What it means
A proper two-laner, this one. Have a go can mean give it a try, give it a crack, just get stuck in. But have a go at someone flips the mood and means tell them off, lay into them, or accuse them of talking nonsense. Same words, different temperature, so the tone does the heavy lifting.
Usage examples
"Never thrown a dart in my life. Have a go, mate. Ten minutes later I’ve smashed a lamp, the barmaid’s fuming, and I’m blaming the oche."
"Go on, have a go on the climbing wall, it is easier than it looks."
"She had a go at me for being late, but it was hardly my fault."
"I’ve never used a pottery wheel in my life, but sod it, I’ll have a go."
"Don’t have a go at me, you were the one who put the postcode in wrong."
Where it comes from
It grows out of go in the older sense of an attempt or turn at something. By the 19th century, have a go was already being used for taking a try, and from that came the sharper have a go at, where the target isn’t the task but a person getting a verbal blast.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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