Definition
An informal greeting roughly equivalent to how are you.
Origins
The phrase is a regular Early Modern English equivalent of how's it going (when neither progressive tenses nor do-support were obligatory). As such it could have survived through regional dialects. Nevertheless modern usage is likely a calque of German wie geht es, perhaps additionally also Dutch hoe gaat het, Danish hvordan går det, etc.
In Context
- "Here comes the Lady Paulina's Steward: hee can deliuer you more. How goes it now (Sir.)"
- "‘Scotty, man, how goes it?’ Bennie said, patting me warmly on the back as we shook hands."