to come upon
2
7.6
- phrasal verb
- /kʌm əˈpɒn/
- Formal
:
entrar en posesión de
- Thomas Martin could have carried it out and sold it to a gem merchant in London, where it could have been purchased by a wealthy tourist who had it mounted and later died, leaving it to a niece who possibly came upon hard times and sold it yet again, until the black woman found it in one of the pricey antique shops along Royal Street.
Examples
-
After many years, she came upon her grandmother's estate in the countryside.
-
The family came upon their inheritance when the will was read after the funeral.
-
He was surprised to come upon such valuable property after the legal proceedings concluded.
Synonyms
∞
2.8
Cause someone to die or suffer great harm
162
3.6
To receive money or property from someone after they die
127
3.2
Get something, often by luck or after effort
105
3.9
To receive money or property unexpectedly, often after someone dies
1
6.8
To take legal control of land or property
Antonyms
How Much
Surface Forms
Morphology
come + upon
The combination of 'come' + 'upon' transparently suggests encountering or coming into something (cf. 'come across'/'find'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would likely infer a general meaning of unexpectedly finding or coming into possession. However, the specific formal/legal sense of 'taking possession' or inheriting is a specialized extension and the archaic/prepositional use of 'upon' makes the precise legal nuance unpredictable without prior exposure.
Etymology
Come upon had a formal use in old law where property or money would come upon a person after a relative died, as if the things arrived to them. That's why it means 'to take possession' of property, often by inheritance.