All phrasal verbs
come
/kʌm/13 phrasal verbsThe plain verb means to move toward the speaker.
COME is arrival — something reaches you. Most COME verbs are intransitive, which is a useful shortcut: you rarely put an object in the middle.
The pair worth separating is come across and come up with. Come across is discovery by accident — you were not looking. Come up with is invention on purpose — you produced the idea. Both translate loosely as “find an idea”, and using the wrong one reverses who did the work.
COME ends in /m/, so it links smoothly into vowels: come over is “co-mover”, come out is “co-mout”.
Side by side
Every COME phrasal verb, with the one line that keeps it apart from its siblings. Tap any one to open it.
| Phrasal verb | Means | How to remember it |
|---|---|---|
| come acrossInseparable2 meanings | find something by chance; give a certain impression | You cross its path by accident. |
| come up withInseparable | invent or produce an idea deliberately | The idea comes UP out of you, on purpose. |
| come upNo object2 meanings | a topic or problem arises; approach someone | UP = it surfaces. |
| come backNo object2 meanings | return | BACK = to where you started. |
| come down withInseparable | start to have an illness | The illness comes DOWN onto you. |
| come overNo object2 meanings | visit someone's home; a feeling suddenly affects you | OVER = across to my place. |
| come outNo object3 meanings | be revealed or published; reveal your identity | OUT = it becomes visible. |
| come inNo object2 meanings | enter; arrive (news, results) | IN = it reaches the inside. |
| come alongNo object2 meanings | accompany someone; make progress | ALONG = travelling with. |
| come aroundNo object2 meanings | change your mind; regain consciousness; visit | AROUND = you turn to face the other way. |
| come offNo object2 meanings | detach; succeed | OFF = it separates — from the wall, or from the plan. |
| come apartNo object | fall to pieces | APART = the pieces separate. |
| come betweenInseparable | damage a relationship between two people | BETWEEN = you insert yourself in the gap. |