Went close

[Kontol]

Where can I find the meaning of "go close" in a dictionary? What does it mean?

Forest went close for the first time when Elanga crashed his diagonal effort off the underside of the bar in the closing stages, but they finished the game having failed to even register a shot on target, the defeat keeping them 16th.

 

[emsr2d2]

You won't find it in a dictionary because it's not a set phrase. It's two separate words. However, in terms of football and in this specific sentence, it means "Nottingham Forest almost scored a goal ...". In my opinion, "came close" would have been clearer.

 

[BobK]

And note that it's 'close' with a /s/, not a /z/.

PS for extra credit{!) 'came within a whisker of <something>' => came very close