Become

v. Pa. t. became; Pa. pple. become. Forms as in COME: also in 16–17th c. pa. t. and pa. pple. often becomed, esp. in senses 5–8: see next word. Prefix in ME. also bi-, by-. [Common Teut.: OE. becuman to arrive, attain, happen, corresponding to OHG. biqueman, mod.G. bekommen, Du. bekomen, Goth. biquiman, f. bi- BE- 1 + quiman, in OE. cuman, to COME. With the development of senses 5, 6, cf. Fr. devenir; with that of 7 cf. L. convenīre, Gr. προσήκειν.]

  I.  To come, come about.

  † 1.  intr. To come (to a place), to arrive; passing in later use into ‘betake oneself, go.’ Obs.

c. 885.  K. Ælfred, Oros., IV. viii. § 3. Hannibal to þam lande becom.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 129. Hwer bicomen heo þa?

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 1744. To ðe munt galaad he bi-cam.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 13748 (Gött.). ‘Womman,’ he said, ‘quar es bicomen þi witherwines þat he had nomen?’

1475.  Caxton, Jason, 92 b. Where may I become for to haue good conceyll.

1533.  Bellenden, Livy, V. (1822), 450. Thay war becumin oure the said montanis.

1535.  Coverdale, Prov. xvii. 8. Where so euer he becometh he prospereth.

1554.  Mountain, in Strype, Eccl. Mem., III. I. xxiv. 198. Knew not where to become that night.

1625.  Bacon, Ess., xlv. (Arb.), 551. Houses so full of Glasse, that one cannot tell, where to become, to be out of the Sunne.

1737.  Whiston, Josephus’ Antiq., VIII. iii. § 2. That they might become into one through another.

  † b.  Where became it, is it become, etc. (= ‘where went it, has it gone’) are now expressed by what became of it, has become of it: see 4.

c. 1205.  Lay., 21913. Wær scullen we bicumen?

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 8998. Quar be-com al his in-sight?

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wicket, 13. Where then becommeth your ministrations?

c. 1400.  Ywaine & Gaw., 1652. No man wist whor he bycome.

1483.  Caxton, G. de la Tour, xvi. 22. He asked his wiff wher the ele was become.

1528.  More, Heresyes, IV. Wks. 1557, 274/1. Where were become al good ordre among men.

1628.  Wither, Brit. Rememb., 24. Why should the wicked … say, Where is their God become?

1636.  Ariana, 130. Where is become of this honour and this vertue?

  † 2.  transf. To come, in reference to time or state. Obs., or (with infinitive) arch.

Beowulf, 231. Syþþan niht becom.

c. 888.  K. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxix. § 11. Oft becymþ se ánweald þisse worulde to swiþe godum monnum.

a. 1230.  Juliana, 21. Ich schal bliðe bicumen to endelese blissen.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 431/1. Thenne the says Saynt … became to al maner perfeccion of lyf.

1513–75.  Diurn. Occurr. (1833), 75. The said archbischope … become in the Quenis will.

1542.  Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 112 b. Why Diogenes first became to bee a philosophier.

1618.  Bolton, Florus, IV. ii. 265. The whole World was now become to be held by three Princes.

1730.  A. Gordon, Maffei’s Amphith., 345. The Senatorian Order … became to have Seats in the Amphitheatre.

1806.  Syd. Smith, Elem. Mor. Philos. (1850), 369. It becomes to be loved on its own account.

  † b.  To come, in reference to origin. Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 9354. His moder … was be-comen al o þair kin. Ibid., 10936. Þis zachari … Becummen was o leui sede.

1606.  G. W[oodcocke], Hist. Ivstine, 137 a. A country … wherof became the Ryuer so called.

  † 3.  To come about, come to pass, happen; to fall to one’s lot, befall. a. with dative or to. Obs.

c. 888.  K. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxix. 69. Swa hit hwilum gewyrþ þat þæm godum becymþ anfeald yfel.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 2227. Wel michel sorȝe is me bicumen.

1556.  Lauder, Tractate (1864), 1. And quhat sall becum to Kyngis that contynewis in Iniquitie.

1655.  J. Jennings, Elise, 147. What became this woman, when she heard this news?

  † b.  without construction; often impersonally.

c. 1210.  Leg. Kath., 1563. Bicom [to] þat te king maxence moste fearen.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 1577. Quad esau, grot sal bi-cumen.

