1. a. To advance toward the speaker or toward a specified place; approach: Come to me. b. To advance in a specified manner: The children came reluctantly when I insisted.

2. a. To make progress; advance: a former drug addict who has come a long way. b. To fare: How are things coming today? They're coming fine.

3. a. To reach a particular point in a series or as a result of orderly progression: At last we came to the chapter on ergonomics. b. To arrive, as in due course: Dawn comes at 5 A.M. in June.

4. To move into view; appear: The moon came over the horizon.

5. To occur in time; take place: "In the . . . saloon . . . the sawdust on the floor gets changed biweekly come fog, downpour or the occasional shard of sunlight" (Paul A. Witteman).

6. a. To arrive at a particular result or end: come to an understanding. b. To arrive at or reach a particular state or condition: Come to your senses! c. To move or be brought to a particular position: The convoy came to an abrupt halt.

7. To extend; reach: water that came to my waist.

8. To have priority; rank: My work comes first.

9. a. To reach a particular condition or to arrive at a specified viewpoint: I have come to view the issue in a different light. How did you come to know that? b. To happen as a result: This comes of your carelessness.

10. To fall to one: No good can come of this.

11. To occur in the mind: A good idea just came to me.

12. a. To issue forth: A cry came from the frightened child. b. To be derived; originate: Oaks come from acorns. c. To be descended: They come from a good family. d. To be within a given range or spectrum of reference or application: This stipulation comes within the terms of your contract.

13. To be a native or resident of: My friend comes from Chicago.

14. To add up to a certain amount: Expenses came to more than income.

15. a. To become: The knot came loose. This is a dream that has come true. b. To turn out to be: A good education doesn't come cheap.

16. To be available or obtainable: shoes that come in all sizes.

17. Vulgar Slang. To experience orgasm.

1. To take place; happen.

2. To turn around.

3. Nautical. To change tack.

1. To meet or find by chance: came across my old college roommate in town today.

2. Slang. a. To do what is wanted. b. To pay over money that is demanded: came across with the check.

3. To give an impression: "He comes across as a very sincere, religious individual" (William L. Clay).

1. To make advances to a goal; progress: Things are coming along fine.

2. To go with someone else who takes the lead: I'll come along on the hike.

3. To show up; appear: Don't take the first offer that comes along.

1. To recover, revive: fainted but soon came around.

2. To change one's opinion or position: You'll come around after you hear the whole story.

1. To obtain; get: come at an education through study.

2. To rush at; attack.

1. To return to or regain past success after a period of misfortune.

2. To retort; reply: came back with a sharp riposte.

3. To recur to the memory: When I saw the picture, happy memories came back.

1. To gain possession of; acquire: Mortgages are hard to come by.

2. To pay a visit.

1. To lose wealth or position: He has really come down in the world.

2. a. To pass or be handed down by tradition: customs that come down from colonial times. b. To be handed down from a higher authority: An indictment finally came down.

3. Slang. To happen; occur: What's coming down tonight?

1. a. To arrive: Fall clothes will be coming in soon. b. To become available for use: New weather information just came in. c. To start producing. Used of an oil well.

2. To arrive among those who finish a contest or race: came in fifth.

3. To perform or function in a particular way: A food processor comes in handy.

4. To reply in a specified manner to a call or signal: The pilot's voice came in loud and clear.

5. To take on a specified role: When editorial review commences, that's where you come in.

1. To happen; occur: The trip came off on schedule.

2. To acquit oneself: She is sure to come off badly if challenged to explain.

3. To turn out to be successful: a party that came off.

1. To convey a particular personal image: comes on as an old-fashioned reactionary.

2. Slang. To show sexual interest in someone: trying to come on to me during the party.

3. a. To progress or advance in increments: Darkness came on after seven. b. To begin in small increments or by degrees: Sleet came on after one o'clock.

4. To hurry up; move rapidly. Often used in the imperative: Would you please come on! We'll be late!

5. To stop an inappropriate behavior; abandon a position or an attitude; be obliging. Used chiefly in the imperative: You've used the same feeble excuse for weeks. Come on!

1. To become known: The whole story came out at the trial.

2. To be issued or brought out: The author's new book just came out.

3. To make a formal social debut: She came out at age 18 in New York City.

4. To end up; result: Everything came out wrong.

5. To declare oneself publicly: The governor came out in favor of tax breaks.

6. To reveal that one is gay or homosexual.

1. To change sides, as in a controversy.

2. To pay a casual visit.

1. To do what is required or anticipated: I asked for their help, and they came through.

2. a. To become manifest: The parents' tenderness comes through in their facial expressions. b. To be communicated in a specified manner: The pilot's voice came through loud and clear.

1. To recover consciousness: The fainting victim came to.

2. Nautical. a. To bring the bow into the wind. b. To anchor.

1. To manifest itself; arise: The question never came up.

2. To rise above the horizon: The sun came up.

3. To rise, as in status or rank: a general who came up from the ranks.

4. To draw near; approach: came up and said hello.

1. To confront or deal with forthrightly: When you come right down to it, you have to admit I'm correct.

2. To amount to in essence: It comes down to this: the man is a cheat.

1. To get possession of what belongs to one.

2. To obtain rightful recognition or prosperity: a concert pianist who has at last come into his own.

1. To put into words; say: always comes out with the truth.

2. To reveal publicly: came out with a new tax package.

1. To confront squarely and come to understand fully and objectively: "He attempts to come to terms with his own early experiences . . . and with his father, a con man of extravagant dimensions" (Peter S. Prescott).

2. To reach mutual agreement: The warring factions have at last come to terms.