oncome

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English oncomen, from Old English oncuman, ancuman (“to arrive, come upon, happen”), from Proto-Germanic *anakwemaną (“to come to, come at, arrive”), equivalent to on- +‎ come. Cognate with Dutch aankomen (“to arrive”), German ankommen (“to arrive”), Swedish ankomma (“to arrive”).

Verb

oncome (third-person singular simple present oncomes, present participle oncoming, simple past oncame, past participle oncome)

1. (intransitive, rare) To arrive; come to; come on.
   • 1844, Homerus, The Iliad, rendered in Homeric verse, by L. Shadwell:

     This said, and shaking his long dark spear, then forward he hurl'd it Into the fullround buckler of Priamides Alexander; Right thro' his glittering shield oncame the redoubtable warspear, On still advanced, throughpiercing his breastplate's various-art-work [...]

   • 1999, Alfred Corn, Stake: poems, 1972-1992:

     A trip from you. Taken. . . . Then time oncame [...]

Etymology 2

From Middle English oncome (“an attack”), equivalent to on- +‎ come. Compare Old English ancuman (“to arrive, come upon, happen”). More at ancome, income.

Noun

oncome (plural oncomes)

1. Advent, arrival, approach; onset
   • 1978, Edna O'Brien, I hardly knew you:

     I see the dawn or rather I feel the oncome of it.

2. The commencement or initial stages of a business, especially of one which requires great exertion.
3. The setting about of an action; development; progress.
4. An attack; an attack or onset of a disease, fit, or episode.
   • 1881, American journal of obstetrics and diseases of women and children: Volume 14:

     On inquiry it was found that this neurosis corresponded in time with the oncome of the catamenia.

   • 1906, Appleton's magazine: Volume 7:

     "She often has oncomes," explained Angus shortly. "But now we will tell, for though but children, we talk straighter."

5. (dialectal) A mysterious disease or ailment.
   • 1858, Sir Walter Scott, The bride of Lammermoor:

     This woman had acquired a considerable reputation among the ignorant by the pretended cures which she performed, especially in oncomes, as the Scotch call them, or mysterious diseases, which baffle the regular physician.

6. (dialectal) A heavy fall of rain or snow; cloudburst.
7. (of a chimney) The lower edge of a fire-clay lining piece.

Synonyms

• outburst
• outgush
• advent, arrival

Anagrams

• come on, come-on

Scots

Noun

oncome (plural oncomes)

1. advent, arrival (of)

   but thir is nae mair an the oncome o birth-thraws --Mark 13, W.L. Lorimer translation