Pronunciation

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Verb

come about (third-person singular simple present comes about, present participle coming about, simple past came about, past participle come about)Category:English lemmas#COMEABOUTCategory:English verbs#COMEABOUTCategory:English phrasal verbs#COMEABOUTCategory:English phrasal verbs formed with %22about%22#COMEABOUTCategory:English multiword terms#COMEABOUTCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#COMEABOUTCategory:Pages with entries#COME%20ABOUTCategory:Pages with 1 entry#COME%20ABOUT

1. (intransitiveCategory:English intransitive verbs#COMEABOUT) To come to pass; to develop; to occur; to take place; to happen; to exist.

   We have to ask, how did this come about?Category:English terms with usage examples#COMEABOUT

   • 1960 December, “The Hastings Line diesel-electric multiple units”, in Trains Illustrated, page 732:

     In a review of operating experience with the Southern Region diesel-electric multiple-units on the Hastings line, read to the Institution of Locomotive Engineers in October, Mr. W. J. A. Sykes, Mechanical & Electrical Engineer of the S.R., revealed how the somehat unprepossessing appearance of these train sets came about.

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2. (intransitiveCategory:English intransitive verbs#COMEABOUT, nauticalCategory:en:Nautical#COMEABOUT) To tack; to change tack; to maneuver the bow of a sailing vessel across the wind so that the wind changes from one side of the vessel to the other; to position a boat with respect to the wind after tacking. See also come to.
3. (intransitiveCategory:English intransitive verbs#COMEABOUT) To change; to come round.
   • c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene vi]:

     The wind is come about.

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   • 1611, Ben[jamin] Jonson, Catiline His Conspiracy, London: […] [William Stansby?] for Walter Burre, →OCLC, (please specify the page):

     On better thoughts, and my urg'd reasons, / They are come about, and won to the true side.

     Category:English terms with quotations#COMEABOUT