Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense comes, present participle coming, past tense camelanguage note: The form come is used in the present tense and is the past participle.Come is used in a large number of expressions which are explained under other words inthis dictionary. For example, the expression 'to come to terms with something' isexplained at 'term'.
1. verb
When a person or thing comes to a particular place, especially to a place where you are, they move there.
Two police officers came into the hall. [VERB preposition/adverb]
Come here, Tom. [VERB preposition/adverb]
You'll have to come with us. [VERB preposition/adverb]
We want you to come to lunch. [VERB preposition/adverb]
I came over from Ireland to start a new life after my divorce. [VERB preposition/adverb]
We heard the train coming. [VERB]
Can I come too? [VERB]
The impact blew out some of the windows and the sea came rushing in. [V v-ing prep/adv]
Synonyms: arrive, move, appear, enter More Synonyms of come
2. verb
When someone comesto do something, they move to the place where someone else is in order to do it, andthey do it. In British English, someone can also come and do something and in American English, someone can come do something. However, you always say that someone came and did something.
Eleanor had come to visit her. [VERB to-infinitive]
Come and meet Roger. [Vand v]
A lot of our friends came and saw me. [Vand v]
I want you to come visit me. [V inf]
3. verb
When you come to a place, you reach it.
He came to a door that led into a passageway. [VERB + to]
4. verb
If something comes upto a particular point or downto it, it is tall enough, deep enough, or long enough to reach that point.
The water came up to my chest. [Vup prep]
I wore a large shirt of Jamie's which came down over my hips. [Vdown prep]
Synonyms: reach, extend More Synonyms of come
5. verb
If something comes apart or comes to pieces, it breaks into pieces. If something comes off or comes away, it becomes detached from something else.
The pistol came to pieces, easily and quickly. [VERB adverb/preposition]
The door knobs came off in our hands. [VERB adverb/preposition]
6. link verb
You use come in expressions such as come to an end or come into operation to indicate that someone or something enters or reaches a particular state or situation.
The summer came to an end. [VERBto noun]
The Communists came to power in 1944. [VERB + to]
I came into contact with very bright Harvard and Yale students. [VERB + into]
...new taxes which come into force next month. [VERBinto noun]
Their worst fears may be coming true. [VERB adjective]
7. verb
If someone comesto do something, they do it at the end of a long process or period of time.
She said it so many times that she came to believe it. [VERB to-infinitive]
Although it was a secret wedding, the press did eventually come to hear about it. [VERB to-infinitive]
8. verb
You can ask how something cameto happen when you want to know what caused it to happen or made it possible.
How did you come to meet him? [VERB to-infinitive]
9. verb
When a particular event or time comes, it arrives or happens.
The announcement came after a meeting at the Home Office. [VERB preposition/adverb]
The time has come for us to move on. [VERB]
There will come a time when the crisis will occur. [VERB]
comingsingular noun
Most of my patients welcome the coming of summer. [+ of]
Synonyms: up-and-coming, future, promising, aspiring More Synonyms of come
Synonyms: arrival, approach, advent, accession More Synonyms of come
10. preposition
You can use come before a date, time, or event to mean when that date, time, or event arrives. For example, you can say come the spring to mean 'when the spring arrives'.
Come the election on the 20th of May, we will have to decide.
He's going to be up there again come Sunday.
11. verb
If a thought, idea, or memory comes to you, you suddenly think of it or remember it.
He was about to shut the door when an idea came to him. [VERB + to]
Then it came to me that perhaps he did understand. [Vto n that]
12. verb
If money or property is going to come to you, you are going to inherit or receive it.
The fortune will come to you. [VERBto noun]
He did have pension money coming to him when the factory shut down. [VERB + to]
13. verb
If a case comes before a court or tribunal or comes to court, it is presented there so that the court or tribunal can examine it.
They were ready to explain their case when it came before the planning committee. [V + before]
President Cristiani expected the case to come to court within ninety days. [VERB + to]
14. verb
If something comes to a particular number or amount, it adds up to it.
Lunch came to $80. [VERB + to]
15. verb
If someone or something comes from a particular place or thing, that place or thing is their origin, source, or starting point.
Nearly half the students come from abroad. [VERB + from]
Chocolate comes from the cacao tree. [VERB + from]
The term 'claret', used to describe Bordeaux wines, may come from the French word'clairet'. [VERB + from]
16. verb
Something that comes from something else or comes of it is the result of it.
