÄnÄ… ("to go"), equivalent to - + gone. Cognate with German ergehen ("to come to pass, fare, go forth"). Compare also Old Saxon Ägangan ("to go or pass by"), Gothic ðŒ¿ðƒðŒ²ðŒ°ðŒ²ðŒ²ðŒ°ðŒ½ (usgaggan, "to go forth").
Full definition of ago
Adjective
ago
- (archaic or dialectal) Gone; gone by; gone away; passed; passed away.in days ago/in days agone
- (archaic or dialectal) Nearly gone; dead (used in Devonshire at the turn of the )''
Usage notes
Usually follows the noun.
Adverb
ago
- In the past.
- 2013-08-10, Damned if you don’t, Two years ago a pair of scientists sparked fears of a devastating virus. They separately found ways to make a strain of bird flu called H5N1 more contagious. Critics fretted that terrorists might use this knowledge to cook up a biological weapon. American officials ordered that the papers be redacted. Further research was put on hold. But after much debate, the papers were published in full last year.
- I got married ten years ago. The last slice of cake was gone long ago.