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definitions

come up against

Encounter, especially an obstacle or problem. For example, I've never come up against anything I can't handle, or Dealing with Malcolm is like coming up against a brick wall.

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Where Words Come FromThe study of words is called lexicology—not to be confused with phraseology, philology, syntax, morphology, lexicography or semantics. How do lexicologists create new words? Actually, they don’t—think how ridiculous it would be if a deranged lexicologist had the power and desire to create hundreds of new words! In reality, they observe the way English is used and choose words from their findings. The English lexicon …
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RELATED WORDS

clash, greet, face, see, contact, find, bump, tumble, feel, savor, appreciate, defy, resist, accost, repel, oppose, meet, encounter, engage, hit

Nearby words

  1. come to think of it,
  2. come true,
  3. come under,
  4. come unglued,
  5. come up,
  6. come up in the world,
  7. come up roses,
  8. come up to,
  9. come up with,
  10. come upon
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.