come what may
5
6.3
- idiom
- Literature
:
pase lo que pase
- I will always support you, come what may, through every challenge we face.
- come what may
I know that there's some risk involved, and I'm going to do it, come what may.
- I know that there's some risk involved, and I'm going to do it, come what may.
- Come, come what may, you know, And, and of course, those real moments when they do arrive and you got to address it, they're very, very stressful.
Examples
-
"We'll be ready on Sunday, come what may."
Blog text (18) -
Come what may, I will remain faithful to my beloved until the day I die.
Fiction book (1998) -
And then live with your decision, come what may.
Fiction book (1998) -
"Come what may," Dad says.
Fiction book (2002) -
He, too, was committed, come what may.
Fiction book (1999) -
I just want to enhance the probability that I make money, come what may.
Blog text (30) -
I want you to know, Romualdo, that come what may, you can continue to count on seeing us here.
Fiction book (1995) -
But come what may, when November rolls around, I'll be watching and cheering on our boys in blue.
Blog text (14) -
After all, come what may, he had a wonderful family, and beneath the bits of bickering, there was playfulness and harmony.
Fiction book (1995) -
There was just a decision to stay with each other, come what may—and a moment in which it was suddenly, undeniably real.
Blog text (31)
Synonyms
94
3.2
A phrase that says something will happen despite problems
5
8.3
No matter what happens or how difficult it is
3
8.4
Says that something will be done no matter what problems happen
How Determined
62
3.7
101
5.2
- Informal
3
8.4
- Literature
5
6.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase can be reinterpreted as 'whatever may come' so its overall meaning ('no matter what happens') is derivable from the constituents, but the archaic/inverted word order and use of the modal 'may' make the compositional relation non‑transparent for many B1 learners without prior exposure. Cross‑linguistic parallels (e.g. equivalents meaning 'whatever happens') aid comprehension, so the expression is partially but not fully predictable.
Etymology
Come what may may come from the simple image of things that will come to you, whatever they may be. That's why it means 'no matter what happens' and people use it to say they will keep going whatever the future brings.