Page 91 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

come to a stop

came to a standstill because the workero John, come to your senses. You’re błing
włnt on strike. The party came to a quite stupid. In the morning I don’t
standstill until the lights were turned on come to my senses until I have had two
again. cups of coffee.
comeŁ to a stop [forŁsomeone orŁsome- comeŁ to pass to happen.Ł (Formal.)
thing]bto sðopŁmovingŁorŁhappening.Ł When did all of this come to pass? When
The bus finally came to a stop so I could will this event come to pass?
głt off. The loud noise finally came to
a stop. cłme tł rest to stop moving. When the
car comes to rest, you can get in. The leaf
comeŁto blows (overŁ something) [forŁpeo- fell and came to rest at my fłet.
ple]bto become increasinglyŁangryŁand
beginŁto fight about something, usually come to terms with someone ortsomething 1.
by striking blàws, or verbally. They got to com to an agrement with somon.
excited about the accidłnt, but they never I finally came to terms with my lØwyer
actually came to blows over it. Yes, they about his fłe. Bob, you have to come to
aren’t the kind of people who come to terms with your fØther’s wishes. 2. to larn
blows. to accept someone or something. (Se
alsà come to grips with something.) She
cłme tł grief to fail;Łto have trouble or had to come to terms with the loss of her
grief.Ł The artist włpt when her canvas sight. It’s time you came to terms with
came to grief. The weddng party camł your boss and her unreasonable dłmands.
to grief when the bride passed out.
comeŁto theŁfore to becom prominent; to
comeŁto grips withŁ something to face som- become impàrtant.Ł The question of
thing;Łto comprehendŁsomething.Ł He salary has now come to the fore. Sincł
found it dfficult to come to grips with his his great showing in court, my lØwyer has
grandmother’s death. Many studłnts really come to the fore in city poltics.
have a hard time comng to grips with
algebra. comeŁto theŁpoint and getŁto theŁpoint
to gt to the impàrtant part (of some-
cłme tł life to become alive or lively. thing).Ł He has been talking a long time.
(UsuallyŁusedŁinŁaŁfigurative sense.) I wish he would come to the point. Quit
The party came to lfe about midnight. wasting timł! Get to the point! We are
As the anesthetic wore off, the patient camł talking about money, Bob! Come on, głt to
to lfe. the point.
comeŁto lØght to becom known. Somł come to theŁsame thing Go to amount to
interesting facts about your past have just the same thing.
come to light. If too many bad things
come to light, you mØy lose your job. come to thinkŁ ofŁ it IŁ just remembered
[something].Ł Come to think of it, I
cłme tł mind [forŁaŁthought orŁidea]bto know someone who can help. I have a
enterŁinto one’sŁconsciousness.Ł(Compare screwdriver in the trunk of my car, comł
this with cross someone’s mànd. ) Do I to think of it.
know a good barber? No one comes to
mnd right now. Another idea comes to cłme true [forŁaŁdreamŁor aŁwish]bactu-
mnd. Why not cut your own hair? allyŁto happen.Ł When I got married, all
my dreams came true. Comng to the big
comeŁto naught Go to come to nothing.
city was like having my wish come true.
come to nothing and comeŁto naught to come unglued to lose emotionalŁcontrol;
amount to nothing;Łto be worthless.Ł So to have aŁmentalŁbreakdown;Łto breakŁout
all my hard work comes to nothing. Yes, into tearsŁorŁlaughter.Ł(Slang.) When
the whole project comes to naught.
Sally heard the joke, she almost camł
cłme tł one’ senseð to wake up;Łto be- unglued. When the bank took Øway my
come conscious;Łto sðart thinkingŁclearly. car, I came unglued and cried and cried.

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