come on

come on

1. Stop it!; Stop doing that. (Usually Come on!) •

Mary: Are you really going to sell your new car? Sally: Come on! How dumb do you think I am?

2. please oblige me. •

Mother: Sorry. You can't go! Bill: Come on, let me go to the picnic!

•

“Come on,” whined Jimmy, “I want some more!”

3. to hurry up; to follow someone. •

If you don't come on, we'll miss the train.

4. [for electricity or some other device] to start operating. •

After a while, the lights came on again.

•

I hope the heat comes on soon.

5. to walk out and appear on stage. •

You are to come on when you hear your cue.

6. Fig. [for a pain] to begin hurting; [for a disease] to attack someone. •

The pain began to come on again, and Sally had to lie down.

7. [for a program] to be broadcast on radio or television. •

The news didn't come on until an hour later.

* * *

{v.} 1. To begin; appear. * /Rain came on toward morning./ * /He felt a cold coming on./ 2. To grow or do well; thrive. * /The wheat was coming on./ * /His business came on splendidly./ 3. or[come upon]. To meet accidentally; encounter; find. * /He came on an old friend that day when he visited his club./ * /He came upon an interesting idea in reading about the French Revolution./ Syn.: COME ACROSS, HAPPEN ON. 4. {informal} Let's get started; let's get going; don't delay; don't wait. - Used as a command. * /"Come on, or we'll he late," said Joe, but Lou still waited./ 5. {informal} Please do it! - Used in begging someone to do something. * /Sing us just one song, Jane, come on!/ * /Come on, Laura, you can tell me. I won't tell anybody./