Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Become"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
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 {Come}.]
1. To pass from one state to another; to enter into some
state or condition, by a change from another state, or by
assuming or receiving new properties or qualities,
additional matter, or a new character.
The Lord God . . . breathed into his nostrils the
breath of life; and man became a living soul. --Gen.
ii. 7.
That error now which is become my crime. --Milton.
2. To come; to get. [Obs.]
But, madam, where is Warwick then become! --Shak.
{To become of}, to be the present state or place of; to be
the fate of; to be the end of; to be the final or
subsequent condition of.
What is then become of so huge a multitude? --Sir W.
Raleigh.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
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.
It becomes me so to speak of so excellent a poet.
--Dryden.
I have known persons so anxious to have their dress
become them, as to convert it, at length, into their
proper self, and thus actually to become the dress.
--Coleridge.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
become
v 1: enter or assume a certain state or condition; "He became
annoyed when he heard the bad news"; "It must be getting
more serious"; "her face went red with anger"; "She went
into ecstasy"; "Get going!" [syn: {go}, {get}]
2: undergo a change or development: "The water turned into
ice"; "Her former friend became her worst enemy"; "He
turned traitor" [syn: {turn}]
3: come into existence; "What becomes has duration"
4: enhance the appearance of: "Mourning becomes Electra"; "This
behavior doesn't suit you!" [syn: {suit}]
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