There is a feeling of power that comes from driving fast. [VERB + from]
Some good might come of all this gloomy business. [Vof n/-ing]
He asked to be transferred there some years ago, but nothing came of it. [VERB + of]
17. verb
If someone comes of a particular family or type of family, they are descended from them.
[formal]
She comes of a very good family. [VERBof noun]
18. verb
If someone or something comes first, next, or last, they are first, next, or last in a series, list, or competition.
The two countries have been unable to agree which step should come next. [VERB]
The alphabet might be more rational if all the vowels came first. [V ord]
The horse had already won at Lincolnshire and come second at Lowesby. [V ord]
19. verb
If a type of thing comesin a particular range of colours, forms, styles, or sizes, it can have any of thosecolours, forms, styles, or sizes.
Bikes come in all shapes and sizes. [VERB + in]
The wallpaper comes in black and white only. [VERB + in]
Synonyms: be available, be made, be offered, be produced More Synonyms of come
20. verb
You use come in expressions such as it came as a surprise when indicating a person's reaction to something that happens.
Major's reply came as a complete surprise to the House of Commons. [VERB + as]
The arrest has come as a terrible shock. [VERB + as]
21. verb
The next subject in a discussion that you come to is the one that you talk about next.
Finally in the programme, we come to the news that the American composer and conductor,Leonard Bernstein, has died. [VERB + to]
That is another matter altogether. And we shall come to that next. [VERB + to]
22. convention
People say 'Come' to encourage or comfort someone.
[old-fashioned]
'Come, eat!' the old woman urged.
23. verb
To come means to have an orgasm.
[informal]
24. See also coming, comings and goings
25.
See come again
26.
See as good/stupid/quick etc as they come
27.
See come come
28.
See when you come/it comes down to it
29.
See to have it/get what's coming to you
30.
See come to think of it
31.
See to come
32.
See when it comes (down) to
33.
See where someone is coming from
Phrasal verbs:
See come about
See come across
See come along
See come around
See come at
See come back
See come back to
See come between
See come by
See come down
See come down on
See come down to
See come down with
See come for
See come forward
See come in
See come in for
See come into
See come off
See come on
See come on to
See come out
See come out in
See come out with
See come over
See come round
See come through
See come to
See come under
See come up
See come up against
See come up for
See come upon
See come up to
See come up with
More Synonyms of come
come in British English
(kʌm)
verbWord forms: comes, coming, came or come(mainly intr)
1.
to move towards a specified person or place
come to my desk
2.
to arrive by movement or by making progress
3.
to become perceptible
light came into the sky
4.
to occur in the course of time
Christmas comes but once a year
5.
to exist or occur at a specific point in a series
your turn comes next
6.
to happen as a result
no good will come of this
7.
to originate or be derived
good may come of evil
8.
to occur to the mind
the truth suddenly came to me
9.
to extend or reach
she comes up to my shoulder
10.
to be produced or offered
that dress comes in red only
11.
to arrive at or be brought into a particular state or condition
you will soon come to grief
the new timetable comes into effect on Monday
12. (foll by from)
to be or have been a resident or native (of)
I come from Nigeria
13.
to become
your wishes will come true
14. (tr; takes an infinitive)
to be given awareness
I came to realize its enormous value
15.
(of grain) to germinate
16. slang
to have an orgasm
17. (transitive) British informal
to play the part of
don't come the fine gentleman with me
18. (transitive) British informal
to cause or produce
don't come that nonsense again
19. (subjunctive use)
when (a specified time or event has arrived or begun)
she'll be sixteen come Sunday
come the revolution, you'll be the first to go
20. as…as they come
21. come again?
