释义 |
become, v.|bɪˈkʌm| Pa. tense became; Pa. pple. become. Forms as in come: also in 16–17th c. pa. tense 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.
c885K. ælfred Oros. iv. viii. §3 Hannibal to þam lande becom. c1175Lamb. Hom. 129 Hwer bicomen heo þa? c1250Gen. & Ex. 1744 To ðe munt galaad he bi-cam. c1340Cursor M. 13748. 1475 Caxton Jason 92 b, Where may I become for to haue good conceyll. 1533Bellenden Livy v. (1822) 450 Thay war becumin oure the said montanis. 1535Coverdale Prov. xvii. 8 Where so euer he becometh he prospereth. 1554Mountain in Strype Eccl. Mem. III. i. xxiv. 198 Knew not where to become that night. 1625Bacon Ess. xlv. (Arb.) 551 Houses so full of Glasse, that one cannot tell, where to become, to be out of the Sunne. 1737Whiston 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.
1205Lay. 21913 Wær scullen we bicumen? a1300Cursor M. 8998 Quar be-com al his in-sight? c1380Wyclif Wicket 13 Where then becommeth your ministrations? c1400Ywaine & Gaw. 1652 No man wist whor he bycome. 1483Caxton G. de la Tour xvi. 22 He asked his wiff wher the ele was become. 1528More Heresyes iv. Wks. 1557, 274/1 Where were become al good ordre among men. 1628Wither Brit. Rememb. 24 Why should the wicked..say, Where is their God become? 1636Ariana 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. c888K. ælfred Boeth. xxxix. §11 Oft becymþ se ánweald þisse worulde to swiþe godum monnum. a1230Juliana 21 Ich schal bliðe bicumen to endelese blissen. 1483Caxton Gold. Leg. 431/1 Thenne the sayd Saynt..became to al maner perfeccion of lyf. 1513–75Diurn. Occur. (1833) 75 The said arch-bischope..become in the Quenis will. 1542Udall Erasm. Apoph. 112 b, Why Diogenes first became to bee a philosophier. 1618Bolton Florus iv. ii. 265 The whole World was now become to be held by three Princes. 1730A. Gordon Maffei's Amphith. 345 The Senatorian Order..became to have Seats in the Amphitheatre. 1806Syd. Smith Elem. Mor. Philos. (1850) 369 It becomes to be loved on its own account. †b. To come, in reference to origin. Obs.
a1300Cursor M. 9354 His moder..was be-comen al o þair kin. Ibid. 10936 Þis zachari..Becummen was o leui sede. 1606G. W[oodcocke] Hist. Justine 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 dat. or to. Obs.
c888K. ælfred Boeth. xxxix §9 Swa hit hwilum gewyrþ þæt þæm godum becymþ anfeald yfel. c1250Gen. & Ex. 2227 Wel michel sorȝe is me bicumen. 1556Lauder Tractate (1864) 1 And quhat sall becum to Kyngis that contynewis in Iniquitie. 1655Jennings Elise 147 What became this woman, when she heard this news? †b. without construction; often impersonally.
c1210Leg. Kath. 1563 Bicom [to] þat te king maxence moste fearen. c1250Gen. & Ex. 1577 Quad esau, grot sal bi-cumen. 1483Caxton G. de la Tour F ij, It becam ones that the good man made semblaunt to goo oute. 1530Palsgr. 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.
1535Coverdale Ex. xxxii. 1 We can not tell what is become [1382 Wyclif, what is befallyn; 1388 what befelde] of this man Moses. 1601Shakes. Twel. N. ii. ii. 37 What will become of this?.. My state is desperate. 1611Bible Gen. xxxvii. 20 We shall see what will become of his dreames. 1663Butler Hud. i. iii. 263 Nor do I know what is become Of him more than the Pope. 1707Freind Peterboro's Cond. Sp. 211 It is no Matter what becomes of the Town. 1790Paley Horæ Paul., Rom. ii. 18 [St. Paul] is telling what was become of his companions. 1862H. 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.
c1175Lamb. Hom. 215 To lure hit bi-kumeð of hwuche half so hit falleð. a1250Prov. Alfred 383 in O.E. Misc. 126 Werldes welþe schulle bi-cumen to nouhte. c1305St. Kenelm 129 in E.E.P. (1862) 51 To a litel foȝel he bicom. 1483Caxton G. de la Tour A i, The..myrthe was soone falle doune and..become in to grete trystesse. 1657Howell Londinop. 51 The rest of the ground is become into smal tenements. 1683Evelyn 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.
