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in 1999. | When will this case come to trial/to court? | The car skidded off the road and came to rest in a field. → see also COME INTO, COME TO 7 [L+adj] to become: The buttons on my coat came undone. | His dream of winning a gold medal has come true. | Don't worry – it'll all come (out) right in the end. → see also COME APART, COME away, COME off; see BECOME (USAGE) 8 [I+to-v] to begin as a result of time or experience: In time you may come to like it here. | This is the kind of behaviour we have come to expect of him. OTHER MEANINGS 9 [(from)] to happen: No good will come from all this. | [+to-v] How did Jean come to be invited to this party? | (lit) And so it came to pass (=happened) that they were married. | Come what may (=whatever happens) I'm determined to do it. | (infml) How come (=how did it happen that) he didn't find out? 10 [+adv/prep/adj] to be offered, produced, sold etc: Shoes come in many shapes and sizes. | The car comes complete with a radio and sunroof. | Houses like that don't come cheap. 11 [!] slang to have an ORGASM PHRASES 12 come again? infml what did you say? 13 come and go to pass or disappear quickly; change: Fashions come and go but this type of dress is always popular. | I've got so much to do I don't know whether I'm coming or going. (=used to express hurried and disordered activity) 14 come clean infml to admit to guilt or mistake: Congressmen in the banking scandal decided to come clean before the electorate. 15 come it (with/over) slang, especially BrE to behave with rude disrespect towards someone 16 come to that infml (used when you want to add something to a remark) actually; in fact: I haven't seen her for weeks ... or her parents, come to that. 17 come to think of it infml (used when you want to add something you have just thought of) when you begin to consider that: ... and he sent me a lovely present. Come to think of it, I must write to thank him. 18 come up and see me sometime a phrase which is believed to have been said by Mae West as an invitation to a man to come and visit her, with the suggestion that she found him sexually attractive. The phrase is often used humorously now. 19 don't come the ... BrE infml don't act the part of or pretend to be: Don't come the grand lady with me! 20 do you come here often? → see CHAT-UP LINE 21 I came, I saw, I conquered quote a phrase from the writings of Julius Caesar describing how he went to Britain and defeated it. The phrase is often used now, with the words slightly changed: He came, he fought, he conquered, but Mickey Rourke had better not tear up his Equity card, despite winning his first professional boxing bout. → see also VENI, VIDI, VICI 22 years/weeks/days etc to come in the future: The effects of the drought will be felt for years to come. | She was to remember his warning in the days to come. 23 don't come it with me BrE spoken a rude expression used in order to tell someone not to argue or fight with you: Don't come it with me, all right? I've had a hard day and I just want to get home. | I've been working here for much longer than you have, so don't come it with me! → see also coming, come clean (CLEAN), come in from the cold (COLD), come a cropper (CROPPER), come unstuck (UNSTUCK)
PHRASAL VERBS
come about phr v [I] 1 to happen, especially in a way that seems impossible to prevent: How did this dangerous situation come about? | [(it)+that] Can you explain how it came about that you were an hour late? 2 (of a ship) to change direction
come across phr v 1 [T no pass.] (come across sthg./sbdy.) to meet, find, or discover, especially by chance: She came across some old letters in the course of her search. → compare RUN ACROSS 2 [I] to be effective and well received: Your speech came across very well.
come across as sbdy./sthg. phr v [T] to seem to be: She came across as a very sophisticated woman. | [+v-ing] He came across as being rather nervous.
come across with sthg. phr v [T no pass.] infml to provide (money or information) when needed
come along phr v [I] 1 also come on — a) to advance, develop, or improve, especially in health: How's your English coming along? b) to improve in health: Mother's coming along nicely, thank you. 2 to appear or arrive by chance: I got the job because I came along at the right time. | Take any opportunity that comes along. 3 also come on — to follow: You go now; I'll come along later. 4 Come along! especially BrE also Come on! a) Make an effort! Try harder!: Come along, someone must know the answer to my question! b) Hurry up!: Come along – we're late!
