come    Audio Help   /kʌm/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[kuhm] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation verb, came, come, com·ing, noun

–verb (used without object)

1.	to approach or move toward a particular person or place: Come here. Don't come any closer!

2.	to arrive by movement or in the course of progress: The train from Boston is coming.

3.	to approach or arrive in time, in succession, etc.: Christmas comes once a year. I'll come to your question next.

4.	to move into view; appear.

5.	to extend; reach: The dress comes to her knees.

6.	to take place; occur; happen: Success comes to those who strive.

7.	to occur at a certain point, position, etc.: Tuesday comes after Monday. Her aria comes in the third act.

8.	to be available, produced, offered, etc.: Toothpaste comes in a tube.

9.	to occur to the mind: The idea just came to me.

10.	to befall: They promised no harm would come to us.

11.	to issue; emanate; be derived: Peaches come from trees. Good results do not come from careless work.

12.	to arrive or appear as a result: This comes of carelessness.

13.	to enter or be brought into a specified state or condition: to come into popular use.

14.	to do or manage; fare: She's coming along well with her work.

15.	to enter into being or existence; be born: The baby came at dawn.

16.	to have been a resident or to be a native of (usually fol. by from): She comes from Florida.

17.	to become: His shoes came untied.

18.	to seem to become: His fears made the menacing statues come alive. The work will come easy with a little practice.

19.	(used in the imperative to call attention or to express impatience, anger, remonstrance, etc.): Come, that will do!

20.	to germinate, as grain.

21.	Informal. to have an orgasm.

–verb (used with object)

22.	Chiefly British. to do; perform; accomplish.

23.	Informal. to play the part of: to come the grande dame.

–noun

24.	Slang: Vulgar. semen.

—Verb phrases

25.	come about, a. to come to pass; happen. b. Nautical. to tack.

26.

come across, a. Also, come upon. to find or encounter, esp. by chance: I came across this picture when I was cleaning out the attic. We suddenly came upon a deer while walking in the woods. b. Informal. to make good one's promise, as to pay a debt, do what is expected, etc.: to come across with the rent. c. to be understandable or convincing: The moral of this story doesn't come across. d. Informal. to make a particular impression; comport oneself: She comes across as a very cold person.

27.	come again, (used as a request to repeat a statement).

28.

come along, a. to accompany someone, attend as part of a group: He didn't come along on the last trip. b. to proceed, develop, or advance sufficiently or successfully: The new project was coming along quite smoothly. c. to appear; emerge as a factor or possibility: Even if another job comes along this summer, I won't take it.

29.	come around or round, a. to recover consciousness; revive. b. to change one's opinion, decision, etc., esp. to agree with another's. c. to visit: Come around more often. d. to cease being angry, hurt, etc.

30.	come at, a. to arrive at; attain. b. to rush at; attack: The watchdog came at the intruder.

31.	come back, a. to return, esp. to one's memory: It all comes back to me now. b. to return to a former position or state. c. to talk back; retort: to come back with a witty remark.

32.	come between, to cause to be estranged or antagonized: Love of money came between the brothers.

33.	come by, to obtain; acquire: How did he ever come by so much money?

34.

come down, a. to lose wealth, rank, etc.; be reduced in circumstances or status. b. to be handed down by tradition or inheritance. c. to be relayed or passed along from a source of higher rank or authority: The general's orders will come down tomorrow. d. Slang. to take place; happen. e. Slang. to lose one's euphoria, enthusiasm, or esp. the effects of a drug high.

35.	come down on or upon, a. to voice one's opposition to: She came down on increased spending and promised to cut the budget. b. to reprimand; scold: He came down on me for getting to work late.

36.	come down with, to become afflicted with (an illness): Many people came down with the flu this year.

37.	come forward, to offer one's services; present oneself; volunteer: When the president called for volunteers, several members of our group came forward.

