become
/bɪˈkʌm
/verb (becomes, becoming; past became /bɪˈkeɪm/; past participle become)
1 [no object, with complement] Begin to be: she became angry and sulked all day it is becoming clear that we are in a new situation...
- After several listens, however, a rare aesthetic begins to become clear.
- The edges of the job are beginning to become clear, and it's all terribly exciting.
- As the picture begins, it soon becomes clear that Lee is offering more than a mere recounting of generic forms.
1.1Grow to be; develop into: the child will become an adult...
- How do you expect me to grow and develop and become cultured if you insult me all the time?
- Both grew up to become intellectual, ambitious adults; a trait they passed to their children.
- Without treatment the condition could result in infants becoming mentally retarded or developing other neurological problems.
Synonyms
come to be, get to be, turn out to be, grow, get, turn
literary wax
1.2(Of a person) qualify or be accepted as: she wanted to become a doctor...
- Once students have completed the course, they will become fully qualified paramedics.
- They're becoming increasingly reasonable members of the world financial community.
- I have canoed, fished, sailed and more recently I have become qualified in powerboats.
Synonyms
be appointed as, be assigned as, be nominated, be elected as, be made;
be transformed into, be converted into, change into, turn into, transform into
1.3 (become of) (In questions) happen to: what would become of her now?...
- In the meantime, there remained the question of what would become of the island itself.
- This question demands another preliminary question: what becomes of spirituality in a scientific age?
- The question of what becomes of players who are at the top of the tree as juniors is one we've investigated this week.
Synonyms
happen to, be the fate of, be the lot of, overtake, be visited on
literary befall, betide
2 [with object] (Of clothing) look good on or suit (someone): mourning regalia became her...
- In her monastic habit she looked coarse and overblown: the severe lines and sober tints of the dress did not become her.
Synonyms
suit, flatter, look good on, look right on;
set off, show to advantage, enhance, go well with;
embellish, ornament, grace
informal do something for
2.1Be appropriate to (someone): minor celebrity status did not become Potter...
- But Jay wrote that the measure would be for party purposes which it did not become him to accept.
Synonyms
befit, behove, suit, be suitable to, be fitting to
Origin
Old English becuman 'come to a place, come (to be or do something)' (see be-, come), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bekomen and German bekommen 'get, receive'.