Meaning, "refrain from posturing as". Recently discussed at
http://www.wordwizard.com/ch_forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18840
Another new one on me, a little Googling seems to indicate it's almost exclusively a rightpond expression, and I'm wondering if anyone can verify this conclusion

Thanks guys

It's pretty common in England I can confirm, and its meaning is as you suggest.

I've never heard this type of phrase used here in the States. I guess I've heard it in films and TV shows from over the pond.

Would you consider this "come" to be just a shortening of "become"?

Richard's right. We don't use "Don't come the raw prawn with me." - that's purely Australian. We do however use the "Don't come the...with me." structure.

Don't come the old soldier with me.
Don't come the expert with me.
Don't come the martyr with me.

These are all variations I've heard used recently. The implication is that

a) the other person is posing as something which he has no real right to
b) we know that he's only posing
c) he should know that we aren't fooled

I've also heard "don't come it with me" which is an aggressive response to aggressive posturing, often followed by one of those "mockney" insults favoured by the writers of Eastenders.

"Don't come it with me, sunshine."
"Don't come it with me, you muppet."
"Don't come it with me, you wanker." (Although that one wouldn't make it onto Eastenders.)

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