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

go over the hill • go over the hills and far away
go over the hill —(sl.) 
1
. make an escape; run away: They
broke out of jail the other night and went over the hill. 2.
desert service in the armed forces: You should have seen Col-
clough’s face the day you went over the hill! It was worth join-
ing the Army for.
Note:
a) The expression does not correlate in meaning with
the phrase go downhill— gradually become worse: Morgan’s
commercial diving business is going downhill fast; his wife
has left him and now all he owns is at risk.
b) The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase
go over the top
—
1
. do smth. in a way that is extreme or exag-
gerated: You had the big name designers who went over the
top at the big fashion shows. 2. behave in an unrestrained man-
ner: Several members went “over the top” at the cafe in the
quiet fishing village of Watchet…. 3. (Military) go out to attack:
– 151 –
go
over the hill

---

The terrific bombardment, in general, increased the confidence
of the troops about to go over the top.
go over the hills and far away —go to some remote places:
Winter in the Highlands is not a time to go over the hills and
far away, not if you have any sense.
Note:
The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase
head for the hills
—(also: run for the hills) get far away to hide
from trouble: Within a few hundred years of the Christian con-
quest of Rome, any remaining Gnostics had to head for the
hills…
go places • go to places
go places —
1
. visit interesting places and live an exciting life:
She was always wanting to tag along when we went places with
our friends. 2. enjoy increasing success; show a lot of talent
or ability: This is a year when your struggles pay off, a year
when you go places. 3. (euph.) go to the toilet: What am I to
do? I can’t follow them when they go places.
go to places —visit specific places or localities: If I went to
places whether it’s a bookshop or a coffee shop … you bump
into people you know.