COME TO LIFE

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does come to life mean? 

• COME TO LIFE (verb)
  The verb COME TO LIFE has 2 senses:

1. be born or come into existence

2. be lifelike, as of a painting

  Familiarity information: COME TO LIFE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• COME TO LIFE (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be born or come into existence

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

come into being; come to life

Context example:

All these flowers come to life when the rains come

Hypernyms (to "come to life" is one way to...):

be born (come into existence through birth)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Be lifelike, as of a painting

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

If you look at it long enough, this portrait comes to life!

Hypernyms (to "come to life" is one way to...):

resemble (appear like; be similar or bear a likeness to)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

 Context examples 

Youth and Age, which had come to life again after having escaped paying its bills, put in a prior claim, which nobody but farmers' children ever read.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

“It's one of her bad days. If the fire was to go out, through any accident, I verily believe she'd go out too, and never come to life again.”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)