22. come and
23. come clean
24. come good
25. come it
26. come to light
27. come to light with
28. come to pass
29. how come?
exclamation
30.
an exclamation expressing annoyance, irritation, etc
come now!
come come!
noun vulgar, slang
31.
semen
Word origin
Old English cuman; related to Old Norse koma, Gothic qiman, Old High German queman to come, Sanskrit gámati he goes
come in American English
(kʌm)
verb intransitiveWord forms: came, come, ˈcoming
1.
to move from a place thought of as “there” to or into a place thought of as “here”:
a.
in the second person, with relation to the speaker
come to me, will you come to the dance tonight?
b.
in the first person, with relation to the person addressed
I will come to see you
c.
in the third person, with relation to the person or thing approached
he came into the room
2.
to approach or reach by or as by moving toward
3.
to arrive or appear
help will come
4.
to extend; reach
the bus line comes near the hotel
5.
to happen; take place
success came to him early in life
6.
to take form in the mind, as through recollection
her name finally came to him
7.
to occur in a certain place or order
after 9 comes 10
8.
a.
to become actual; evolve; develop
peace will come in time
b.
to proceed; progress; get (along)
how's your new book coming (along)?
9.
a.
to be derived
milk comes from cows
b.
to be descended
he comes from an old family
c.
to be a native, resident, or former resident
with from
10.
to be caused; result
illness may come from a poor diet
11. US
to be due or owed (to)
used in the participle
to get what is coming to one
12.
to pass by or as by inheritance
the house came to him on the death of his father
13.
to enter into a certain state or condition
this word has come into use
14.
to get to be; become
my shoe came loose
15.
to be obtainable or available
this dress comes in four sizes
16.
to amount; add up (to)
17. Informal
to have a sexual orgasm
18.
when (a specified time or event) occurs [come evening, he will return]
used with the subject after the verb
noun
19. Slang
semen
somewhat vulgar
interjection
20.
used to express irritation, impatience, remonstrance, etc.
oh come! it's not that bad
Idioms:
as good (or tough or strong, etc.) as they come
come about
come across
come again?
come alive
come along
come and get it!
come around
come at
come back
come between
come by
come down
come down on
come down with
come forward
come in
come in for
come into
come of age
come off
come off it!
come on
come on!
come on to
come out
come out for
come out with
come over
come through
come to
come up
come upon
come up to
come up with
Word origin
ME comen < OE cuman, akin to Goth qiman, Ger kommen < IE base *gwem-, *gwā-, to go, come > L venire, to come, Gr bainein, to go
Examples of 'come' in a sentence
come
And the final large gallery hardly comes with the force of a flood.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The difference came to just one per cent.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Come spring we will see whether or not that is going to be another costly oversight.
The Sun (2016)
With those superstars on show in the coming months the future seems bright.
The Sun (2016)
Wonder is something that comes at the end of the childbirth experience.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This hoary old myth just keeps coming round again and again.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There were top players coming near the end of their careers who had to be moved on.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
May come from rocket or something else.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Let them come, he says.
The Sun (2016)
The multimillion-pound publicly funded operation comes weeks after the government said that 11,000 badgers were shot last year to protect cattle from tuberculosis.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
He has a huge force coming out of him.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Just coming out the hospital to go home.
The Sun (2012)
He thinks we will be downing tools come spring.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The banks and the government will be hand in glove for many months to come.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
She came and did say that all be well.
Kerr, Katharine A Time of War (1993)
The problem comes as the election approaches.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Shortly into the operation the patrol came into contact with the enemy.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We will hear that phrase again and again in the coming months.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
When witnesses have relevant evidence they can be forced to come to court.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
If we do that we will come away with something.
The Sun (2012)
The next volume cannot come too soon.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
So how come the odd passive whiff of cigarette smoke is so bad?
The Sun (2008)
The solid ground also comes out of a deep and searching prayer life.
Christianity Today (2000)
Then an older woman came into the showers and yelled at him to get out.
The Sun (2011)
Work ideas may seem to come out of the blue but at least one is brilliant.
The Sun (2009)
When does it come to an end for the man himself?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The wild orchids of summer are now coming up.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
To win it is a dream come true.
The Sun (2012)
Maybe people will just come to eat.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They buried the hatchet by coming together for the party.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
We know we can come to places like this and dig out results.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The time has now come for me to sell it.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
There is still work to do on his defence on this evidence but they will be in the mix come May.
The Sun (2013)
In other languages
come
British English: come /kʌm/ VERB
When you come to a place, you move towards it or arrive there.
She came into the room.
