become

become
[[t]bɪkʌ̱m[/t]]
becomes, becoming, became
(The form become is used in the present tense and is the past participle.)
1) V-LINK If someone or something becomes a particular thing, they start to change and develop into that thing, or start to develop the characteristics mentioned.

[V adj] I first became interested in Islam while I was doing my nursing training...

[V adj] The cocoa industry dwindled because it became increasingly difficult to cover costs...

[V adj] During the 1980s the world's financial systems became more open...

[V adj] The pilot decided to land, but as we lost altitude the wind became stronger...

[V -ed] As she reached the age of thirty she became convinced she would remain single all her life...

[V n] After leaving school, he became a professional footballer...

[V n] In 1823 Honduras became a part of the United Provinces of Central America.

Syn:
2) VERB: no passive, no cont If something becomes someone, it makes them look attractive or it seems right for them.

[V n] Does khaki become you?...

[V n] Don't be crude tonight, Bernard, it doesn't become you.

Syn:
3) PHRASE: V inflects If you wonder what has become of someone or something, you wonder where they are and what has happened to them.

She thought constantly about her family; she might never know what had become of them...

Where will he go to school now he's been thrown out of Eton? What will become of him?


English dictionary. 2008.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Become — Be*come , v. i. [imp. {Became}; p. p. {Become}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Becoming}.] [OE. bicumen, becumen, AS. becuman to come to, to happen; akin to D. bekomen, OHG.a piqu[ e]man, Goth. biquiman to come upon, G. bekommen to get, suit. See {Be }, and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Become — Be*come , v. i. [imp. {Became}; p. p. {Become}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Becoming}.] [OE. bicumen, becumen, AS. becuman to come to, to happen; akin to D. bekomen, OHG.a piqu[ e]man, Goth. biquiman to come upon, G. bekommen to get, suit. See {Be }, and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • become — [bē kum′, bikum′] vi. became, become, becoming [ME bicumen < OE becuman: see BE & COME] 1. to come to be [to become ill] 2. to grow to be; change or develop into by growth [the tadpole becomes a frog] vt …   English World dictionary

  • Become — Be*come , v. t. To suit or be suitable to; to be congruous with; to befit; to accord with, in character or circumstances; to be worthy of, or proper for; to cause to appear well; said of persons and things. [1913 Webster] It becomes me so to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • become — ► VERB (past became; past part. become) 1) begin to be. 2) turn into. 3) (become of) happen to. 4) (of clothing) look good when worn by (someone). 5) be appropriate to …   English terms dictionary

  • become — (v.) O.E. becuman happen, come about, also meet with, arrive, from P.Gmc. *bikweman become (Cf. Du. bekomen, O.H.G. biqueman obtain, Ger. bekommen, Goth. biquiman). A compound of BE (Cf. be ) and COME (Cf …   Etymology dictionary

  • become — [v1] evolve into alter to, assume form of, be converted to, be reduced to, be reformed, be remodeled, be transformed into, change into, come, come to be, convert, develop into, emerge as, eventually be, grow into, incline, mature, metamorphose,… …   New thesaurus

  • become — I (arise) verb befall, come about, come into being, come into existence, commence, ensue, germinate, happen, materialize, occur, proceed, result, succeed II (develop) verb adorn, alter, arise, befit, behoove, benefit, beseem, change into, come to …   Law dictionary

  • become — verb /bI kVm/ past tense became /bi keIm/ past participle become 1 (linking verb) to begin to be something, or to develop in a particular way: He became King at the age of 17. | After the death of her father she became the richest woman in the… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • become — be|come W1S1 [bıˈkʌm] v past tense became [ ˈkeım] past participle become [: Old English; Origin: becuman to come to, become , from cuman to come ] 1.) [linking verb] to begin to be something, or to develop in a particular way ▪ George became… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • become */*/*/ — UK [bɪˈkʌm] / US verb Word forms become : present tense I/you/we/they become he/she/it becomes present participle becoming past tense became UK [bɪˈkeɪm] / US past participle become Summary: Become can be used in the following ways: as a linking… …   English dictionary

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