COME ON

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does come on mean? 

• COME ON (verb)
  The verb COME ON has 5 senses:

1. appear or become visible; make a showing

2. move towards

3. develop in a positive way

4. start running, functioning, or operating

5. occur or become available

  Familiarity information: COME ON used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• COME ON (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Appear or become visible; make a showing

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

come on; come out; show up; surface; turn up

Context example:

I hope the list key is going to surface again

Hypernyms (to "come on" is one way to...):

appear (come into sight or view)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 2

Meaning:

Move towards

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

approach; come near; come on; draw close; draw near; go up; near

Context example:

The enemy army came nearer and nearer

Hypernyms (to "come on" is one way to...):

come; come up (move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody)

"Come on" entails doing...:

advance; go on; march on; move on; pass on; progress (move forward, also in the metaphorical sense)

Verb group:

approach; come near (come near in time)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "come on"):

drive up (approach while driving)

bear down on; bear down upon (sail towards another vessel, of a ship)

edge in; edge up (push one's way into (a space))

close (draw near)

crowd; push (approach a certain age or speed)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Develop in a positive way

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

advance; come along; come on; get along; get on; progress; shape up

Context example:

Plans are shaping up

Hypernyms (to "come on" is one way to...):

develop (grow, progress, unfold, or evolve through a process of evolution, natural growth, differentiation, or a conducive environment)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "come on"):

climb (improve one's social status)

leapfrog (progress by large jumps instead of small increments)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sense 4

Meaning:

Start running, functioning, or operating

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

come on; come up; go on

Context example:

the computer came up

Hypernyms (to "come on" is one way to...):

get going; go; start (begin or set in motion)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 5

Meaning:

Occur or become available

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

water or electricity came on again after the earthquake

Hypernyms (to "come on" is one way to...):

begin; commence; get; get down; set about; set out; start; start out (take the first step or steps in carrying out an action)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

 Context examples 

I have sent a telegram to Jonathan to come on here when he arrives in London from Whitby.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

When he was short of sixteen he licked the Cock of the South Downs, and he’s come on a long way since then.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

If you are hoping for good career news, it may come on Friday, December 20, or Monday, December 23, as a result of Mars’ conversation with powerhouse Pluto.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Symptoms of the flu come on suddenly and are worse than those of the common cold.

(Flu, NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Being so near here, Mr. Micawber was of opinion that it would be rash not to come on, and see the Cathedral.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Attacks of dizziness may come on suddenly or after a short period of tinnitus or muffled hearing.

(Meniere's Disease, NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)

The muddy fall weather having come on, Martin had pledged his wheel some time since and retained his black suit.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

In the second dog-watch the sailors come on deck, stripped, and heave buckets of water upon one another from overside.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

He sent in his card with a message that he had come on important business, and a moment later we were face to face with the man whom we had come to see.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

We had come on a small black ribbon of pathway.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)