come apart phr v [I] to break into pieces without the use of force: I picked up the old book and it just came apart in my hands. | (fig.) The government's whole industrial strategy is coming apart at the seams.
come around phr v [I] especially AmE for COME round
come at sbdy./sthg. phr v [T no pass.] 1 also come for sbdy./sthg. — to advance towards in a threatening manner: She came at me with a knife. 2 infml to reach a knowledge or understanding of: It was a long time before we came at the truth.
come away phr v [I(from)] to become disconnected without being forced: I only touched the handle and it came away (from the door) in my hand.
come back phr v [I] 1 [(to)] to return to memory: It's all coming back to me now! 2 [(N)] to become fashionable or popular again: Do you think long dresses will ever come back (in)? 3 [(at, with)] to reply in a forceful, often unkind way; RETORT → see also COMEBACK
come between sbdy./sthg. phr v [T no pass.] to interrupt or cause trouble between: John lets nothing come between himself and his work. | We mustn't let this silly quarrel come between us.
come by sthg. phr v [T] to obtain or receive; come to have: Jobs are hard to come by with so many people out of work. | That's a nasty bruise – how did you come by it?
come down phr v [I] 1 to fall to a lower level: The price of oil has come down dramatically. | Since Julia lost her job, she's really come down in the world. (=fallen to a lower standard of living) | John came down in my opinion (=lost my respect) after his bad behaviour. 2 [(to)] to be passed on from one period of history to another: This story has come down to us from ancient times. 3 [(from)] slang to stop feeling the effects of a drug that influences the mind 4 [(from)] BrE to leave a university after a period of study 5 come down in favour of/on the side of to decide to support, especially after long thought: The court came down on the side of the unions. 6 come down to earth (with a bump) to return to reality: He was daydreaming, but he came down to earth with a bump when the teacher twisted his ear. → see also COME-DOWN
come down on sbdy./sthg. phr v [T no pass.] 1 to punish or speak to with severe disapproval: The courts are going to come down more heavily on young criminals. 2 [(for)] to demand forcefully: The bank came down on us for immediate payment.
come down to sthg. phr v [T no pass.] to mean or be equal to in fact; BOIL down to: What it comes down to is a choice between cutting wages or reducing the number of staff.
come down with sthg. phr v [T no pass.] infml to catch (an infectious illness): I think I'm coming down with a cold.
come forward phr v [I] to offer yourself to fill a position, give help to the police etc: Only two people have come forward for election to the committee. | No one has come forward with any information about the murder.
come from sthg. phr v [T no pass.] to have a place or point of origin: I come from Newcastle but I've spent most of my life in London. | Milk comes from cows. | The passage she quoted comes from Shakespeare. | Where's that noise coming from?
come in phr v [I] 1 to arrive or be received: Reports are coming in of a major earthquake in Mexico. | There's very little money coming in at present. 2 to become necessary or important, especially in a plan: I also need someone to persuade my parents that it's a good idea – that's where you come in. 3 to become fashionable: When did the short skirt first come in? → opposite GO OUT 4 (of the sea) to rise: The tide's coming in so don't stay on the sand too long → opposite GO OUT 5 [+adv] to finish in the stated place in a race or competition: My horse came in third/last. 6 come in useful/handy to be useful: This string may come in useful one day, so don't throw it away. → see also come in from the cold (COLD), when one's ship comes in (SHIP)
come in for sthg. phr v [T no pass.] to be given (especially blame, disapproval etc); receive: The police came in for a lot of criticism over their handling of the strike.
come into sthg. phr v [T] 1 to receive (a sum of money) after someone's death; INHERIT: He came into a fortune when his mother died. 2 to begin to be in (a particular state): to come into fashion | to come into existence | The town came into sight/view as we turned the corner. → see also COME 3 come into one's own to show your true worth or abilities: On bad roads, this tough little car really comes into its own.