it comes out that

Question

As far as I could see we can use come out that and come out as follows:

It came out that she was already married.

and

It came out in the last winter

But is it correct to say

It came out that she was already married in the last winter

with the meaning tit became known in the last winter that she was already married?

Be careful with "last winter" (the most recent winter) and "the last winter" (some particular last winter in a longer timescale, which needs some further context to fully explain it, e.g. "the last winter before the war", or "the last winter of the 1980s"). — TessellatingHeckler, Commented Jun 28, 2015 at 13:40

TimR · Accepted Answer · 2015-06-28 13:00:23Z

2

It came out that she was already married in the last winter
with the meaning that it became known in the last winter that she was already married

You must relocate the time-phrase to clear up the ambiguity.

It came out last winter that she was already married.

answered Jun 28, 2015 at 13:00

TimR

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How come is the phrase common among native speakers? Do you personally use it in the meaning that something became known at some time?
– Dmitrii Bundin
Commented Jun 28, 2015 at 13:16
2

"Came out" in this sense implies that something was revealed to the public, usually against the wishes of the person whom the information is about, such as by being "leaked" to the press. It is a common verb.
– TimR
Commented Jun 28, 2015 at 13:18

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