To come down with
Today’s word is a phrasal verb and this one is like a double phrasal verb. To come down with is today’s phrase. To come down with. You heard that many American and Canadian diplomats came down with a mysterious illness while in Havana. You also heard that a single American government worker came down with the same thing in China. But the strange thing is that it’s only government workers from the US and Canada that have come down with this mysterious illness; it doesn’t affect locals or businesspeople with no ties to the government.
By now you might have guessed that to come down with an illness is to get that illness. To get sick, in other words. I’m coming down with a cold—that’s the most popular way to use this phrasal verb.
You can also say you’re coming down with something—just like that, “I’m not feeling so great. I think I’m coming down with something.” That means, you think you’re getting sick, but you’re not quite sure what it is yet. You know that feeling you get at work or school, when it seems like everyone around you is coming down with something? You just know it’s only a matter of time before you come down with the same thing, whatever it is.
Right before the holidays, I saw a funny headline. It said that a majority of workers would voluntarily give up one of their own vacation days so that a sick colleague wouldn’t come to work. I can sympathize with that … if a coworker is coming down with something, you do not want that person walking around your office or classroom or wherever.
That’s it for today’s episode. Quick reminder before we go that you can get a free audiobook just for listening to Plain English. You can see the details at PlainEnglish.com/book – all the details are there. You just sign up for a free trial to Audible and you’ll get an audiobook to keep forever. If you don’t want to subscribe to get more audiobooks, just cancel within a month and keep your first book. PlainEnglish.com/book.
Stay healthy, try not to come down with anything. Have a great week, and JR and I will be back on Thursday with a new episode.
Learn more expressions like this
