happen
//ˈhæpən//
informalForms
- present (v1)
- happen
- past (v2)
- happened
- past participle (v3)
- happened
- present participle
- happening
- 3rd person singular
- happens
Definitions
1.To occur or take place.
- Let me tell you how it happened.
- Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic who still resists the idea that something drastic needs to happen for him to turn his life around.
2.To do or occur by chance or unexpectedly.
- Do you happen to have an umbrella?
- Take an umbrella in case it happens to rain.
- If you should (happen to) need any help, I'll be there.
3.To encounter by chance.
- Unexpectedly, in a nook close by the farmhouse, he happened upon a spot where the vintage had actually commenced.
4.To become popular or trendy.(informal)
- I didn't want anything bad to happen.
- Let's consider the worst that could happen.
- What will happen if there's a power failure now?
Frequency
Overall
Very common· #170
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Very common
- General reading & writing
- Very common
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Uncommon
Related words
Etymology
From Middle English happenen, hapnen, augmented from Middle English happen (“to come to pass, happen”), perhaps from Old English hæppan (“to move accidentally, slip”) and/or from Old Norse *happa, *heppa, from Proto-Germanic *hampijaną (“to fit in, be fitting”).