To move, pass, or go forward or onward; to advance; to carry on.
What is proceed?
• To pass from one point, topic, or stage, to another.
• To come from; to have as its source or origin.
• To go on in an orderly or regulated manner; to begin and carry on a series of acts or measures; to act methodically.
• To be transacted; to take place; to occur.
• To be applicable or effective; to be valid.
• To begin and carry on a legal process.
• To take an academic degree.
Why proceed matters
proceed appears in U.S. legal practice across multiple practice areas. Knowing what it means — and when it applies — can determine the outcome of motions, filings, and negotiations. For non-lawyers, the value of looking up a precise definition is that legal terms often carry meanings that differ from everyday usage; relying on the common meaning can lead to costly missteps.
How proceed works in practice
In practice, proceed is invoked when parties, judges, or attorneys need to identify the legal status of an issue, the rights of those involved, or the procedural step required next. The definition shown above is sourced from Wiktionary , which is widely cited in U.S. legal practice. Because U.S. law is jurisdictionally layered — federal, state, and sometimes local — the precise application of the term can vary by court, so check the controlling authority for your specific case.