The phrase "go once over lightly" means to briefly review or examine something. It is spelled using the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɡəʊ wʌns əʊvə laɪtli/. The first word, "go," is pronounced with the vowel sound of "oh" and the second syllable of "once" has a weak vowel sound as "uh." "Over" is pronounced with the diphthong "oh-vuh," and "lightly" has the same "uh" sound as "once" in its second syllable. This phrase is commonly used in informal speech and writing.
The phrase "go once over lightly" is an idiomatic expression that is commonly used in informal conversations and informal writing. It is derived from the original phrase "once-over lightly," which dates back to the early 20th century.
To go once over lightly means to examine or inspect something quickly and superficially. When someone goes once over lightly, they are perfunctorily reviewing or checking something without giving it thorough attention or scrutiny. The phrase is often used when discussing tasks or activities that do not require in-depth analysis or detailed examination.
For example, in a work setting, an employee may be asked to go once over lightly a document to ensure there are no glaring errors or omissions before it is finalized. Similarly, when someone cleans their house or tidies up a space, they might opt to go once over lightly, simply giving it a quick clean or straightening without deep cleaning or exhaustive organization.
The phrase can also be used metaphorically to describe a superficial treatment of a topic or issue. For instance, in a conversation or discussion, if someone mentions a complex subject but only briefly touches on it without diving deeper into the details, it can be said that they went once over lightly on that topic.