honestly
come by
1. To possess, obtain, or acquire (something). Steady work is hard to come by in this economy. I know you think I came by my success easily, but I put in a lot of hard work to get where I am today.
2. To visit a place. Jenny came by the house earlier, looking for you. I'm so happy that you're living in our neighborhood now—come by whenever you want!
3. To travel by a particular mode of transportation. Oh, I came by train because I hate driving into the city.
4. To enter or pass through a particular area or place. I felt my mood lift once some sunshine came by and replaced the clouds.
See also: by, come
come by (something) honestly
1. To obtain something without deception or other nefarious behavior. Are you sure he came by that expensive handbag honestly?
2. To inherit something, usually a trait from one's parent. She came by her compassion honestly, as her mother was the exact same way.
See also: by, come, honestly
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
come by (some place)
to stop some place for a visit. Can you come by our place for a few minutes on the way home? Please come by sometime.
See also: by, come
come by something
1. Lit. to travel by a specific means, such as a plane, a boat, or a car. We came by train. It's more relaxing. Next time, we'll come by plane. It's faster.
2. Fig. to find or get something. How did you come by that haircut? Where did you come by that new shirt?
See also: by, come
come by something honestly
1. Fig. to get something honestly. (See also come by something.) Don't worry. I came by this Swiss watch honestly. I have a feeling she didn't come by it honestly.
2. Fig. to inherit something—such as a character trait-from one's parents. I know I'm mean. I came by it honestly, though. She came by her kindness honestly.
See also: by, come, honestly
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
come by
1. Acquire, obtain, as in A good assistant is hard to come by. This usage, dating from about 1600, superseded the earlier sense of acquiring something with considerable effort. A variant is come by honestly, meaning "to obtain in some honorable or logical way." For example, I'm sure she didn't come by that large bonus honestly or He does have an unusual gait but he came by it honestly; his father's is the same.
2. Stop in, visit, as in Please come by whenever you're in the neighborhood. [Late 1800s]
See also: by, come
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
come by
v.
1. To visit someone: I told them to come by for dinner some evening.
2. To pass into a region: A nice breeze came by and the campers felt cooler.
3. To gain possession of something; acquire something: We don't know how our neighbor came by all that money.
4. To find something: Really good movies are hard to come by.
See also: by, come
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
- come by
- hard to come by
- in the end
- hard work is not easy
- be hard at it
- knock (oneself) out
- knock oneself out
- knock out
- not any hard feelings
- hard by