come on

present singular third person comes on · participle present coming on · past came on

1. transitiveTo encounter, discover; to come upon.

   Turning the corner, I came on Julia sitting by the riverbank.

   1 more example

   We came on the seal's carcass only moments after the polar bears had been scared off by the approach of our boat.

   1989 May, Jeff MacInnis, “Braving the Northwest Passage”, in National Geographic, volume 175, number 5, page 599

   Synonyms: come across

2. intransitiveTo appear on a stage or in a performance.

   I think he's coming on too late after my line.

3. intransitivetransitiveTo be broadcast (through a device), or (of a broadcast) to begin playing.

   A salsa song came on the radio.

   1 more example

   I was going to turn off the TV, but my favorite show came on.

4. intransitiveTo progress, to develop; to come along.

   The new garden is coming on nicely.

   2 more examples

   But she looked a lady, Paul declared, as much as Mrs. Major Moreton, and far, far nicer. The family was coming on. Only Morel remained unchanged, or rather, lapsed slowly.

   1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, “Chapter 10”, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC

   Ooh, and it's alright and it's comin' on / We gotta get right back to where we started from / Love is good, love can be strong / We gotta get right back to where we started from

   1975, Pierre Tubbs, J. Vincent Edwards, “Right Back Where We Started From”, in Right Back Where We Started From, performed by Maxine Nightingale, track 3

5. intransitiveespecially a lightTo activate; to turn on.

   The light came on as soon as I flicked the switch.

   1 more example

   She pressed the power button and waited for the screen to come on.

6. idiomaticintransitiveTo show sexual or relational interest through words or sometimes actions.

   She started coming on to me as soon as my wife left the room.

   2 more examples

   Wait a minute. Are you like coming on to me? Is this a pass? Because, I mean, if it is, sex is like totally out of the question.

   1988, Julie Brown, Charlie Coffey, Terrence E. McNally, Earth Girls Are Easy (motion picture), spoken by Valerie (Geena Davis)

   And so you went with Neve / Oh yeah, and Neve was coming on

   1992, “Babies”, in Jarvis Cocker (lyrics), His 'n' Hers, performed by Pulp

   Synonyms: hit on, pass, proposition

7. UKcolloquialidiomaticintransitiveTo get one's period, start menstruating.

   Overall, menstrual modernity in the form of a more efficient throwaway technology was seized on and celebrated, as was the opportunity to send your man off to the shop to get it if you came on suddenly.

   2009, Jenny Diski, “Short cuts”, in London Review of Books, XXXI.20

8. hobbiesTo enter the playing field.

   Blackburn made their third and final substitution with 25 minutes remaining, with Brett Emerton coming on for Dunn as they looked for ways to stem the Newcastle tide.

   2011 February 12, Nabil Hassan, “Blackburn 0-0 Newcastle”, in BBC

   1 more example

   One of few positives from a Burnley perspective was a first appearance of the season for forward Michael Obafemi, who came on with five minutes remaining after recovering from a long-term hamstring injury

   2023 November 11, Matthew Howarth, “Arsenal 3-1 Burnley”, in BBC Sport

9. informalintransitiveby; round; over; up; down; by; round; over; up; downElaboration of come (in the sense of move towards the speaker or other focus), emphasising motion or progress, or conveying a nuance of familiarity or encouragement.

   Please come on home.

   5 more examples

   Don't just stand there on the doorstep. Come on in!

   Don't leave without coming on round to see the baby.

   You told me to come on over whenever I get the chance, and here I am!

   Come on up to my place on the third floor.

   It's coming on Christmas / They're cutting down trees / They're putting up reindeer / And singing songs of joy and peace

   1971, “River”, performed by Joni Mitchell

10. slangTo appear or seem to be a particular.

    He's coming on strong.

    1 more example

    They came a trick on me.

11. intransitiveslangtransitiveTo begin to feel the effects of a drug; to start causing effects.

    The coke came on me quickly.

12. slangtransitiveTo join a job, hobby or other practice.

    He came on at the same time as me.

13. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see come, on.

alternative c'mon · alternative carn · alternative mon

1. Come along with me; join me in going.

   I'll show you where the auditorium is. Come on!

   Synonyms: all right, c'mon, carn, come along, go on, heigh, hon, howay

2. Synonym of let's go, a cheer or expression of support, encouragement, &c.

   Come on, George! You can win!

   Synonyms: let's go

3. An expression of disbelief.

   Come on! You can't possibly expect me to believe that.

   Synonyms: come off it, shut up, c'mon, get out of here, no way, applesauce, bender, bollocks

4. An expression of frustration, exasperation, or impatience; hurry up.

   Aw, come on! Get on with it!

   1 more example

   Come on, we don't want to miss the train!

5. An expression of defiance or as a challenge; approach; come at me.

   Come on! I'm not afraid of you.

   1 more example

   BOX: […] Hark ye, sir—can you fight? COX: No, sir. BOX: No? Then come on—

   1847, John Maddison Morton, Box and Cox

   Synonyms: bring it on, bring it