| follow | 1. To go or come after; to move behind in the same path or direction; hence, to go with (a leader, guide, etc); to accompany; to attend. " It waves me forth again; I'll follow it." (Shak) 2. To endeavor to overtake; to go in pursuit of; to chase; to pursue; to prosecute. " I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them." (Ex. Xiv. 17) 3. To accept as authority; to adopt the opinions of; to obey; to yield to; to take as a rule of action; as, to follow good advice. "Approve the best, and follow what I approve". (Milton) "Follow peace with all men." (Heb. Xii. 14) " It is most agreeable to some men to follow their reason; and to others to follow their appetites." (J. Edwards) 4. To copy after; to take as an example. " We had rather follow the perfections of them whom we like not, than in defects resemble them whom we love." (Hooker) 5. To succeed in order of time, rank, or office. 6. To result from, as an effect from a cause, or an inference from a premise. 7. To watch, as a receding object; to keep the eyes fixed upon while in motion; to keep the mind upon while in progress, as a speech, musical performance, etc.; also, to keep up with; to understand the meaning, connection, or force of, as of a course of thought or argument. " He followed with his eyes the flitting shade." (Dryden) 8. To walk in, as a road or course; to attend upon closely, as a profession or calling. "O, had I but followed the arts!" (Shak) "O Antony! I have followed thee to this. <medicine>" (Shak) Follow board, to play a card of the same suit as the leading card; hence, colloquially, to follow an example set. To follow up, to pursue indefatigably. Synonym: To pursue, chase, go after, attend, accompany, succeed, imitate, copy, embrace, maintain. - To Follow, Pursue. To follow (v.t) denotes simply to go after; to pursue denotes to follow with earnestness, and with a view to attain some definite object; as, a hound pursues the deer. So a person follows a companion whom he wishes to overtake on a journey; the officers of justice pursue a felon who has escaped from prison. Origin: OE. Foluwen, folwen, folgen, AS. Folgian, fylgean, fylgan; akin to D. Volgen, OHG. Folgn, G. Folgen, Icel. Fylgja, Sw. Folja, Dan. Folge, and perh. To E. Folk. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| follow-up studies | Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease. (12 Dec 1998) |
| follow-up study | Study in which persons exposed to risk or given a designated preventive or therapeutic regimen are observed over a period or at intervals to determine the outcome of the exposure or regimen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| follower | 1. One who follows; a pursuer; an attendant; a disciple; a dependent associate; a retainer. 2. A sweetheart; a beau. 3. <engineering> The removable flange, or cover, of a piston. A gland. 4. <machinery> The part of a machine that receives motion from another part. See Driver. 5. Among law stationers, a sheet of parchment or paper which is added to the first sheet of an indenture or other deed. Synonym: Imitator, copier, disciple, adherent, partisan, dependent, attendant. Origin: OE. Folwere, AS. Folgere. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| following | 1. Next after; succeeding; ensuing; as, the assembly was held on the following day. 2. <astronomy> (In the field of a telescope) In the direction from which stars are apparently moving (in consequence of the erth's rotation); as, a small star, north following or south following. In the direction toward which stars appear to move is called preceding. The four principal directions in the field of a telescope are north, south, following, preceding. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| following bougie | A flexible tapered bougie with a screw tip which is attached to the trailing end of a filiform bougie, to allow progressive dilation without danger of creating false passages. (05 Mar 2000) |