far gone

English

Adjective

far gone (comparative further gone, superlative furthest gone)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see far,‎ go,‎ gone.
   • 1992, Tom Nash, Twilo Scofield, The Well-traveled Casket: A Collection of Oregon Folklife, page 25:

     You're pretty far gone, pretty far gone You're clear out here in Ore-y-gone.

2. Almost entirely used up or elapsed.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Romans 13:12:

     […] the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

   • 1739, John Smith, Gideon Crawfurd, The Curiosities of Common Water, page 19:

     That there is not any greater Remedy for the Gout than drinking Water, not only by young, bult old Men; many of whom, he faith, have drank cold Water for many Weeks, which hath succeeded so well, though though they were far gone in Years , that they found great Ease thereby, without that Offence to the Stomach, or Hindrance of Digestion, which some did not seem to fear.

   • 2012, David S. Hartwig, To Antietam Creek: The Maryland Campaign of September 1862, page 515:

     “The first rapid survey of the enemy's position inclined me to attack his left, but the day was far gone,” McClellan wrote later.

3. At an advanced stage of decline, disability or alteration, from some process, such as disease, decay, intoxication, infatuation, or moral weakness.
   • 1836, Cyrus Redding, A History and Description of Modern Wines, page 46:

     This mischief is remedied if the wine be not too far gone, and possess strength and body, by racking it into a cask just emptied of sound wine, and sulphured.

   • 1857, Charles H. Spurgeon, Presumptuous Sins:

     There is pardon for such a one — there is full pardon to those who are brought to repentance; but few of such men ever receive it; for when they are so far gone as to sin presumptuously, because they wish do it — to sin merely for the sake of showing their disregard for God and for God's law, we say of such, there is pardon for them, but it is wondrous grace which brings them into such a condition that they are willing to accept it.

   • 1897, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, page 42:

     Their world is far gone in its cooling and this world is still crowded with life, but crowded only with what they regard as inferior animals.

   • 1904, Henry James, The Golden Bowl:

     She can live as yet, of course, but from hand to mouth; but she has worked it out for herself, I think, that the very danger of Fawns, superficially looked at, may practically amount to a greater protection. THERE the lovers -- if they ARE lovers!-- will have to mind.They'll feel it for themselves, unless things are too utterly far gone with them.

   • 1999, Reynolds Price, Roxanna Slade: A Novel, page 43:

     I was sleeping on a cot at the foot of Miss Olivia's bed, and I woke up suddenly to hear her breathing far gone in deep rest.

   • 2009, Arthur Kitson, The Life of Captain James Cook, page 102102:

     Banks says the crew were rather sickly, they: "were pretty far gone with the longing for home, which the physicians have gone so far as to esteem a disease under the name of Nostalgia.

   • 2010, Steve Martin, An Object of Beauty:

     To feel comfortable spending that much in a short time, one must, I assume, have a multiple of the at least ten or twenty times. That is, unless you are far gone. I think Lacey was far gone for several months, perhaps deprived of oxygen from her long Russian flights.

   • 2011, Mike Yaconelli, Scott Koenigsaecher, Get 'Em Talking: 104 Discussion Starters for Youth Groups, page 29:

     Sometimes a discussion is so far gone that the best way to restore order is to end the discussion.

   • 2015, Mercedes Rochelle, Godwine Kingmaker: Part One of The Last Great Saxon Earls:

     He tried to drink the ale that Ulf shoved into his hand, but the liquid tasted bitter to him. Godwine was not really thirsty; it was time to screw up his courage now, before his companion was too far gone in drink.

References

• “far gone”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.