Come About 's definition, meaning and history

Meaning of “come about”

The most common meaning of “come about” is simply “to happen”. We use it to refer to events, situations, or developments that occur, especially ones that are not necessarily planned.

Examples of “come about”

Business & Work

• The merger came about through careful negotiations
• The new policy came about after extensive research
• The partnership came about naturally
• The business opportunity came about unexpectedly
• Changes in management came about gradually
• The project deadline came about too quickly
• The solution came about through collaboration
• The job opening came about suddenly
• Success came about through persistence
• The contract came about after lengthy discussions

Technology & Innovation

• The invention came about by accident
• The breakthrough came about through experimentation
• The software update came about from user feedback
• The new feature came about due to demand
• Digital transformation came about rapidly
• The technical solution came about organically
• Innovation came about through necessity
• The platform upgrade came about naturally
• System improvements came about incrementally
• The design change came about through testing

Social & Cultural

• The tradition came about centuries ago
• Cultural shifts came about gradually
• The movement came about spontaneously
• Social change came about through activism
• New trends came about through social media
• The celebration came about organically
• Community initiatives came about locally
• The custom came about over time
• Fashion trends came about cyclically
• Popular phrases came about unexpectedly

Education & Learning

• The discovery came about through research
• The understanding came about slowly
• New methods came about through practice
• The breakthrough came about in stages
• Learning opportunities came about naturally
• The insight came about suddenly
• Educational reforms came about gradually
• The methodology came about through testing
• New approaches came about organically
• The curriculum change came about carefully

Personal Development

• The decision came about after reflection
• Personal growth came about through challenges
• The change came about naturally
• The realization came about suddenly
• New habits came about through practice
• The transformation came about gradually
• Self-awareness came about through experience
• The improvement came about steadily
• Personal goals came about organically
• The breakthrough came about unexpectedly

Events & Circumstances

• The meeting came about by chance
• The opportunity came about unexpectedly
• The situation came about gradually
• The event came about through planning
• The circumstance came about naturally
• The occasion came about spontaneously
• The gathering came about informally
• The celebration came about traditionally
• The arrangement came about mutually
• The occurrence came about accidentally

History of “come about”

The phrase “come about” has a fairly long history, but the exact origin is a bit murky.

Here’s what we know:

• The core of the expression comes from the verb “come.” This word has roots in Old English (“cuman”) and goes even further back to Proto-Germanic languages.
• “About” adds the notion of manner or direction. The word “about” itself also has Old English origins (“abutan”) and meant “around” or “on all sides.”
• While the individual words are old, the specific pairing of “come about” to mean “to happen” seems to have solidified sometime in the 16th century. We can find examples of this usage in writings from that era.

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