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

go lay an egg • lay an egg
go lay an egg —is used to rudely tell a person to go away
(and stop being annoying): “How many times have I told you
not to smoke in my….” “Ah, go lay an egg.”
lay an egg —(sl.)
1
. fail completely; give an utterly unsuc-
cessful performance: The play was a failure. They certainly
laid an egg this time. 2. drop a bomb: The plane duly laid an
egg. I was crouched alongside a wall. The bomb landed on
the other side of the wall. 3. (U.S.) laugh very hard: I was so
shocked I didn’t know whether to cry or lay an egg.
go off on someone • go off someone
go off on someone —(UK coll.) become very angry or excited:
Your hair color is nice, I wish I could dye my hair like that.
My parents will go off on me though.
go off someone —(coll.) cease to like a person: Earlier on in
the episode the two were cuddling up in the pub, so why has
she gone off him so soon?
go off the chart • go off the map
go off the chart—greatly exceed normal or expected standards
or values for smth.: The combination of all these factors raise
the risk level so high “it goes off the chart.”
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase be in uncharted waters— be in an unfamiliar situation
which may be dangerous: We are in uncharted waters and the
outlook for credit markets and the economy is uncertain.
go off the map —
1
. disappear: These signs warn people of
the lethal secrets inside a home — diphtheria, scarlet fever, or
typhoid. Those diseases went off the map in the U.S. years
ago. 2. = go off the chart: We found three markets where em -
ployment is healthy, population is growing rapidly, and prices
have yet to go off the map.
go on doing something • go on to do something
go on doing something —continue in the same activity in
which one was already engaged: He didn’t even look up. He
just went on reading.
go on to do something —move on to a new activity; proceed
to smth. else: After introducing the speaker, the chairman
went on to give details of the meeting.