come

1 of 2

verb

ˈkəm 

came ˈkām  ; come; coming ˈkə-miŋ 

intransitive verb

1

a

: to move toward something : approach

Come here.

b

: to move or journey to a vicinity with a specified purpose

Come see us.

Come and see what's going on.

c(1)

: to reach a particular station in a series

Now we come to the section on health.

(2)

: to arrive in due course

The time has come to make your decision.

Has the mail come yet?

d(1)

: to approach in kind or quality

This comes near perfection.

(2)

: to reach a condition or conclusion

came to regard him as a friend

Come to think of it, you may be right.

The screw came loose.

e(1)

: to advance toward accomplishment : come along

The job is coming nicely.

(2)

: to advance in a particular manner

Come running when I call.

(3)

: to advance, rise, or improve in rank or condition

has come a long way

f

: extend

Her dress came to her ankles.

2

a(1)

: to arrive at a particular place, end, result, or conclusion

came to his senses

come untied

He came to regret his choice.

(2)

: amount

The taxes on it come to more than it's worth.

b(1)

: to appear to the mind

The answer came to them.

(2)

: to appear on a scene : make an appearance

Children come equipped to learn any language.

c(1)

: happen, occur

No harm will come to you.

(2)

: to come to pass : take place

—used in the subjunctive with inverted subject and verb to express the particular time or occasion

Come spring the days will be longer.

d

: originate, arise

Wine comes from grapes.

They come from sturdy stock.

e

: to enter or assume a condition, position, or relation

The artillery came into action.

f

: to fall within a field of view or a range of application

This comes within the terms of the treaty.

g

: to issue forth

A sob came from her throat.

h

: to take form

Churn till the butter comes.

i

: to be available

This model comes in several sizes.

as good as they come

j

or less commonly cum

ˈkəm 

often vulgar : to experience orgasm

3

: to fall to a person in a division or inheritance of property

Several thousand dollars came to him from his uncle.

4

obsolete : to become moved favorably : relent

5

: to turn out to be

Good clothes don't come cheap.

6

: become

a dream that came true

transitive verb

1

: to approach or be near (an age)

a child coming eight years old

2

: to take on the aspect of

come the stern parent

come

2 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly cum

1

often vulgar : semen

2

often vulgar : orgasm

Phrases

come a cropper

: to fail completely

The plan came a cropper.

come across

: to meet, find, or encounter especially by chance

Researchers have come across important new evidence.

come again

: repeat

also : to speak further

—used as an interrogative

come clean

: to tell the whole story : confess

came clean about her crimes

come into

: to acquire as a possession or achievement

come into a fortune

come into one's own

: to achieve one's potential

He had a slow start as a pitcher, but he's come into his own this season.

also : to gain recognition

come of age

: to reach maturity

Your class has come of age at a moment of great consequence for our nation and for the world …

—Barack Obama

come off it

: to cease foolish or pretentious talk or behavior

Come off it, you're being silly.

come over

: to seize suddenly and strangely

What's come over you?

come to

: to be a question of

When it comes to pitching horseshoes, he's the champ.

come to grief

: to encounter misfortune (such as calamity, defeat, or ruin)

His campaign came to grief.

come to grips with

: to meet or deal with firmly, frankly, or straightforwardly

come to grips with the unemployment problem

come to oneself

: to get hold of oneself : regain self-control

But when he came to himself he said, "How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare … "

—Luke 15:17 (Revised Standard Version)

come to pass

: happen

Many of the things he predicted have come to pass.

come to terms

1

: to reach an agreement

—often used with with

The company has come to terms with the union.

2

: to become adjusted especially emotionally or intellectually

—usually used with with

come to terms with modern life

come upon

: to meet or find by chance : come across

came upon an old friend

to come

: existing or arriving in the future

in the days to come

There will be more trouble to come.

Synonyms

Verb

• advance
• approach
• near
• nigh

Examples of come in a Sentence

Verb

Please come here for a minute. I want to show you something.

She came quietly into the room.

He came home late again last night.

The dog began to growl as we came closer.

The captain of the ship invited us to come aboard.

People come from all over the country to see him.

Some people came by car while others came by plane.

Why don't you come and stay with us for a while?

About a hundred people are coming to the wedding.

