Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Language: Old English
Origin: becuman 'to come to, become', from cuman 'to come'

become

 verb
     
be‧come S1 W1 past tense became past participle become
1 [linking verb] to begin to be something, or to develop in a particular way:
George became King at the age of 54.
Pollution from cars has become a major problem.
The weather became warmer.
Slowly my eyes became accustomed to the darkness.
Helen became increasingly anxious about her husband's strange behaviour.
2 [transitive not in progressive] formal to be suitable for someone or to look attractive on them [= suit]:
Blue really becomes her.
Don't try to be clever - it doesn't become you.
3

what became of ...?/whatever will become of ...?

used to ask what has happened to someone or something, especially when you have not seen them for a long time, or what will happen to someone that you are worried about:
What became of those Chinese vases that Mum used to have?
Whatever will become of Sam when his wife dies?
WORD CHOICE: WORD CHOICE:

become, get, go, turn, grow, comebecome can be followed by an adjective or noun, not a verb • Her husband became jealous. • We soon became friends.The following words are used with an adjective instead of become, in certain cases:get is very often used instead of become, and is more usual in spoken English • I was getting hungry. • Things got worse and worse.go is used to say that something changes colour • The sky went pink. to say that someone feels a change in their body • My fingers have gone numb. with blind and deaf • He went blind. with mad, insane, crazy etc • The crowd went wild.turn is used especially to say that something changes colour • The liquid turned green. • His face turned pale.grow can be used in fairly literary written English to say that something changes gradually • It grew dark as we walked. with a to-infinitive, to say that someone gradually starts doing something • We grew to love each other.come is used with adjectives like apart, undone, and unstuck • Your shoelace has come undone. • A few pages came loose. with true • Her prediction came true. with a to-infinitive to say that someone starts doing something • I eventually came to realize (NOT became to realize) I was wrong.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
 
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