become
verbUS /bɪˈkʌm/ · Southern-England /bɪˈkʌm/
Etymology
A compound of the sources of be- + come. From Middle English becomen, bicumen, from Old English becuman (“to come (to), approach, arrive, enter, meet with, fall in with; happen, befall; befit”), from Proto-Germanic *bikwemaną (“to come around, come about, come across, come by”), equivalent to be- (“about, around”) + come. Cognate with Scots becum (“to come, arrive, reach a destination”), North Frisian bekommen, bykommen (“to come by, obtain, receive”), West Frisian bikomme (“to come by, obtain, receive”), Dutch bekomen (“to come by, obtain, receive”), German bekommen (“to get, receive, obtain”), Swedish bekomma (“to receive, concern”), Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌵𐌹𐌼𐌰𐌽 (biqiman, “to come upon one, befall”). Sense of "befit, suit" due to influence from Middle English cweme, icweme, see queem. Displaced Old English weorþan.
begin to be; turn into (often with permanent states).
Followed by an adjective or a noun
- Near-synonyms: get, turn, go, come, fall, grow, wax
- She became a doctor when she was 25.
4 more examples
- The weather will become cold after the sun goes down.
- The full extent of my injuries did not become evident until they tried to move me.
- The sense ‘state or process of bearing fruit’ has become imposed on fruition as the 20c. proceeded.
- The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again; for, even after she had conquered her love for the Celebrity, the mortification of having been jilted by him remained.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
To come about; happen; come into being; arise.
Archaic other than in become of
- What became of him after he was let go?
- It hath becomen so that many a man had to sterve.
1 more example
- And Time went forth into the worlds to obey the commands of the gods, yet he cast furtive glances at his masters, and the gods distrusted Time because he had known the worlds or ever the gods became.1906, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], Time and the Gods, London: William Heineman, →OCLC, page 3:
To be appropriate for.
- It doesn’t become a true gentleman to speak in such a manner.
- Ay, lord, she will become thy bed, I warrant, And bring thee forth brave brood.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
2 more examples
- 1892, Ambrose Bierce, “The Applicant,” in The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Volume II: In the Midst of Life (Tales of Soldiers and Civilians), New York: Gordian Press, 1966, He was hatted, booted, overcoated, and umbrellaed, as became a person who was about to expose himself to the night and the storm on an errand of charity […]
- His ordination[…]enabled him to be independent of his parents, and to afford a manner of living which became his rank rather than his calling.1930, Duff Cooper, Talleyrand, Folio Society, published 2010, page 7:
Of an adornment, piece of clothing etc.: to look attractive on (someone).
- That dress really becomes you.
Obsolete To arrive, come (to a place).
- & thenne the noble knyghte sire Launcelot departed with ryghte heuy chere sodenly / that none erthely creature wyste of hym / nor where he was become / but sir Bors1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter II, in Le Morte Darthur, book XVIII:
- But, madam, where is Warwick then become?c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv]:
To get, receive.
Non-native speakers' English
- The "Buddy Mode" is an option you can use if you are playing against a friend on your computer. Then both human players become help by another, randomly choosed computer controlled wrestler.^([sic])1997 February 12, Mathias van Gemmern, “WWF95/BuddyMode”, in bit.listserv.games-l (Usenet), via Google Groups, archived from the original on 24 Apr 2026:
- Hallo, this is my favorite URL. You can surfing and become cash.^([sic])2000 January 30, Theresa <theresa_online@hotmail.com>, “Check URL and become money”, in microsoft.public.access.3rdpartyusrgrp (Usenet), via Google Groups, archived from the original on 24 Apr 2026:
2 more examples
- Most US people who spank their kids, lost their children. Social workers take your children away and it is very difficult to become back your own children.2002 July 24, Joop Hermans, “Bill is back in 1940”, in alt.parenting.spanking (Usenet), via Google Groups, archived from the original on 24 Apr 2026:
- @edmundmcmillen You litte F**ker You made a shit of piece with your trash Issac it’s f**King Bad this trash game I will become back my money I hope you will in your next time a cow on a trash farm you sucker^([sic])2021 May 12, @DkdWerbung, Twitter (post), archived from the original on 12 May 2021:
- Derived terms
- becomeness, become of, become one flesh, become one with one's inner self, becomer, become the Joker, disbecome, misbecome, rebecome, unbecome