1483.  Caxton, G. de la Tour, F ij. It becam ones that the good man made semblaunt to goo oute.

1530.  Palsgr., 445/2. It becometh, it happeneth, it chaunseth.

  4.  Become of (after ‘what’) was used formerly in sense of ‘come out of, result from,’ but has also taken the place of ‘where is it become,’ etc., in 1 b, in reference to the later locality, position, or fate of a person or thing.

1535.  Coverdale, Ex. xxxii. 1. We can not tell what is become [1382 Wyclif, what is befallyn; 1388 what befelde] of this man Moses.

1601.  Shaks., Twel. N., II. ii. 37. What will become of this?… My state is desperate.

1611.  Bible, Gen. xxxvii. 20. We shall see what will become of his dreames.

1663.  Butler, Hud., I. iii. 263. Nor do I know what is become of him more than the Pope.

1707.  Freind, Peterborow’s Cond. Sp., 211. It is no Matter what becomes of the Town; leave it to your Mistresses.

1790.  Paley, Horæ Paul., Rom. ii. 18. [St. Paul] is telling what was become of his companions.

1862.  H. Spencer, First Princ., II. v. § 56 (1875), 183. What becomes of this element at either extreme of the oscillation?

  II.  To come to be. (Closely related to sense 2.)

  5.  To come to be (something or in some state).

  † a.  with to, into. Obs.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 215. To lure hit bi-kumeð of hwuche half so hit falleð.

a. 1250.  Prov. Alfred, 383, in O. E. Misc., 126. Werldes welþe schulle bi-cumen to nouhte.

c. 1305.  St. Kenelm, 129, in E. E. P. (1862), 51. To a litel foȝel he bicom.

1483.  Caxton, G. de la Tour, A i. The … myrthe was soone falle doune and … become in to grete trystesse.

1657.  Howell, Londinop., 51. The rest of the ground is become into smal tenements.

1683.  Evelyn, Hist. Relig. (1850), II. 28. The Church of God, being now become, from a private family … to a great and numerous nation.

  b.  with subst. or adj. complement.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 47. Þa bicom his licome swiðe feble.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 21. And þus bicam ure lafdi mid childe.

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 881. He cast al his colour and bicom pale.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. lxii. (1495), 178. Goddis sone bycame man and dwellyd among vs.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 135/4. So wyse a man is such a fole becomen.

1549.  Compl. Scot., 2. The vniuersal pepil ar be cum distitute of iustice.

1611.  Bible, Gen. xix. 26. His wife looked backe … she became a pillar of salt.

1625.  Bacon, Ess. (Arb.), 479. Their Boughs were becommen too great.

1717.  Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., II. xlvi. 30. The asmack, or Turkish veil, is become … agreeable to me.

1774.  Chesterf., Lett., I. 11. Unfortunately for her, she became in love with him.

1810.  Henry, Elem. Chem. (1840), II. 699. When … more largely diluted with water, it becomes hot.

1848.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 4. When first they became known to the Tyrian mariners.

1876.  Green, Short Hist., vi. § 4. 298. Florence … became the home of an intellectual Revival.

  6.  To come into being or existence.

1598.  Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. i. (1641), 1/2. In the instant when Time first became.

1876.  Hamerton, Intell. Life, II. ii. 56. The powers given us by Nature are little more than a power to become.

  III.  To agree or accord with; suit, befit, grace.

  7.  trans. To accord with, agree with, be suitable to; to befit (object orig. dative).

a. 1230.  Juliana, 7. He wes freo boren, and hem walde bicumen a freo boren burde.

1564.  Bauldwin, Mor. Philos. (Palfr.), i. 51. They should doe such things as becommed their shape.

1596.  Shaks., Merch. V., V. 57. Soft stilnes and the night Become the tutches of sweet harmonie.

1611.  Bible, Heb. vii. 26. Such an high Priest became vs. Ibid., Prov. xvii. 7. Excellent speech becommeth not a foole.

1723.  De Foe, Col. Jack (1840), 171. A book would become his hands better than a hoe.

a. 1778.  Anecd. W. Pitt (1792), III. 29. A tone of modesty … would become them better.

