ENGLISH
REFERENCE

come forth

phr. v..
C1 Advanced Oxford

phr. v.. to step forward or appear, often to give information or help.

phr. v.. to emerge from a place or state of concealment; frequently used in legal or formal contexts to describe witnesses presenting themselves.


SIMPLE

Several witnesses have come forth with new evidence.

CONTEXTUAL

The police asked for anyone with information about the accident to come forth and speak to them.

COMPLEX

Despite the promise of anonymity, few whistleblowers were willing to come forth and testify against the corporation's unethical practices.

Particles
forth
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
come + forth
Usage

this is a formal phrasal verb often replaced by 'come forward' in everyday conversation.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'come forward'; 'come forth' has a slightly more archaic or biblical tone and is less common in modern spoken English.

Pitfall

He came forth to the room.He came into the room.'come forth' means to emerge or present oneself, not simply to enter a physical space.

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