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become

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become one flesh

To join together with another person in marriage. Taken from the biblical verse regarding marriage, "And the two shall become one flesh." It can also refer to sexual intercourse in general, which is meant in Judeo-Christian beliefs to be withheld until after marriage. My longtime girlfriend and I finally got engaged, and we will become one flesh this summer. Many people choose to wait until they are married to become one flesh with someone.

See also: become, flesh, one

become reconciled with (someone or something)

To forgive, accept, or make peace with someone, something, or some situation. I haven't spoken to my brother in 10 years, but I still hope to become reconciled with him some day.

See also: become, reconcile

every eel hopes to become a whale

A phrase highlighting one's ambition. Just like every eel hopes to become a whale, I dream of becoming the CEO one day.

See also: become, eel, every, hope, whale

become of someone or something

to happen or occur to someone or something. Whatever became of Joe and his friends? I don't know what became of my other plaid sock.

See also: become, of

end up (as)( something ) to become something

at the end of everything. I always knew I would end up as a doctor. If I don't get a job, I will end up a beggar.

See also: become, end, up

what will become of somebody/something

what will happen to someone or something Investigators are trying to figure out what became of a collection of rare books worth several million dollars. What would become of those kittens if we didn't find homes for them?

Usage notes: also used in the form what had become of someone/something: I always wondered what had become of Jean.

See also: become, of, will

tempers fray

  also tempers become frayed

if tempers fray among a group of people, they all become angry Tempers frayed when, after waiting for hours, we were told there were no tickets left.

See also: fray, temper

become of

Happen to, befall, be the fate of, as in I haven't seen Joe in a year; what has become of his book? The King James Bible has this idiom (Genesis 37:20): "We shall see what will become of his dreams." [Late 1500s]

See also: become, of

become of

v.

To happen to someone or something; be the fate of someone or something: Nobody really knows what became of the coach after he retired. What has become of the old garden?

See also: become, of