Arrive vs Come to court like that

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Arrive

Top 1,000 (very common)A1verb

Come to court like that

InformalBeyond 10,000 (less common)
Most formal: ArriveMost common: Arrive
 ArriveCome to court like that
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/əˈraɪv/","/əˈraɪvz/","/əˈraɪvd/","/əˈraɪvɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əˈraɪv/","/əˈraɪvz/","/əˈraɪvd/","/əˈraɪvɪŋ/"]/🇬🇧 //kʌm tə kɔːt laɪk ðæt//🇺🇸 //kʌm tə kɔrt laɪk ðæt//
MeaningTo reach a place that you were going to.To appear at a legal court in a certain way.
ExampleWe will arrive at the airport by noon.You can't just come to court like that, it's disrespectful!
RegisterNeutralInformal
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Beyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR levelA1-
Part of speechverb
Collocationsearly, late, shortly, be due to, fail to, at, in, the first to arrive, the last to arrive, early, late, shortly, be due to, fail to, at, in, the first to arrive, the last to arrivecome to court, dress appropriately, impress the judge
Antonymsdepart, leaveleave court properly dressed, arrive at court appropriately, attend court formally
Common mistakesConfusing 'arrive at' with 'arrive in'., Using 'arrived to' instead of 'arrived at/in'.Confusing with 'go to court' which is more formal., Omitting 'like that' which changes the meaning., Using the phrase in a formal context.
Usage notesUse 'arrive at' for specific locations (e.g., 'arrive at the airport') and 'arrive in' for larger areas (e.g., 'arrive in Paris'). Avoid using in very formal contexts; consider synonyms like 'reach' instead.This phrase is typically used in a casual context, often implying disapproval of someone's appearance. It's less appropriate in formal discussions or legal settings.

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Arrive
Come to court like that

Frequently asked questions: Arrive vs Come to court like that

What's the difference between Arrive and Come to court like that?

Arrive: To reach a place that you were going to. Come to court like that: To appear at a legal court in a certain way.

Which is more formal: Arrive and Come to court like that?

Arrive is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Arrive and Come to court like that?

Arrive is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Arrive: We will arrive at the airport by noon. Come to court like that: You can't just come to court like that, it's disrespectful!

Can I use Arrive and Come to court like that interchangeably?

Not always. Arrive and Come to court like that are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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