Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - follow

 I. verb  Etymology: Middle English folwen, from Old English folgian; akin to Old High German folgen to ~  Date: before 12th century  transitive verb  1. to go, proceed, or come after ~ed the guide  2.  a. to engage in as a calling or way of life ; pursue wheat-growing is generally ~ed here  b. to walk or proceed along ~ a path  3.  a. to be or act in accordance with ~ directions  b. to accept as authority ; obey ~ed his conscience  4.  a. to pursue in an effort to overtake  b. to seek to attain ~ knowledge  5. to come into existence or take place as a result or consequence of disaster ~ed the blunder  6.  a. to come or take place after in time, sequence, or order  b. to cause to be ~ed ~ed dinner with a liqueur  7. to copy after ; imitate  8.  a. to watch steadily ~ed the flight of the ball  b. to keep the mind on ~ a speech  c. to attend closely to ; keep abreast of ~ed his career with interest  d. to understand the sense or logic of (as a line of thought)  intransitive verb  1. to go or come after a person or thing in place, time, or sequence  2. to result or occur as a consequence, effect, or inference Synonyms:  ~, succeed, ensue, supervene mean to come after something or someone. ~ may apply to a coming after in time, position, or logical sequence speeches ~ed the dinner. succeed implies a coming after immediately in a sequence determined by natural order, inheritance, election, or laws of rank she succeeded her father as head of the business. ensue commonly suggests a logical consequence or naturally expected development after the talk a general discussion ensued. supervene suggests the ~ing or beginning of something unforeseen or unpredictable unable to continue because of supervening circumstances.  Synonym: see in addition chase.  II. noun  Date: 1661  1. the act or process of ~ing  2. forward spin given to a ball by striking it above center — compare draw, English