American English: come
Arabic: يَأْتِي
Brazilian Portuguese: vir
Chinese: 来
Croatian: doći
Czech: přijít
Danish: komme
Dutch: komen
European Spanish: venir
Finnish: tulla
French: venir
German: kommen
Greek: έρχομαι
Italian: venire
Japanese: 来る
Korean: 오다
Norwegian: komme
Polish: przyjść
European Portuguese: vir
Romanian: a veni
Russian: приходить
Latin American Spanish: venir
Swedish: komma
Thai: มา
Turkish: gelmek
Ukrainian: приходити
Vietnamese: đến nơi
All related terms of 'come'
misbecome
to be unbecoming to or unsuitable for
come come
People say ' Come , come ' to indicate that they disapprove of or disagree with what someone has just said or done.
come at
If a person or animal comes at you, they move towards you in a threatening way and try to attack you.
come by
To come by something means to obtain it or find it.
come in
If information , a report , or a telephone call comes in , it is received.
come it
to pretend ; act a part
come of
to be descended from
come on
You say ' Come on' to someone to encourage them to do something they do not much want to do.
come to
When someone who is unconscious comes to , they recover consciousness.
come up
If someone comes up or comes up to you, they approach you until they are standing close to you.
to come
When you refer to a time or an event to come or one that is still to come , you are referring to a future time or event.
come and
to move towards a particular person or thing or accompany a person with some specified purpose
come away
to become detached
come back
If something that you had forgotten comes back to you, you remember it.
come down
If the cost , level , or amount of something comes down , it becomes less than it was before.
come for
If people such as soldiers or police come for you, they come to find you, usually in order to harm you or take you away, for example to prison .
come from
to be or have been a resident or native (of)
come good
to recover and perform well after a bad start or setback
come home
(of an anchor ) to fail to hold
come into
If someone comes into some money, some property, or a title, they inherit it.
come off
If something comes off , it is successful or effective .
come out
When a new product such as a book or CD comes out , it becomes available to the public.
come over
If a feeling or desire , especially a strange or surprising one, comes over you, it affects you strongly.
come true
If a dream , wish , or prediction comes true , it actually happens .
come upon
If you come upon someone or something, you meet them or find them by chance .
how come?
what is the reason that?
come about
When you say how or when something came about , you say how or when it happened.
come across
If you come across something or someone, you find them or meet them by chance .
come again?
Some people say ' Come again? ' when they want you to repeat what you have just said .
come alive to bring something alive
If people, places, or events come alive , they start to be lively again after a quiet period. If someone or something brings them alive , they cause them to come alive.
come along
You tell someone to come along to encourage them in a friendly way to do something, especially to attend something.
come around
If someone comes around or comes round to your house , they call there to see you.
come clean
to tell the truth about something
come first
If you say that someone or something comes first for a particular person, you mean they treat or consider that person or thing as more important than anything else.
come-hither
alluring ; seductive
come online
(of a power station or other source of energy) to begin to contribute to a distribution network
come round
to be restored to life or consciousness
come under
If you come under attack or pressure , for example , people attack you or put pressure on you.
come between
If someone or something comes between two people, or comes between a person and a thing, they make the relationship or connection between them less close or happy .
come forward
If someone comes forward , they offer to do something or to give some information in response to a request for help .
come on to
When you come on to a particular topic , you start discussing it.
come through
To come through a dangerous or difficult situation means to survive it and recover from it.
come unglued
If something comes unglued , it becomes separated from the thing that it was attached to.
come unstuck
If something comes unstuck , it becomes separated from the thing that it was attached to.
come up to
To be coming up to a time or state means to be getting near to it.
kingdom come
the next world; life after death
come-all-ye
a street ballad or folk song
come-at-able
easy to approach , enter , use, or understand
come back to
If you come back to a topic or point, you talk about it again later.
come down on
If you come down on one side of an argument , you declare that you support that side.
Chinese translation of 'come'
come
(kʌm)
Word forms:ptcame
Word forms:ppcome
vi
(= move towards, arrive) 来(來) (lái)
come here!到这(這)儿(兒)来(來)！ (dào zhèr lái!)
