become
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
Old English becuman, from Proto-Germanic. Cognate with German bekommen, Dutch bekomen.
[edit] Pronunciation
- IPA: /bəˈkʌm/, /bɪˈkʌm/, X-SAMPA: /b@"kVm, bI"kVm/
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Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ʌm
- Hyphenation: be‧come
[edit] Verb
become (third-person singular simple present becomes, present participle becoming, simple past became, or (nonstandard) becomed, past participle become)
- (intransitive, obsolete) To arrive, come (to a place). [9th-18th c.]
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book VII:
- And than Sir Launcelot departed suddeynly, and no creature wyst where he was becom but Sir Bors.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book VII:
- (copulative) To begin to be; to come to be; to turn into. [from 12th c.]
- She became a doctor when she was 25.
- The weather will become cold after the sun goes down.
- 2012 May 13, Alistair Magowan, “Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd”, BBC Sport:
- Then, as the Sunderland fans' cheers bellowed around the stadium, United's title bid was over when it became apparent City had pinched a last-gasp winner to seal their first title in 44 years.
- (transitive) To look attractive on, be suitable for. [from 14th c.]
- That dress really becomes you.
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Translations
To begin to be
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To look attractive on, be suitable for
[edit] References
- become in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
- become in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
[edit] Statistics
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Most common English words before 1923: body · point · letter · #347: become · became · second · United
