becoming

adjective

1. that suits or gives a pleasing effect or attractive appearance, as to a person or thing: a becoming dress; a becoming hairdo.
2. suitable; appropriate; proper: a becoming sentiment.

noun

3. any process of change.
4. Aristotelianism. any change involving realization of potentialities, as a movement from the lower level of potentiality to the higher level of actuality.

verb (used without object), be·came, be·come, be·com·ing.

1. to come, change, or grow to be (as specified): He became tired.
2. to come into being.

verb (used with object), be·came, be·come, be·com·ing.

3. to be attractive on; befit in appearance; look well on: That gown becomes you.
4. to be suitable or necessary to the dignity, situation, or responsibility of: conduct that becomes an officer.

Idioms

5. become of, to happen to; be the fate of: What will become of him?

adjective

1. suitable; appropriate

noun

2. any process of change
3. (in the philosophy of Aristotle) any change from the lower level of potentiality to the higher level of actuality

verb -comes, -coming, -came or -come (mainly intr)

1. (copula) to come to be; develop or grow intohe became a monster
2. (foll by of; usually used in a question) to fall to or be the lot (of); happen (to)what became of him?
3. (tr) (of clothes, etc) to enhance the appearance of (someone); suitthat dress becomes you
4. (tr) to be appropriate; befitit ill becomes you to complain

adj.

“looking well,” 1560s, from earlier sense of “fitting” (early 13c.), from present participle of become. Related: Becomingly; becomingness.

v.

Old English becuman “happen, come about,” also “meet with, arrive,” from Proto-Germanic *bikweman “become” (cf. Dutch bekomen, Old High German biqueman “obtain,” German bekommen, Gothic biquiman). A compound of be- and come; it drove out Old English weorðan. Meaning “to look well” is early 14c., from earlier sense of “to agree with, be fitting” (early 13c.).

In addition to the idiom beginning with become

• become of

, also see idioms beginning with

• get