{
    "term": "become",
    "partOfSpeech": "verblinking verb",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "a1",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "become",
            "heSheIt": "becomes"
        },
        "pastSimple": "became",
        "pastParticiple": "become",
        "ingForm": "becoming"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to start to be something",
            "sensetop": "+ adj.+ noun",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "It **soon became** apparent that no one was going to come.",
                    "contextForm": "+ adj."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It is **becoming** increasingly **clear** that something has gone seriously wrong."
                },
                {
                    "text": "When did you first become aware of the problem?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was becoming more and more difficult to live on his salary."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She was becoming confused."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He became king in 2022.",
                    "contextForm": "+ noun"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The bill will become law next year."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Over the last five years she has **become part** of the family."
                },
                {
                    "text": "How can I **become a member** of the society?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She’s studying to become a teacher."
                },
                {
                    "text": "His job has become his whole life."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to be suitable for somebody",
            "sensetop": "become somebody",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Such behaviour did not become her."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to look attractive on somebody",
            "sensetop": "become somebody",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Short hair really becomes you."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "used to ask what has happened or what will happen to somebody/something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "What became of that student who used to live with you?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I dread to think what will become of them if they lose their home."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈkʌm/",
                "audio": "be/become/become__gb_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈkʌmz/",
                "audio": "be/become/becomes__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈkeɪm/",
                "audio": "be/become/became__gb_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈkʌmɪŋ/",
                "audio": "be/become/becoming__gb_3.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈkʌm/",
                "audio": "be/become/become__us_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈkʌmz/",
                "audio": "be/become/becomes__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈkeɪm/",
                "audio": "be/become/became__us_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈkʌmɪŋ/",
                "audio": "be/become/becoming__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Old English becuman ‘come to a place, come (to be or do something)’ (see be-, come), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bekomen and German bekommen ‘get, receive’."
}