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come - definition and synonyms


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verb come pronunciation in American English /kʌm/
Word Forms
present tense
present participlecoming
past tensecame
past participlecome
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  1. 1
    [intransitive] to move or travel to the place where you are
    come across/along/down/into etc.:

    A tall woman in black was coming across the lawn.

    We have people coming to dinner tonight.

    come here/home/nearer/downstairs etc.:

    Billy, I want you to come here right now!

    come and do something:

    Come and tell me all about it.

    come to do something:

    Someone is supposed to come this morning to fix the computer.

    come running/flying/rushing/crashing etc. somewhere:

    All the glasses came crashing onto the floor.

    come by train/car/airplane etc.:

    We flew into Chicago and came the rest of the way by train.

    Synonyms and related words
    1. a.
      [intransitive] to go somewhere with someone

      I’m leaving now – are you coming?

      come with:

      We’re all going into town and we thought you’d like to come with us.

    2. b.
      [transitive] to move or travel a particular distance to where you are

      Have you come a long way?

      They’ve come about 10 miles from the next village.

      Synonyms and related words
  2. 2
    [intransitive] to reach a particular state
    come to a decision/conclusion/view etc.:

    We came to the conclusion that she must be telling the truth.

    come to an end/stop/halt/standstill:

    All good things must come to an end.

    come to power/prominence:

    When the Freedom Party came to power they continued these policies.

  3. 3
    [intransitive] to start doing something
    come into existence/operation/effect etc.:

    The new changes will come into effect next month.

    come into view/sight (=to start to be seen):

    As we turned the corner, the top of the Eiffel Tower came into view.

  4. 4
    [intransitive] to reach a particular point or level
    come as high/low/far etc. as something:

    The road comes as far as the post office and then turns into a dirt path.

    come up/down to something:

    The water came up to my shoulders.

  5. 5
    [intransitive] if something such as a letter or message comes, you receive it

    The news could not have come at a better time.

  6. 6
    [intransitive] to happen

    Police investigated him for three years before the breakthrough came.

    come as a shock/surprise/relief/disappointment/reminder etc. (=be a shock etc.):

    It came as no surprise that she left the company.

    This news has come as a disappointment to local business leaders.

    coming soon:

    Coming soon, the new smash-hit comedy starring Julia Roberts.

    come in twos/threes etc. (=two/three etc. of them happen at the same time):

    Instances of bad luck are supposed to come in threes.

  7. 7
    [intransitive] to be sold or produced
    come in:

    The long-sleeved dress comes in yellow and blue.

  8. 8
    [intransitive] to be in a particular position in a series or list or at the end of a race
    come before/after:

    July comes before August.

    come first/second/third etc.:

    She came first in a national poetry competition.

    My children always come first (=are the most important thing for me).

  9. 9
    [intransitive] impolite to have an orgasm (=reach the state of greatest sexual excitement)



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