come upon

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Related to come upon: shy away from, look to, come through, in view of

come on

1. expression Stop it. Oh, come on, you're as smart as anyone in this program. Come on, leave me alone! Come on, man, we all know you're lying. This is just pathetic.

2. expression Please agree to this request. Come on, Mom, all of my friends will be there. Can't I go too? I know the cookies are for the bake sale, but, come on, can't I just have one? Come on, just lend me $10 and don't ask any questions.

3. verb To hurry up or move faster. To convey this meaning, the phrase is often used in the imperative. Come on, we're going to be late! Come on, let's go before we get into another fight. Come on, Mom's home! Put all that stuff back right now!

4. verb To flirt with or otherwise show romantic or sexual interest in someone. I can't believe he came on to you—he's a married man! I turned around and saw my boyfriend coming on to some hussy at the bar! I can't believe that guy came on to you all night and didn't ask for your number!

5. verb To appear on stage. And then you two come on after Greg finishes that line. When does the band come on? This guy's putting me to sleep. When does the next act come on?

6. verb To find someone or something accidentally or without looking. "Come upon" can also be used to convey this meaning. Please don't be upset, we didn't mean to exclude you! When Chad and I went out, we just came on the rest of the group, that's all! Were you snooping in my room? How else would you just come upon my love letter? I came upon him in the library after work, and we got into a great conversation about Hemingway's works.

7. verb To be seen in a particular way by other people. Molly comes on cheerful and bubbly, and that's truly her personality—you'll find that out once you get to know her better. She initially comes on as a cold old crone, but she's actually a very kind lady. If you can come on like a relatable friend in your videos, you might actually have a future on ViewTube.

8. verb To develop or advance. Once the storm comes on, be ready to contend with much stronger winds. Nightfall comes on so much earlier in the winter. How is there a traffic jam coming on already? Rush hour's barely begun!

9. verb To start a work shift. I gave that patient to Sally when she came on last night. I'm going to leave her a note to call Ed back when she comes on. I hate when I have to come on at 11:00 PM. Who ever wants to work the 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM shift anyway?

10. verb To be experienced, as of an onset of pain or discomfort. The stomach pain came on suddenly last night and was so severe that it woke me up. Whew, that dizziness just came on all of a sudden! But I'm feeling a little better now. A: "Why do you have so many empty plastic bags in your car?" B: "Because I never know when the nausea will come on. My morning sickness has not been limited to the morning!"

11. verb To turn on or begin working. When the house lights came on, we knew the band wasn't going to play another encore. Why isn't this computer coming on? Am I doing something wrong? Hey, I think I figured out why the blender won't come on—you didn't plug it in!

12. verb To be broadcast, as on a TV. When does that show come on? Grab the popcorn, the movie's coming on now! I'd like to watch that show, but it comes on too late. I'm already in bed by 10:00 PM!

13. noun A flirtatious statement or gesture. In this usage, the phrase is typically hyphenated. I told him that I have a boyfriend, but he just won't stop with the come-ons. Yikes, if you're using those corny come-ons, I can see why you're single! Look, I'm just here for a quiet drink with friends, so you can lay off the come-ons, buddy.

14. noun Something done or offered to appeal to potential customers. In this usage, the phrase is typically hyphenated. Even though we lowered prices as a come-on to customers, we're still far from meeting our sales goal. I think offering products from trendy designers would be a come-on to a younger demographic. If we don't implement something as a come-on for customers—and fast—we're gonna go out of business.

come upon (someone or something)

1. To discover or encounter someone or something unexpectedly or by chance. We came upon a charming little restaurant as we cycled through the countryside. The two boys came upon a man claiming to have magical beans for sale. Please don't be upset, we didn't mean to exclude you! When Chad and I went out, we just came upon the rest of the group, that's all!

2. To befall or affect someone or something, especially very suddenly. The deadly fever came upon the poor child so quickly that the doctor had no chance to treat her. A terrible fear came upon me as I entered the dark building. Naturally, nerves came upon me as soon as I pulled up for the interview.

come upon

To discover or meet someone or something by accident: While walking down the road, I came upon a strange old house.