Follow vs. Fallow: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on October 3, 2023
To follow means to come or go after, while fallow refers to land left unplowed and unseeded during a growing season.
Key Differences
Follow is a verb that typically denotes the action of coming or going after something or someone, either physically or conceptually. On the other hand, fallow is an adjective describing land that has been left unseeded and unplowed during a crop-growing season.
The act of following can pertain to many scenarios, such as tracking a trend, pursuing a course of action, or physically trailing someone. Conversely, fallow pertains specifically to agriculture, indicating a purposeful period of inactivity to rejuvenate the soil.
When one mentions following on social media, they're referring to subscribing or tracking an individual's or entity's updates. This showcases the term's adaptability in modern contexts. Meanwhile, fallow remains consistent in its definition, emphasizing a pause in farming activity to allow soil recovery.
Musical bands have "followings," meaning they have a group of devoted fans who support them. This illustrates follow's connotation of devotion or dedication. Fallow, however, is a nod to farming practices, suggesting land's necessary rest to maintain fertility.
Culturally, follow commands importance in leadership and trend discussions, while fallow finds significance in sustainable farming talks. Understanding their contexts ensures their correct usage in conversations.
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Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Verb
Adjective
Primary Definition
To come or go after
Land left unplowed and unseeded
Contexts of Use
Tracking, leadership, social media
Agriculture
Etymology
Old English "fōlgi(an)" meaning "to accompany or go with"
Old English "fealg" meaning "fallow, unplowed"
Connotations
Dedication, pursuit, adherence
Rest, rejuvenation, agricultural cycle
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Follow and Fallow Definitions
Follow
To come after in sequence or order.
The main event will follow the opening ceremony.
Fallow
Land left unplowed and unseeded.
The farmer left the field fallow this season.
Follow
To track or observe closely.
She'll follow the recipe to make the dish.
Fallow
Land undergoing a period of rest.
The fallow period allows the soil to rejuvenate.
Follow
To come or go after; proceed behind
Follow the usher to your seat.
Fallow
Related to farming practices of rest.
Fallow practices improve soil health in the long run.
Follow
To go after in pursuit
Would follow his enemy to the ends of the earth.
Fallow
Uncultivated or unused.
The fallow land could be developed into a park.
Follow
To keep under surveillance
The agent followed the suspect around town.
Fallow
A deliberate pause in activity.
It's a fallow year for the festival, allowing organizers to regroup.
Follow
To move along the course of; take
We followed the path.
Fallow
Plowed but left unseeded during a growing season
Soil erosion from fallow fields.
Follow
To move in the direction of; be guided by
Followed the sun westward.
Followed the signs to the zoo.
Fallow
Left unplowed and unseeded
Fields that had been fallow for many years.
Follow
To lie in the same path as
The road follows the old trading route.
Fallow
Characterized by inactivity
A fallow gold market.
Follow
To be parallel to
The road follows the river.
Fallow
Land left unseeded during a growing season.
Follow
To accept the guidance, command, or leadership of
Follow a spiritual master.
Rebels who refused to follow their leader.
Fallow
The act of plowing land and leaving it unseeded.
Follow
To adhere to; practice
Followed family traditions.
Fallow
The condition or period of being unseeded.
Follow
To take as a model or precedent; imitate
Followed my example and resigned.
Fallow
To plow (land) without seeding it afterward.
Follow
To act in agreement or compliance with; obey
Follow the rules.
Follow one's instincts.
Fallow
To plow and till (land), especially to eradicate or reduce weeds.
Follow
To keep to or stick to
Followed the recipe.
Follow a diet.
Fallow
Ground ploughed and harrowed but left unseeded for one year.
Follow
To engage in (a trade or occupation); work at.
Fallow
Uncultivated land.
Follow
To come after in order, time, or position
Night follows day.
Fallow
The ploughing or tilling of land, without sowing it for a season.
Follow
To bring something about at a later time than or as a consequence of
She followed her lecture with a question-and-answer period. The band followed its hit album with a tour.
Fallow
(of agricultural land) Ploughed but left unseeded for more than one planting season.
Follow
To occur or be evident as a consequence of
Your conclusion does not follow your premise.
Fallow
(of agricultural land) Left unworked and uncropped for some amount of time.
Follow
To watch or observe closely
Followed the bird through binoculars.
Fallow
(figurative) Inactive; undeveloped.
A fallow period in one's career
Follow
To be attentive to; pay close heed to
Too sleepy to follow the sermon.
