come to a head

• (causative equivalent) bring to a head

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come to a head (third-person singular simple present comes to a head, present participle coming to a head, simple past came to a head, past participle come to a head) (intransitive)

1. (idiomatic) To rapidly reach a turning point or climax.

   The escalating crisis between England and her American colonies came to a head when fighting broke out in 1775.

   • 2024 January 10, 'Industry Insider', “Success built on liberalisation and market freedom”, in RAIL, number 1000, page 69:

     In retrospect, it was small wonder that Railtrack found its finances under pressure, as with ever increasing demand there was an inevitable effect on infrastructure renewals. Matters came to a head with the Hatfield accident on October 17 2000, when there was a high-speed derailment as a result of deferred track maintenance.

2. (idiomatic) To suddenly reveal itself, having lain latent for a time.

   His festering anger came to a head after the incident.

3. (idiomatic) To suddenly become mature or perfected, having been inchoate or imperfectly formed.
4. (medicine, of an abscess) To reach its final stage.