A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

go back on something • go back to something
go back on something —fail to fulfill a promise, agreement,
etc.: You should never go back on your promise to a child.
go back to something —
1
. return to smth. as in conversation:
Let’s go back to what the chairman was saying. 2. bring smth.
back to the mind: Whenever grandmother talks, she always
likes to go back to her younger days. 3. have a history extend-
ing backwards in time: Phrase as black as a coal, with its vari-
ants, goes back to Old English times.
go bad • go badly
go bad —
1
. (of perishable products) become unfit for con-
sumption or use: Fish and meat soon go bad in hot weather.
2. be unsuccessful: It sometimes happened, Gertrude admit-
ted, that an artist’s work went bad and she lost interest in him.
3. stop functioning: They know how to record and the tapes
are good, but not long ago their machine went bad and they
didn’t know it.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase go to the bad—
1
. become completely immoral: Vince
sobbed that it was too late and he had already “gone to the
bad.” 2. have financial difficulties: The collapse of Enron acts
as a reminder that socially bad companies often go to the bad
financially, too.
go badly — = go bad 2: It felt like the work went badly this
time, but other people seemed impressed with how much we
achieved.
go bang • go with a bang
go bang —explode or burst with a loud noise: He saw flashes
and heard an automatic go bang.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase bang go—used when it suddenly becomes obvious that
smth. cannot be kept or achieved: Bang goes his influence,
maybe his job, if the two countries reach a real understand-
ing.
go with a bang —(also: go off with a bang ) go very well or
successfully; have an impressive effect: The party went with
a bang, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it.