38.	come in, a. to enter. b. to arrive. c. to come into use or fashion. d. to begin to produce or yield: The oil well finally came in. e. to be among the winners: His horse came in and paid 5 to 1. f. to finish in a race or any competition, as specified: Our bobsled team came in fifth.

39.	come in for, to receive; get; be subjected to: This plan will no doubt come in for a great deal of criticism.

40.	come into, a. to acquire; get. b. to inherit: He came into a large fortune at the age of 21.

41.

come on, a. Also, come upon. to meet or find unexpectedly. b. to make progress; develop; flourish. c. to appear on stage; make one's entrance. d. to begin; appear: The last showing will be coming on in a few minutes. e. Informal. (used chiefly in the imperative) to hurry; begin: Come on, before it rains! f. Informal. (as an entreaty or attempt at persuasion) please: Come on, go with us to the movies. g. Slang. to try to make an impression or have an effect; present oneself: She comes on a bit too strong for my taste. h. Slang. to make sexual advances: a Lothario who was always coming on with the women at the office.

42.	come on to, Slang. to make sexual advances to.

43.	come out, a. to be published; appear. b. to become known; be revealed. c. to make a debut in society, the theater, etc. d. to end; terminate; emerge: The fight came out badly, as both combatants were injured. e. to make more or less public acknowledgment of being homosexual.

44.	come out for, to endorse or support publicly: The newspaper came out for the reelection of the mayor.

45.	come out with, a. to speak, esp. to confess or reveal something. b. to make available to the public; bring out: The publisher is coming out with a revised edition of the textbook.

46.	come over, a. to happen to; affect: What's come over him? b. to change sides or positions; change one's mind: He was initially against the plan, but he's come over now. c. to visit informally: Our neighbors came over last night and we had a good chat.

47.	come round, a. come (def. 29). b. Nautical. (of a sailing vessel) to head toward the wind; come to.

48.	come through, a. to endure or finish successfully. b. Informal. to do as expected or hoped; perform; succeed: We knew you'd come through for us. c. Informal. to experience religious conversion.

49.	come to, a. to recover consciousness. b. to amount to; total. c. Nautical. to take the way off a vessel, as by bringing her head into the wind or anchoring.

50.	come under, a. to fit into a category or classification: This play comes under the heading of social criticism. b. to be the province or responsibility of: This matter comes under the State Department.

51.	come up, a. to be referred to; arise: The subject kept coming up in conversation. b. to be presented for action or discussion: The farm bill comes up for consideration next Monday.

52.	come upon. come (defs. 26a, 41a).

53.	come up to, a. to approach; near: A panhandler came up to us in the street. b. to compare with as to quantity, excellence, etc.; match; equal: This piece of work does not come up to your usual standard.

54.	come up with, to produce; supply: Can you come up with the right answer?

—Idioms

55.	come and go, to occur briefly or suddenly but never for long; appear and disappear.

56.	come down on the side of, to support or favor: I want to come down on the side of truth and justice.

57.	come home, Nautical. a. (of an anchor) to begin to drag. b. (of an object) to move when hauled upon.

58.	come off, Informal. a. to happen; occur. b. to reach the end; acquit oneself: to come off with honors. c. to be given or completed; occur; result: Her speech came off very well. d. to succeed; be successful: The end of the novel just doesn't come off.

59.	come off it, Informal. to stop being wrong, foolish, or pretentious; be truthful or honest: Come off it—we know you're as poor as the rest of us.

60.	come to pass, to happen; occur.

61.	come what may, no matter what may happen; regardless of any opposition, argument, or consequences: Come what may, he will not change his mind.

62.	where one is coming from, Slang. where the source of one's beliefs, attitudes, or feelings lies: It's hard to understand where your friend is coming from when he says such crazy things.

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[Origin: bef. 900; ME comen, OE cuman; c. D komen, G kommen, Goth qiman, ON koma, L venīre (see avenue), Gk baínein (see basis), Skt gácchati (he) goes]

—Antonyms 2. leave, depart.

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