happen

hap·pen

Use happen in a sentence

verb

Happen is defined as to take place or occur by chance.

An example of happen is running into a friend at a coffee shop.

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"happen." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 June 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/HAPPEN>.

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happen. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/HAPPEN

happen

to take place; occur; befall
to be or occur by chance or without plan: it happened to rain
to have the luck or occasion: I happened to catch the exhibit when I was in New York
to come by chance (along, by, in, etc.)

Origin of happen

Middle English happenen: see hap and -en

happen Idioms

as it so happens

as a matter of fact; incidentally

happen on

to meet or find by chance

happen to

to be done to or be the fate of; befall

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MLA Style

"happen." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 June 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/HAPPEN>.

APA Style

happen. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/HAPPEN

happen

verb

hap·pened, hap·pen·ing, hap·pens

verb

intransitive

a. To come to pass: Where did the accident happen?
b. To come about as a consequence; result: Trouble always seems to happen when he's around.
c. To be the fate; become: What will happen to the business when the owner retires?
To encounter something by chance: I happened upon an interesting article in the newspaper.
To come or go casually; make an appearance: My friend happened by around dinnertime.

verb

transitive

Used with the impersonal subject it and a following clause or infinitive to indicate the occurrence of a usually unexpected or chance event: It happened that I was in the shower when you called. It happened to snow on the night she was born.
To have the fortune (to be or do something); be in a situation or position (to be or do something): The bus station happens to be close to the museum. I happen to know the answer to that question.
Used with an infinitive to make polite requests: Do you happen to know the time?

Origin of happen

Middle English happenen from hap chance ; see hap .

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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MLA Style

"happen." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 June 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/HAPPEN>.

APA Style

happen. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/HAPPEN

happen

happen befall betide chance occur

These verbs mean to come about: saw an awful thing happen; predicted that misery will befall humankind; woe that betides the poor soldier; former friends who chanced to meet again; described the accident exactly as it occurred.

happen befall betide chance occur

These verbs mean to come about: saw an awful thing happen; predicted that misery will befall humankind; woe that betides the poor soldier; former friends who chanced to meet again; described the accident exactly as it occurred.

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"happen." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 June 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/HAPPEN>.

APA Style

happen. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/HAPPEN

Verb

(third-person singular simple present happens, present participle happening, simple past and past participle happened)

To occur or take place.
Let me tell you how it happened.
To occur unexpectedly, by chance or with a low probability.
Take an umbrella in case it happens to rain.
Do you happen to have an umbrella?
(followed by on or upon) To encounter by chance.

Usage notes

This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive.

Adverb

(not comparable)

(obsolete or dialect) maybe, perhaps.

Origin

From Middle English happenen

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"happen." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 June 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/HAPPEN>.

APA Style

happen. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/HAPPEN

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