come by
1. To possess, obtain, or acquire (something). Steady work is hard to come by in this economy. I know you think I came by my success easily, but I put in a lot of hard work to get where I am today. I found academic success hard to come by when I was younger because I had such a hard time focusing.
2. To visit a place. Jenny came by the house earlier, looking for you. I'm so happy that you're living in our neighborhood now—come by whenever you want! Hey, Matt's gonna come by later to pick up these documents. Can you give them to him if I'm away from my desk?
3. To travel by a particular mode of transportation. Oh, I came by train because I hate driving into the city. A: "You guys came by car? Where did you park?" B: "Oh, the valet took care of all that." Now that the bridge is washed out, anybody bringing supplies to the island will have to come by boat.
4. To enter or pass through a particular area or place. I felt my mood lift once some sunshine came by and replaced the clouds. It was stiflingly hot all day, but, at night, a nice breeze finally started to come by. Pack your umbrella because a rain shower is supposed to come by this afternoon.
come by (something) honestly
1. To obtain something without deception or other nefarious behavior. Are you sure he came by that expensive handbag honestly? I can assure you, my days as a schemer are long behind me. I've come by the money I have now honestly. I'll have you know I came by this pearl necklace honestly! It used to be my grandmother's.
2. To inherit something, usually a trait from one's parent. She came by her compassion honestly, as her mother was the exact same way. Janet's father was one of the funniest guys I'd ever met, so I know she came by her sense of humor honestly. Well, I can see that Blake didn't come by his mother's passion for organization honestly. His place is a mess!
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
come by (some place)
to stop some place for a visit. Can you come by our place for a few minutes on the way home? Please come by sometime.
come by something
1. Lit. to travel by a specific means, such as a plane, a boat, or a car. We came by train. It's more relaxing. Next time, we'll come by plane. It's faster.
2. Fig. to find or get something. How did you come by that haircut? Where did you come by that new shirt?
come by something honestly
1. Fig. to get something honestly. (See also
come by something.)
Don't worry. I came by this Swiss watch honestly. I have a feeling she didn't come by it honestly. 2. Fig. to inherit something—such as a character trait-from one's parents. I know I'm mean. I came by it honestly, though. She came by her kindness honestly.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
come by
1. Acquire, obtain, as in A good assistant is hard to come by. This usage, dating from about 1600, superseded the earlier sense of acquiring something with considerable effort. A variant is come by honestly, meaning "to obtain in some honorable or logical way." For example, I'm sure she didn't come by that large bonus honestly or He does have an unusual gait but he came by it honestly; his father's is the same.
2. Stop in, visit, as in Please come by whenever you're in the neighborhood. [Late 1800s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
come by
v.1. To visit someone: I told them to come by for dinner some evening.
2. To pass into a region: A nice breeze came by and the campers felt cooler.
3. To gain possession of something; acquire something: We don't know how our neighbor came by all that money.
4. To find something: Really good movies are hard to come by.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.