Fallow
(color) Of a pale red or yellow, light brown; dun.
A fallow deer or greyhound
Follow
To keep oneself informed of the course, progress, or fortunes of
Follow the stock market.
Followed the local teams.
Fallow
(transitive) To make land fallow for agricultural purposes.
Follow
To grasp the meaning or logic of; understand
Do you follow my argument?.
Fallow
Pale red or pale yellow; as, a fallow deer or greyhound.
Follow
To come, move, or take place after another person or thing in order or time.
Fallow
Left untilled or unsowed after plowing; uncultivated; as, fallow ground.
Follow
To occur or be evident as a consequence; result
If you ignore your diet, trouble will follow.
Fallow
Plowed land.
Who . . . pricketh his blind horse over the fallows.
Follow
To grasp the meaning or reasoning of something; understand.
Fallow
Land that has lain a year or more untilled or unseeded; land plowed without being sowed for the season.
The plowing of fallows is a benefit to land.
Follow
(Games) A billiards shot in which the cue ball is struck above center so that it follows the path of the object ball after impact.
Fallow
The plowing or tilling of land, without sowing it for a season; as, summer fallow, properly conducted, has ever been found a sure method of destroying weeds.
Be a complete summer fallow, land is rendered tender and mellow. The fallow gives it a better tilth than can be given by a fallow crop.
Follow
(ambitransitive) To go after; to pursue; to move behind in the same path or direction, especially with the intent of catching.
Follow that car!
She left the room and I followed.
Fallow
To plow, harrow, and break up, as land, without seeding, for the purpose of destroying weeds and insects, and rendering it mellow; as, it is profitable to fallow cold, strong, clayey land.
Follow
(ambitransitive) To go or come after in a sequence.
B follows A in the alphabet.
We both ordered the soup, with roast beef to follow.
Fallow
Cultivated land that is not seeded for one or more growing seasons
Follow
(transitive) To carry out (orders, instructions, etc.).
Follow these instructions to the letter.
Fallow
Left unplowed and unseeded during a growing season;
Fallow farmland
Follow
(transitive) To live one's life according to (religion, teachings, etc).
Fallow
Undeveloped but potentially useful;
A fallow gold market
Follow
(transitive) To understand, to pay attention to.
Do you follow me?
Follow
(transitive) To watch, to keep track of (reports of) some event or person.
I followed the incumbent throughout the election.
My friends don't regularly follow the news.
Follow
To subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform.
If you want to see more of our articles, follow us on Twitter.
Follow
(ambitransitive) To be a logical consequence of something.
It follows that if two numbers are not equal then one is larger than the other.
If you don't practise proper hygiene, illness is sure to follow.
Follow
(transitive) To walk in, as a road or course; to attend upon closely, as a profession or calling.
Follow
In billiards and similar games, a stroke causing a ball to follow another ball after hitting it.
A follow shot
Follow
(social media) The act of following another user's online activity.
Follow
To go or come after; to move behind in the same path or direction; hence, to go with (a leader, guide, etc.); to accompany; to attend.
It waves me forth again; I'll follow it.
Follow
To endeavor to overtake; to go in pursuit of; to chase; to pursue; to prosecute.
I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them.
Follow
To accept as authority; to adopt the opinions of; to obey; to yield to; to take as a rule of action; as, to follow good advice.
Approve the best, and follow what I approve
Follow peace with all men.
It is most agreeable to some men to follow their reason; and to others to follow their appetites.
Follow
To copy after; to take as an example.
We had rather follow the perfections of them whom we like not, than in defects resemble them whom we love.
Follow
To succeed in order of time, rank, or office.
Follow
To result from, as an effect from a cause, or an inference from a premise.
Follow
To watch, as a receding object; to keep the eyes fixed upon while in motion; to keep the mind upon while in progress, as a speech, musical performance, etc.; also, to keep up with; to understand the meaning, connection, or force of, as of a course of thought or argument.
He followed with his eyes the flitting shade.
Follow
To walk in, as a road or course; to attend upon closely, as a profession or calling.
O, had I but followed the arts!
O Antony! I have followed thee to this.
Follow
To go or come after; - used in the various senses of the transitive verb: To pursue; to attend; to accompany; to be a result; to imitate.
Follow
The art or process of following; specif., in some games, as billiards, a stroke causing a ball to follow another ball after hitting it. Also used adjectively; as, follow shot.