1810.  Wordsw., Sonn. Liberty, II. xxv. A garland … Becomes not one whose father is a slave.

1844.  Disraeli, Coningsby, II. ii. 62. He had that public spirit which became his station.

  8.  impers. (now usually with it).

  † a.  (absol., with to, for, or clause.) To be congruous, appropriate, fitting. Obs., replaced by ‘it is becoming.’

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 45. Nu bi-comeð hit … to uwilchen cristene monne … to haliȝen þenne dei.

1297.  R. Glouc., 36. Doþ hem alle wel an horse, as a kyng bi comeþ to.

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. IV. 266. Hyt by-cometh for a kyng … To ȝeve men mede.

1535.  Coverdale, 2 Macc. xii. 14. Speakynge soch wordes as it becommeth not.

1589.  Puttenham, Eng. Poesie (Arb.), 25. It became that the high mysteries of the gods should be reuealed and taught.

1591.  Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., V. iii. 17. Set this Diamond safe … as it becomes.

  b.  with object. (orig. dative) To befit; to be proper to or for.

a. 1230.  Juliana, 55. Wel bisemeð þe to beon and bikimeð [v.r. bicumeð] to beo streon of a swuch strunde.

c. 1300.  Beket, 1179. Uvele Bicom him to gon afote.

1480.  Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccxliv. 295. To play with tenys balles become hym better.

1541.  Barnes, Wks. (1573), 192. It had becommed them a great deale better, to haue punished their seruant.

1577.  Holinshed, Chron., III. 1140/1. We haue begun, as becommed vs.

1644.  Direct. Publ. Worship, 17. Gravely, as becommeth the word of God.

1661.  Marvell, Corr., xxviii. Wks. 1872–5, II. 66. There are nakednesses which it becomes us to cover.

1788.  Priestley, Lect. Hist., V. xxxvi. 276. It becomes men … to make provision for rectifying their mistakes.

1826.  Scott, in Lockhart (1839), VIII. 230. I thought it became me to make public how far I was concerned.

1869.  Freeman, Norm. Conq., III. xii. 95. He was fonder of hunting than became an Archbishop.

  9.  Hence, To look well (on or with), to set out.

  † a.  absol. To look well (i.e., in its place); to be comely or becoming Obs.

c. 1300.  Beket, 2351. Wel bicom the brighte gold, upon the rede blod.

  b.  Said, esp. of an accessory, property, attribute, quality, or action, suiting or gracing its owner or subject. At first with an adv. (well, etc.), but afterwards also without one.

c. 1314.  Guy Warw., 4. The kirtel bicom him swithe wel.

c. 1400.  A. Davy, Dreams, 11. A Coroune of gold Bicom hym wel.

1589.  Puttenham, Eng. Poesie (Arb.), 297. Nothing in the world could worse haue becomen them.

1605.  Shaks., Macb., I. iv. 7. Nothing in his Life became hin, Like the leauing it.

1642.  Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., IV. i. 240. Bluntnesse of speech hath becom’d some, and made them more acceptable.

1716.  Addison, Drummer, II. i. Her Widow’s weeds became her.

1824.  Coleridge, Aids Refl., 53. So anxious to have their dress become them.

  c.  Of a person: To grace or adorn his surroundings, place, or position, to occupy or wear with fitting grace.

1596.  Shaks., Tam. Shr., II. 260. Did euer Dian so become a Groue As Kate this chamber? Ibid. (1610), Temp., III. ii. 112. She will become thy bed.

a. 1674.  Clarendon, Hist. Reb., II. VI. 162. Which place he became well.

1713.  Steele, Guardian, No. 21, ¶ 7. A graceful man … who became the dignity of his function.

  d.  Hence, To look well in (a dress, etc.).

1660.  Marvell, Corr., iii. Wks. 1872–5, II. 19. The youth of your own town … become their arms much better than any soldiers.

1750.  Johnson, Rambl., No. 75, ¶ 9. The splendour which I became so well.

1874.  Helps, Soc. Press., i. 23. She with her dark hair did most become that yellow gown.