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3. come to terms

come to terms

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come to terms

(about someone or something) and come to terms (on someone or something) [for two or more people] to reach an accord on someone or something. Ed and Alice came to terms about money. They did not come to terms on the price.

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come to terms

 (with someone or something)

1. to come to an agreement with someone. I finally came to terms with my lawyer about his fee. Bob, you have to come to terms with your father.

2. to learn to accept someone or something. She had to come to terms with the loss of her sight. She couldn't come to terms with her estranged husband.

See also: come, term

come to terms

1. Reach an agreement, as in The landlord and his tenants soon came to terms regarding repairs. [Early 1700s]

2. come to terms with. Reconcile oneself to, as in He'd been trying to come to terms with his early life. [Mid-1800s]

See also: come, term