phrasal verb🧩 phrasal verb
come down with
to become sick
What it means
To become ill with a minor or short-term sickness, like a cold or the flu. It is inseparable, slightly informal, and usually refers to early symptoms rather than serious illness.
Examples
- I think I'm coming down with a cold — my throat feels scratchy.
- She came down with the flu the day before her wedding.
- Half the office has come down with some kind of stomach bug.
- He always comes down with something just before exam week.
Where it comes from
From the older idea that an illness 'comes down' upon you from above or from the air, in use since at least the 1800s. It is reserved for non-serious illnesses; you would not normally say you 'came down with' a heart attack.
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