Follow
To travel behind, go after, come after;
The ducklings followed their mother around the pond
Please follow the guide through the museum
Follow
Be later in time;
Tuesday always follows Monday
Follow
Come as a logical consequence; follow logically;
It follows that your assertion is false
The theorem falls out nicely
Follow
Travel along a certain course;
Follow the road
Follow the trail
Follow
Act in accordance with someone's rules, commands, or wishes;
He complied with my instructions
You must comply or else!
Follow these simple rules
Abide by the rules
Follow
Come after in time, as a result;
A terrible tsunami followed the earthquake
Follow
Behave in accordance or in agreement with;
Follow a pattern
Follow my example
Follow
Be next;
Mary plays best, with John and Sue following
Follow
Choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans;
She followed the feminist movement
The candidate espouses Republican ideals
Follow
To bring something about at a later time than;
She followed dinner with a brandy
He followed his lecture with a question and answer period
Follow
Imitate in behavior; take as a model;
Teenagers follow their friends in everything
Follow
Follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something;
We must follow closely the economic development is Cuba
Trace the student's progress
Follow
Follow with the eyes or the mind;
Keep an eye on the baby, please!
The world is watching Sarajevo
She followed the men with the binoculars
Follow
Be the successor (of);
Carter followed Ford
Will Charles succeed to the throne?
Follow
Perform an accompaniment to;
The orchestra could barely follow the frequent pitch changes of the soprano
Follow
Keep informed;
He kept up on his country's foreign policies
Follow
To be the product or result;
Melons come from a vine
Understanding comes from experience
Follow
Accept and follow the leadership or command or guidance of;
Let's follow our great helmsman!
She followed a guru for years
Follow
Adhere to or practice;
These people still follow the laws of their ancient religion
Follow
Work in a specific place, with a specific subject, or in a specific function;
He is a herpetologist
She is our resident philosopher
Follow
Keep under surveillance;
The police had been following him for weeks but they could not prove his involvement in the bombing
Follow
Follow in or as if in pursuit;
The police car pursued the suspected attacker
Her bad deed followed her and haunted her dreams all her life
Follow
Grasp the meaning;
Can you follow her argument?
When he lectures, I cannot follow
Follow
Keep to;
Stick to your principles
Stick to the diet
Follow
To understand or grasp a line of thought.
I couldn't follow his argument during the debate.
Follow
To be guided by or adhere to.
He doesn't follow the conventional norms.
Follow
To support or be a fan of.
I follow that band; their music is great.
FAQs
What does it mean to follow someone on social media?
It means to subscribe to their updates and view their content regularly.
Is fallow a method to improve soil quality?
Yes, leaving land fallow allows soil to recover and regain its nutrients.
Is fallow land always barren?
Not necessarily. Fallow land can have natural vegetation, but it's left unplanted by farmers.
What's the opposite of follow?
In many contexts, "lead" can be the opposite.
How does one follow a trend?
One observes, understands, and often adopts the prevailing styles or preferences in a particular area.
Can follow mean understanding someone's point of view?
Yes, if you can "follow" someone's argument, you understand their perspective.
Why would farmers choose to keep land fallow?
To allow soil to recover, break disease cycles, and manage nutrient levels.
Can fallow be used metaphorically?
Yes, it can symbolize a period of inactivity or rest in various contexts.
How does following a diet work?
It involves adhering to specific nutritional guidelines or meal plans.
Are fallow periods always one year long?
No, the duration can vary based on the land's needs and the farmer's practices.
Does follow always imply being behind someone or something?
Not always. In contexts like understanding, it doesn't imply a physical position.
What happens to fallow land over time?
Over time, natural vegetation may grow, and soil properties can improve.
Does fallow land require maintenance?
Minimal maintenance might be needed, like controlling excessive weeds.
How does fallow land benefit the environment?
It can reduce soil erosion, improve water conservation, and enhance biodiversity.
Can you follow a code of ethics?
Yes, it means adhering to the principles outlined in that code.
Does fallow mean the land is infertile?
No, it's a purposeful rest period to enhance soil fertility for future crops.
Is follow always a physical action?
No, follow can also be conceptual, like following an idea or principle.
Can one company follow another's business strategy?
Yes, companies might emulate successful strategies of competitors.
Is fallow only related to agriculture?
While primarily agricultural, "fallow" can be metaphorical for any inactivity period.
Is it essential to follow the rules?
Typically, yes, to ensure order, safety, and fairness in various contexts.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
