come by: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal, conversational. Both meanings are common in spoken English.
Quick answer
What does “come by” mean?
To acquire or obtain something, often with a sense of chance or difficulty.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To acquire or obtain something, often with a sense of chance or difficulty.
To visit a place or person casually or briefly.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Both meanings are used in both varieties.
Connotations
In the 'obtain' sense, there is often an implication that the acquisition was not easy. In the 'visit' sense, it implies an informal, unplanned, or brief visit.
Frequency
The 'obtain' sense may be slightly more common in American English in contexts like 'How did you come by that information?' The 'visit' sense is equally common.
Grammar
How to Use “come by” in a Sentence
come by [OBJECT (thing)]come by [PLACE]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “come by” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Good friends are hard to come by.
- Do come by for a cuppa sometime.
- He came by his fortune through hard work.
American English
- Tickets for the show are tough to come by.
- Why don't you come by after the game?
- She came by her skills honestly.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
'We need to come by the necessary funding for the project.'
Academic
'Such primary sources are difficult to come by.'
Everyday
'I'll come by your place after work.'
Technical
Rare in highly technical contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “come by”
- Using 'come by' to mean 'pass by' without the intent of obtaining or visiting.
- Incorrect: 'I saw him come by the shop.' (Ambiguous). Correct: 'I saw him come by the shop to say hello.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Come by' often implies the process of acquisition was not straightforward or was fortuitous, whereas 'get' is more general and neutral.
The 'obtain' sense can be used in formal writing (e.g., 'data that is hard to come by'). The 'visit' sense is predominantly informal.
No, it is an inseparable phrasal verb. You cannot say 'come it by'.
Context is key. If the object is a thing (information, money, a job), it means 'obtain'. If the object is a place or person (the house, me, the office), it means 'visit'.
To acquire or obtain something, often with a sense of chance or difficulty.
Come by: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkʌm baɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkʌm ˌbaɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “hard to come by”
- “come by it honestly”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a rare book COMING BY post to you (acquiring it). Or picture a friend COMING BY your house on their way somewhere (visiting).
Conceptual Metaphor
POSSESSION IS PHYSICAL PROXIMITY (to 'come by' something is to have it arrive near you).
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'I'll come by around eight,' what does 'come by' mean?