People come many miles to visit the shrine.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Old English cuman; akin to Old High German queman to come, Latin venire, Greek bainein to walk, go

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1923, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing come

• as boring as they come
• as clever as they come
• as (something) as they come
• become/come unstuck
• come about
• come across as
• come adrift
• come after
• come alive
• come along
• come a long way
• come and go
• come apart
• come apart at the seams
• come/appeared on the scene
• come around
• come around to
• come as
• come as a (complete/total) surprise
• come as a revelation
• come as no surprise
• come at
• come at a premium
• come away from
• come back
• come back from
• come back from the dead
• come back to
• come back to bite one
• come back to haunt
• come back with
• come between
• come by
• come cheap
• come close
• come crashing down
• come/crawl out of the woodwork
• come down
• come down against
• come down from
• come down hard on
• come down in favor of
• come down in the world
• come down on
• come down on the side of
• come down the pike
• come down the pipeline
• come down to
• come down with
• come due
• come easy
• come/fall apart at the seams
• come first
• come/follow close/hard/hot on something's heels
• come/follow close/hard/hot on the heels of (something)
• come forward
• come from
• come from money
• come/get to the point
• come/go crawling to
• come/go on the air
• come/go to the rescue of
• come hell or high water
• come-hither
• come home to
• come home to roost
• come in
• come in for
• come in from the cold
• come in handy
• come in/into bloom
• come in/into contact with
• come in on
• come into being
• come into conflict
• come into existence
• come into favor
• come into flower
• come into play
• come into question
• come into the world
• come into use
• come in useful
• come in useful/helpful
• come in/within sight of (something)
• come/jump to someone's defense
• come last
• come naturally
• come off
• come off as
• come off second best
• come on
• come on as
• come one, come all
• come on strong
• come on the market
• come on to
• come out
• come out against
• come-outer
• come out in favor of
• come out of
• come out of hiding
• come out of left field
• come out of nowhere
• come out of retirement
• come out on top
• come out/up smelling like a rose
• come out/up smelling like/of roses
• come out with
• come over to
• come/pop into one's head
• come rain or (come) shine
• come round
• come running
• come short of
• come/spring/leap to mind
• come through
• come to a bad end
• come to a grinding halt
• come to a halt
• come to an end
• come to an understanding
• come to a stop
• come to blows
• come together
• come to/into someone's mind
• come to Jesus moment
• come to life
• come to light
• come to naught
• come to no good
• come to nothing
• come to one's senses
• come to pieces
• come to public notice
• come to rest
• come to someone's assistance
• come to someone's attention
• come to the conclusion
• come to the realization
• come to think of it
• come to trial
• come true
• come/turn up trumps
• come under
• come under attack
• come under fire
• come unglued
• come up
• come up against
• come up dry
• come up empty
• come up from/through the ranks
• come up short
• come up short of
• come up to
• come up with
• come up with the goods
• come what may
• come with the territory
• dream come true
• easy come, easy go
• first come, first serve
• first come, first served
• good things come in small packages
• how come
• it will all come out in the wash
• Johnny-come-lately
• kingdom come
• not come/go amiss
• on a first-come, first-served basis
• taste of things to come
• the best is yet to come/be
• the life to come
• the shape of things to come
• the time has come
• till/until the cows come home
• to come under attack
• to kingdom come
• waiting for her ship to come in
• wheels come/fall off
• when you come (right) down to it
• where do you come off?
• whose time has come

Kids Definition

come

verb

(ˈ)kəm

came

ˈkām

; come; coming

ˈkəm-iŋ

1

: to move toward or journey to something : approach

come here

come see us

2

: to arrive at or enter a scene of action

the police came to our rescue

3

a

: to reach the point of being or becoming

the rope came untied

b

: to add up : amount

the bill came to $10

4

: to take place

the holiday came on Thursday

5

: originate sense 2, arise

honey comes from bees

6

: to be available

the dress comes in three colors

7

: extend sense 4, reach

a coat that comes to the knees

8

a

: to arrive at a place, end, result, or conclusion

came to their senses

we now come to the next chapter

b

: happen sense 5

no harm will come to you

9

: to fall within the range or limits of something

comes under the terms of the treaty

10

: to turn out to be : become

her dreams have come true

comer

ˈkəm-ər

noun