c1175Lamb. Hom. 47 Þa bicom his licome swiðe feble. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 21 And þus bicam ure lafdi mid childe. c1350Will. Palerne 881 He cast al his colour and bicom pale. 1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. lxii. (1495) 178 Goddis sone bycame man and dwellyd among vs. 1483Caxton Gold. Leg. 135/4 So wyse a man is such a fole becomen. 1549Compl. Scot. 2 The vniuersal pepil ar be cum distitute of iustice. 1611Bible Gen. xix. 26 His wife looked backe..she became a pillar of salt. 1625Bacon Ess. (Arb.) 479 Their Boughs were becommen too great. 1717Lady M. W. Montague Lett. II. xlvi. 30 The asmack, or Turkish veil, is become..agreeable to me. 1774Chesterfield Lett. I. 11 Unfortunately for her, she became in love with him. 1810Henry Elem. Chem. (1840) II. 699 When..more largely diluted with water, it becomes hot. 1848Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 4 When first they became known to the Tyrian mariners. 1876Green Short Hist. vi. §4. 298 Florence..became the home of an intellectual Revival. 6. To come into being or existence.
1598Sylvester Du Bartas i. i. (1641) 1/2 In the instant when Time first became. 1876Hamerton 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. dat.).
a1230Juliana 7 He wes freo boren, and hem walde bicumen a freo boren burde. 1564Bauldwin Mor. Philos. (Palfr.) i. 51 They should doe such things as becommed their shape. 1596Shakes. Merch. V. v. 57 Soft stilnes and the night Become the tutches of sweet harmonie. 1611Bible Heb. vii. 26 Such an high Priest became vs. ― Prov. xvii. 7 Excellent speech becommeth not a foole. 1723De Foe Col. Jack (1840) 171 A book would become his hands better than a hoe. a1778Anecd. W. Pitt (1792) III. 29 A tone of modesty..would become them better. 1810Wordsw. Sonn. Liberty ii. xxv, A garland..Becomes not one whose father is a slave. 1844Disraeli 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.’
c1175Lamb. Hom. 45 Nu bi-comeð hit..to uwilchen cristene monne..to haliȝen þenne dei. 1297R. Glouc. 36 Doþ hem alle wel an horse, as a kyng bi comeþ to. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. iv. 266 Hyt by-cometh for a kyng..To ȝeve men mede. 1535Coverdale 2 Macc. xii. 14 Speakynge soch wordes as it becommeth not. 1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie (Arb.) 25 It became that the high mysteries of the gods should be reuealed and taught. 1591Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, v. iii. 17 Set this Diamond safe..as it becomes. b. with obj. (orig. dat.). To befit; to be proper to or for.
a1230Juliana 55 Wel bisemeð þe to beon and bikimeð [v.r. bicumeð] to beo streon of a swuch strunde. c1300Beket 1179 Uvele Bicom him to gon afote. 1480Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxliv. 295 To play with tenys balles become hym better. 1541Barnes Wks. (1573) 192 It had becommed them a great deale better, to haue punished their seruant. 1577Holinshed Chron. III. 1140/1 We haue begun, as becommed vs. 1644Direct. Publ. Worship 17 Gravely, as becommeth the word of God. 1661Marvell Corr. xxviii. Wks. 1872–5 II. 66 There are nakednesses which it becomes us to cover. 1788Priestley Lect. Hist. v. xxxvi. 276 It becomes men..to make provision for rectifying their mistakes. 1826Scott in Lockhart (1839) VIII. 230, I thought it became me to make public how far I was concerned. 1869Freeman 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.
c1300Beket 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.
c1314Guy Warw. 4 The kirtel bicom him swithe wel. c1400A. Davy Dreams 11 A Coroune of gold Bicom hym wel. 1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie (Arb.) 297 Nothing in the world could worse haue becomen them. 1605Shakes. Macb. i. iv. 7 Nothing in his Life became him, Like the leauing it. 1642Fuller Holy & Prof. St. iv. i. 240 Bluntnesse of speech hath becom'd some, and made them more acceptable. 1716Addison Drummer ii. i, Her Widow's weeds became her. 1824Coleridge 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.
1596Shakes. Tam. Shr. ii. 260 Did euer Dian so become a Groue As Kate this chamber? 1610― Temp. iii. ii. 112 She will become thy bed. a1674Clarendon Hist. Reb. II. vi. 162 Which place he became well. 1713Steele Guardian No. 21 ⁋7 A graceful man..who became the dignity of his function. d. Hence, To look well in (a dress, etc.).
1660Marvell Corr. iii. Wks. 1872–5 II. 19 The youth of your own town..become their arms much better than any soldiers. 1750Johnson Rambl. No. 75 ⁋9 The splendour which I became so well. 1874Helps Soc. Press. i. 23 She with her dark hair did most become that yellow gown. |