I'm just coming!我这(這)就来(來)！ (wǒ zhè jiù lái!)
can I come too?我也能来(來)吗(嗎)？ (wǒ yě néng lái ma?)
come with me跟我来(來) (gēn wǒ lái)
a girl came into the room一个(個)女孩进(進)了房间(間) (yī gè nǚhái jìnle fángjiān)
he came to a door他到了门(門)口 (tā dàole ménkǒu)
why don't you come to lunch on Saturday?何不星期六过(過)来(來)吃午饭(飯)呢？ (hé bù xīngqīliù guòlái chī wǔfàn ne?)
to come to/and do sth来(來)做某事 (lái zuò mǒushì)
he's come here to work他已经(經)到了这(這)儿(兒)工作 (tā yǐjīng dàole zhèr gōngzuò)
to come to (= reach) 到达(達) (dàodá) (= amount to) 达(達)到 (dádào)
her hair came to her waist她的头(頭)发(髮)长(長)到腰的位置了 (tā de tóufa zhǎng dào yāo de wèizhì le)
to come to a decision做出决(決)定 (zuòchū juédìng)
the bill came to £40账(賬)单(單)共计(計)40英镑(鎊) (zhàngdān gòngjì sìshí yīngbàng)
(= occur)
an idea came to me我想到了一个(個)主意 (wǒ xiǎngdàole yīgè zhǔyi)
it suddenly came to me that ... 我突然想到 ... (wǒ tūrán xiǎng dào ... )
(in inheritance, as payment etc)
to come to sb留给(給)某人 (liú gěi mǒurén)
(= be, become)
to come first/second/last etc (in series) 排在第一/第二/最后(後)等 (páizài dìyī/dì'èr/zuìhòu děng) (in competition, race) 位居第一/第二/最后(後)等 (wèijū dìyī/dì'èr/zuìhòu děng)
to come loose/undone etc松(鬆)了/解开(開)了等 (sōngle/jiěkāile děng)
I've come to like him我开(開)始喜欢(歡)上他了 (wǒ kāishǐ xǐhuan shàng tā le)
how did you come to meet him?你是怎么(麼)遇到他的？ (nǐ shì zěnme yùdào tā de?)
(= be available)
it comes in blue or green蓝(藍)色或绿(綠)色的有现(現)货(貨) (lánsè huò lǜsè de yǒu xiànhuò)
(in expressions)
when you come down to it, when it comes down to it归(歸)根结(結)底 (guī gēn jié dǐ)
come to think of it再想想 (zài xiǎngxiǎng)
⇒ You know, when you come to think of it, this is very odd.再想想的话，这是很奇怪的。 (Zài xiǎngxiǎng de huà, zhè shì hěn qíguài de.)
when it comes to ... 当(當)谈(談)到 ... (dāng tándào ... )
All related terms of 'come'
come at
扑(撲)向 pūxiàng
come by
( acquire ) 得到 dédào
come in
( to room, house etc ) 进(進)入 jìnrù
come of
( result from ) 是 ... 的结(結)果 shì ... de jiéguǒ
come on
( progress : pupil, work, project ) 进(進)展 jìnzhǎn
come to
( regain consciousness ) 苏(甦)醒 sūxǐng
come up
( approach ) 走近 zǒujìn
come in!
进(進)来(來)！ jìnlai!
come off
( button, handle ) 脱(脫)落 tuōluò
come on!
( giving encouragement ) 来(來)！ lái!
come out
( person : out of house, for evening etc ) 出去 chūqù
come away
( depart ) 离(離)开(開) líkāi
come back
( return ) 回来(來) huílái
come down
( price ) 降低 jiàngdī
come from
( place, source ) 来(來)自 láizì
come into
( inherit ) 继(繼)承 jìchéng
come over
( feeling ) 牢牢控制 láoláo kòngzhì
come upon
( find ) 偶然碰到 ǒurán pèngdào
come about
( discovery, solution ) 发(發)生 fāshēng
come across
( find ) 偶然发(發)现(現) ǒurán fāxiàn
come along
来(來) lái
come along!
( encouraging ) 快一点(點)！ Kuài yīdiǎn!
come apart
裂成碎片 lièchéng suìpiàn
come around
( visit ) 来(來)访(訪) láifǎng
come here!
到这(這)儿(兒)来(來)！ dào zhèr lái!
come round
= come around
come under
( criticism, pressure, attack ) 受到 shòudào
come between
离(離)间(間) líjiàn
come forward
( volunteer ) 自告奋(奮)勇 zì gào fènyǒng
come in for
( criticism ) 受到 shòudào
come on to
开(開)始讨(討)论(論) kāishǐ tǎolùn
come out in
▶ to come out in spots/in a rash 起满(滿)小包/疹子 qǐmǎn xiǎobāo/zhěnzi