Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Become

Be-come′

,
Verb.
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
piquëman
, 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
!
Shakespeare
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.

Be-come′

,
Verb.
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.

Webster 1828 Edition

Become

BECOME

,
Verb.
I.
becum'. pret. became,
pp.
become.
1.
To pass from one state to another; to enter into some state or condition, by a change from another state or condition, or by assuming or receiving new properties or qualities, additional matter, or a new character; as, a cion becomes a tree.
The Lord God breathed into his nostrils the breath of like and man became a living soul.
To the Jew, I became a Jew.
2.
To become of, usually with what preceding; to be the fate of; to be the end of; to be the final or subsequent condition; as, what will become of our commerce? what will become of us?
In the present tense, it applies to place as well as condition. What has become of my friend? that is, where is he? as well as, what is his condition? Where is he become? used by Shakespeare and Spenser, is obsolete; but this is the sense in Saxon, where has he fallen?

BECOME

,
Verb.
T.
In general, to suit or be suitable; to be congruous; to befit; to accord with, in character or circumstances; to be worthy of, decent or proper. It is used in the same sense applied to persons or things.
If I become not a cart as well as another man.
This use of the word however is less frequent, the verb usually expressing the suitableness of things, to persons or to other things; as, a robe becomes a prince.
It becomes not a cart as well as another man.

Similar Results