happen Hear it!

happen definition

hap·pen (hap′ən)

intransitive verb

  1. to take place; occur; befall
  2. to be or occur by chance or without plan it happened to rain
  3. to have the luck or occasion; chance I happened to see it
  4. to come by chance (along, by, in, etc.)

Etymology: ME happenen: see hap & -en

happen Idioms

happen on

or happen upon
to meet or find by chance

happen to

to be done to or be the fate of; befall

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.