come across — to find or meet someone or something by chance
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to find or meet someone or something by chance
Pronunciation (IPA): /kʌm əˈkrɔːs/
Example Sentences
- While cleaning the attic, I came across my diary from high school and cringed at every page.
- He tried to come across as a sophisticated wine expert, but he pronounced 'Pinot Grigio' as 'Piano Gringo'.
- During my research, I came across several studies that contradicted our initial hypothesis.
come across
VERB[/kʌm əˈkrɔːs/]
to find or meet someone or something by chance
to find or meet someone or something by chance
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This phrasal verb developed from the combination of Old English 'cuman' (to come) and Middle English 'acros' (across). Originally describing the action of encountering someone or something while traveling a path, it evolved to mean meeting by chance or discovering unexpectedly.
Breakdown
come (Old English cuman, to move toward) + across (Middle English acros, from on + cross, meaning traversing or going through).
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“While cleaning the attic, I came across my diary from high school and cringed at every page.”
“He tried to come across as a sophisticated wine expert, but he pronounced 'Pinot Grigio' as 'Piano Gringo'.”
“During my research, I came across several studies that contradicted our initial hypothesis.”
“She always comes across as mysterious because she only speaks in movie quotes.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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