# come to papa

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/come-to-papa
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Used to encourage someone or something to approach, or an event to occur.

## Examples

- I see the pizza delivery, come to papa!
- You see the winning lottery numbers and shout, come to papa!
- When the rare book finally appeared at the auction, the collector whispered, come to papa.
- The fisherman watched the large trout swim toward his bait and whispered, come to papa, as he prepared to pull the line.
- She reached for the last slice of cake on the counter and said, come to papa, before anyone else could grab it.
- As the long-awaited promotion finally appeared on his desk, he smiled and thought, come to papa.

## Origin

Derived from the Proto-Indo-European *ph₂tḗr, the expression combines the verb *come* with *papa*, a familiar term of address for one’s father. It originated as a literal invitation issued by a father to his child. The phrase transitioned from the nursery to the gambling hall, where players adopted it as an invocation while throwing dice. In this context, the winning numbers are addressed as the metaphorical offspring returning to the parent.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.