Meaning of happen in English

Table of contents
  1. Pronunciation
  2. Verb
    1. Etymology
    2. Definitions

  1. Pronunciation

    /ˈhæpən/

    US accent Play button

    UK accent Play button

  1. Verb

    happen

    Etymology

    late Middle English (superseding the verb hap): from the noun hap+ -en

    Definitions

    1. come to pass

    Examples

    • « What is happening? »
    • « The meeting took place off without an incidence »
    • « Nothing occurred that seemed important »

    Derived terms

  2. 2. happen, occur, or be the case in the course of events or by chance

    Examples

    • « It happens that today is my birthday »
    • « These things befell (Santayana) »
  3. 3. chance to be or do something, without intention or causation

    Examples

    • « I happen to have just what you need! »
  4. 4. come into being

    Examples

    • « become reality »
    • « Her dream really materialized »

    Antonyms

    Derived terms

  5. 5. come upon, as if by accident

    Examples

    • « meet with »
    • « We find this idea in Plato »
    • « I happened upon the most wonderful bakery not very far from here »
    • « She chanced upon an interesting book in the bookstore the other day »

    Derived terms

Famous quotes

  • « No one can possibly know what is about to happen: it is happening, each time, for the first time, for the only time. »
    James A. Baldwin
  • « How does one happen to write a poem: where does it come from? That is the question asked by the psychologists or the geneticists of poetry. »
    Allen Tate
  • « The truth is my idea has been to always stay at Barcelona and see out the rest of my career here. Like I always say, one doesn't know what can happen in the future, but if it were up to me to decide, I would stay at Barcelona for the rest of my career. »
    Lionel Messi
  • « If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help... Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you've got a business - you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen. »
    Barack Obama
  • « I think the American Dream says that anything can happen if you work hard enough at it and are persistent, and have some ability. The sky is the limit to what you can build, and what can happen to you and your family. »
    Sanford I. Weill

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