become English · revision 2316

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725, Beowulf (Old English becuman)|origins=gem-pro *bikweman}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /bɪˈkʌm/, /bəˈkʌm/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|bicomen]], [[inh|ang|becuman|t=to come about, happen; to arrive]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) from [[gem-pro|*bikweman]],^(Etymonline) a Germanic compound of the sources of [[be-]] and [[come]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) The same compound gave [[nl|bekomen]] and [[de|bekommen]], both meaning “to obtain, receive”.^(SOED 2002)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To happen, come about; to come to a place, arrive: Old English ''becuman'', about 725, in ''Beowulf''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Become'' drove out the Old English verb [[m|ang|weorðan|t=to befall, become]].^(Etymonline) The old sense “to come, arrive” lasted until 1625 and “to happen, befall” until 1655,^(HTOED) and it survives only in ''what has become of it?'', where it replaced ''where is it gone?''.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The meaning “to pass from one state into another” is from the 12th century.^(Etymonline) From the early 13th century it meant “to be fitting or proper”,^(Etymonline)^(HTOED) which led to “to suit, look well on”, dated to the early 14th century by Etymonline^(Etymonline) and to 1660 by the HTOED.^(HTOED) ''Becoming'' “suitable, attractive” is from about 1475.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – Old English ''becuman'', to happen (''Beowulf'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 12th century – to come to be.^(Etymonline)

+ * early 13th century – to be fitting.^(Etymonline)^(HTOED)

+ * early 14th century – to suit, look well on.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1475 – ''becoming''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1625 – last use for “to arrive”.^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To grow or come to be: ''become rich''.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To be appropriate or [[suitable]] to.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To look good on or with; to [[suit]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(with of)'' To happen to: ''what became of him?''^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[misbecome]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[come]]

+ * [[becoming]]

+ * [[befall]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}